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英文原文
The success of one good design for God and our generation should encourage us to proceed and form some other; Nehemiah did so, having fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls, his next care is, I. To see the city well kept, Ne 7:1-4. II. To see it well peopled, in order to which he here reviews and calls over the register of the children of the captivity, the families that returned at first, and records it, Ne 7:5-73. It is the same, in effect, with that which we had, Ezr 2:1-62 What use he made of it we shall find afterwards, when he brought one of ten to live in Jerusalem, Ne 11:1.
1-4
The Completion of the Wall (445 BC)
城牆的完工（公元前445年）
¹ 城牆修完了，我安了門扇，門丁、歌唱的和利未人也已派定，
² 我就派我的弟兄哈拿尼和營樓的宰官哈拿尼雅管理耶路撒冷；因為哈拿尼雅是忠信的人，又敬畏神過于眾人。
³ 我吩咐他們說：太陽還未出來以前，不可開耶路撒冷的城門；人正看守的時候，就要關門上閂。也當派耶路撒冷的居民各按班次看守自己房屋對面之處。
⁴ 城是廣大，其中的民卻稀少，房屋還沒有建造。
神論到他的教會說（賽 62:6）：「耶路撒冷啊，我在你城上設立守望的！」這正是尼希米在此所關心的；因為沒有活着的守望者，城牆本身不過是死的，對城市的防禦極其有限。
第一，他指派「門丁、歌唱的和利未人」各就各位、各盡其職。這是指他們一般的事奉，就是在聖殿中事奉；這事奉在某種程度上已被忽略，如今重新恢復。神的敬拜是一個地方的防禦，他的僕人若盡忠職守，就是城牆上的守望者。或者特別而言，他吩咐他們為城牆的奉獻典禮作好準備，使他們能有條不紊地、莊嚴地舉行那事奉；而奉獻本身就是城牆的力量。凡奉獻歸給神的，對我們必有益處。
第二，他任命了兩位省長或執政官，將城市的治理交託給他們，囑咐他們為公共的和平與安全負責。他的兄弟哈拿尼——就是先前帶着耶路撒冷荒涼消息來見他的那一位——是一位，是個經過考驗、正直且愛國的人；另一位是哈拿尼雅，他曾任營樓的宰官：因為在小事上忠心的，必受託付以更大的事。論到這位哈拿尼雅，經上說他是個「忠信的人，又敬畏神過于眾人」（Ne 7:2）。當留意：1. 在真正敬畏神的人中，有些人格外敬畏他，在敬畏的表現和實例上超越別人；他們配得敬畏主之人當得的雙倍尊榮（詩 15:4）。耶路撒冷有許多敬畏神的人，但這位好人在信仰和認真的敬虔上比任何人更為出眾。2. 敬畏神的人必須以對所有人忠信、在各事上無愧的良心來證明這一點。3. 當治理神的耶路撒冷、負責其事的人是在德行上卓越、在敬虔和誠實上出眾的人時，耶路撒冷便有興旺之望。有人推測，尼希米此時正要回到波斯朝廷去續任委任，他在離開期間將這兩位可敬的人託付以城中的事務。好的官長在自己不能親自任事之時和之處，必須極其謹慎地選擇代理人。
第三，他發出關于關閉城門和看守城牆的命令（Ne 7:3-4）。請看：1. 耶路撒冷當時的狀況。城的規模廣大。城牆所圍的地土與從前相同；但其中大部分仍荒廢，因為房屋尚未建造，至少與從前相比為數甚少；因此尼希米是憑信心建造城牆，並着眼于神最近藉先知所應許的充滿居民的應許（亞 8:3-8 等）。百姓雖然稀少，他卻相信他們將要增多，因此建造城牆為他們預留空間；若非信靠這一點，他可能會認為有牆無城正如有城無牆一樣，是極大的羞辱。2. 尼希米為此所作的安排。他吩咐城市的官長親自：（1）站着觀看城門每晚關閉上閂；因為若對城門疏忽，城牆也是徒然。（2）注意城門在早晨不可開啟，直到確認一切平安無事。（3）在城牆上或其他方便之處，按適當距離設立哨兵，一旦仇敵臨近，便可及時向城中發出危險警報；他們輪流守望時，要駐守「各人自己房屋對面之處」，因為可以推想他們對自己家中的安全必格外關心。公共的安全仰賴于每個人對防備罪——那共同的仇敵——以保護自己和自家所做的特別留心。守望是每個人的利益所在，但許多人不明白自己的利益；因此官長有責任指派守望。正如這百姓最近在建造中經歷了神的同在（否則他們就徒然建造了），如今城牆既已建成，無疑他們也深切感到「若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然儆醒」（詩 127:1）。
英文原文
The Completion of the Wall (445 BC)
¹ Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
² That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
³ And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
⁴ Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
God saith concerning his church (Isa 62:6), I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem! This is Nehemiah's care here; for dead walls, without living watchmen, are but a poor defence to a city.
I. He appointed the porters, singers, and Levites, in their places to their work. This is meant of their work in general, which was to attend the temple service; it had been neglected in some degree, but now was revived. God's worship is the defence of a place, and his ministers, when they mind their duty, are watchmen on the walls. Or, in particular, he ordered them to be ready against the wall was to be dedicated, that they might perform that service in an orderly and solemn manner; and the dedication of it was its strength. That is likely to be beneficial to us which is devoted to God.
II. He appointed two governors or consuls, to whom he committed the care of the city, and gave them in charge to provide for the public peace and safety. Hanani, his brother, who came to him with the tidings of the desolations of Jerusalem, was one, a man of approved integrity and affection to his country; the other was Hananiah, who had been ruler of the palace: for he that has approved himself faithful in less shall be entrusted with more. Of this Hananiah it is said that he was a faithful man and one that feared God above many, Ne 7:2. Note, 1. Among those who fear God truly there are some who fear him greatly, and excel others in the expressions and instances of that fear; and they are worthy a double portion of that honour which is due to those that fear the Lord, Ps 15:4. There were many in Jerusalem that feared God, but this good man was more eminent for religion and serious godliness than any. 2. Those that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all men and universally conscientious. 3. God's Jerusalem is then likely to flourish when those rule in it, and have charge of it, who excel in virtue, and are eminent both for godliness and honesty. It is supposed, by some, that Nehemiah was now about to return to the Persian court to have his commission renewed, and that he left these two worthy men in charge with the affairs of the city in his absence. Good governors, when and where they cannot act themselves, must be very careful whom they depute.
III. He gave orders about the shutting of the gates and the guarding of the walls, Ne 7:3,4. See here, 1. What the present state of Jerusalem was. The city, in compass, was large and great. The walls enclosed the same ground as formerly; but much of it lay waste, for the houses were not built, few at least in comparison with what had been; so that Nehemiah walled the city in faith, and with an eye to that promise of the replenishing of it which God had lately made by the prophet, Zec 8:3-8, etc. Though the people were now few, he believed they would be multiplied, and therefore built the walls so as to make room for them; had he not depended upon this he might have thought walls without a city as great a reproach as a city without walls. 2. What was the care of Nehemiah for it. He ordered the rulers of the city themselves, (1.) To stand by, and see the city-gates shut up and barred every night; for in vain had they a wall if they were careless of their gates. (2.) To take care that they should not be opened in the morning till they could see that all was clear and quiet. (3.) To set sentinels upon the walls, or elsewhere, at convenient distances, who should, in case of the approach of the enemy, give timely notice to the city of the danger; and, as it came to their turn to watch, they must post themselves over against their own houses, because of them, it might be presumed, they would be in a particular manner careful. The public safety depends upon every one's particular care to guard himself and his own family against sin, that common enemy. It is every one's interest to watch, but many understand not their own interest; it is therefore incumbent upon magistrates to appoint watches. And as this people had lately found God with them in their building (else they would have built in vain), so now that the wall was built, no doubt, they were made sensible that except the Lord kept the city the watchman waked but in vain, Ps 127:1.
5-73
The Register of the Captives (445 BC)
被擄者的名冊 (445 BC)
⁵ 我的神感動我心，招聚貴族、官長和百姓，使他們按家譜計算。我尋得初次上來之人的家譜冊子，其中寫着說：
⁶ 巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒從前擄去猶大省的人，現在他們的子孫從擄到之地回耶路撒冷和猶大，各歸本城。
⁷ 他們是同着所羅巴伯、耶書亞、尼希米、亞撒利雅、拉米、拿哈抹尼、末底改、必珊、米斯毗列、比革瓦伊、尼宏、巴拿回來的。以色列民的數目記在下面：
⁸ 巴錄的子孫二千一百七十二名；
⁹ 示法提雅的子孫三百七十二名；
¹⁰ 亞拉的子孫六百五十二名；
¹¹ 巴哈摩押的子孫，就是耶書亞和約押的子孫，二千八百一十八名；
¹² 以攔的子孫一千二百五十四名；
¹³ 薩土的子孫八百四十五名；
¹⁴ 薩改的子孫七百六十名；
¹⁵ 賓內的子孫六百四十八名；
¹⁶ 比拜的子孫六百二十八名；
¹⁷ 押甲的子孫二千三百二十二名；
¹⁸ 亞多尼干的子孫六百六十七名；
¹⁹ 比革瓦伊的子孫二千零六十七名；
²⁰ 亞丁的子孫六百五十五名；
²¹ 希西家的子孫亞特的後裔九十八名；
²² 哈順的子孫三百二十八名；
²³ 比賽的子孫三百二十四名；
²⁴ 哈立的子孫一百一十二名；
²⁵ 基遍的子孫九十五名；
²⁶ 伯利恒人和尼陀法人共一百八十八名；
²⁷ 亞拿突人共一百二十八名；
²⁸ 伯亞斯瑪弗人共四十二名；
²⁹ 基列耶琳人、基非拉人、比錄人共七百四十三名；
³⁰ 拉瑪人和迦巴人共六百二十一名；
³¹ 抹比押人共一百二十二名；
³² 伯特利人和艾人共一百二十三名；
³³ 另一個尼波的子孫五十二名；
³⁴ 另一個以攔的子孫一千二百五十四名；
³⁵ 哈琳的子孫三百二十名；
³⁶ 耶利哥的子孫三百四十五名；
³⁷ 羅德人、哈底人、阿挪人共七百二十一名；
³⁸ 西拿的子孫三千九百三十名；
³⁹ 祭司：耶書亞家耶大雅的子孫九百七十三名；
⁴⁰ 音麥的子孫一千零五十二名；
⁴¹ 巴施戶珥的子孫一千二百四十七名；
⁴² 哈琳的子孫一千零一十七名；
⁴³ 利未人：耶書亞的子孫、甲篾的子孫和何達威雅的子孫共七十四名。
⁴⁴ 歌唱的：亞薩的子孫一百四十八名。
⁴⁵ 守門的：沙龍的子孫、亞特的子孫、達們的子孫、亞谷的子孫、哈底大的子孫、朔拜的子孫共一百三十八名。
⁴⁶ 尼提寧人：西哈的子孫、哈蘇巴的子孫、答巴俄的子孫、
⁴⁷ 基綠的子孫、西亞的子孫、巴頓的子孫、
⁴⁸ 利巴拿的子孫、哈加巴的子孫、沙買的子孫、
⁴⁹ 哈難的子孫、吉德的子孫、迦哈的子孫、
⁵⁰ 利亞雅的子孫、利汛的子孫、尼哥大的子孫、
⁵¹ 迦散的子孫、烏撒的子孫、巴西雅的子孫、
⁵² 比賽的子孫、米烏寧的子孫、尼普心的子孫、
⁵³ 巴布的子孫、哈古法的子孫、哈忽的子孫、
⁵⁴ 巴斯律的子孫、米希達的子孫、哈沙的子孫、
⁵⁵ 巴柯的子孫、西西拉的子孫、他瑪的子孫、
⁵⁶ 尼細亞的子孫、哈提法的子孫。
⁵⁷ 所羅門僕人的後裔：瑣太的子孫、瑣斐列的子孫、比利大的子孫、
⁵⁸ 雅拉的子孫、達昆的子孫、吉德的子孫、
⁵⁹ 示法提雅的子孫、哈替的子孫、玻切列哈斯巴音的子孫、亞們的子孫。
⁶⁰ 尼提寧人和所羅門僕人的後裔共三百九十二名。
⁶¹ 以下也是從特米拉、特哈拉沙、基綠、亞頓、音麥上來的，卻不能指明他們的宗族譜系是不是以色列人：
⁶² 第來雅的子孫、多比雅的子孫、尼哥大的子孫共六百四十二名。
⁶³ 祭司中：哈巴雅的子孫、哥斯的子孫、巴西萊的子孫——巴西萊因為娶了基列人巴西萊的一個女兒為妻，所以按那名字被稱呼。
⁶⁴ 這些人在家譜的記載中尋查自己，卻尋不着，因此算為不潔，不准供祭司的職任。
⁶⁵ 省長對他們說：不可吃至聖的物，直到有用烏陵和土明決疑的祭司興起來。
⁶⁶ 會眾共有四萬二千三百六十名，
⁶⁷ 此外還有他們的僕婢七千三百三十七名，又有歌唱的男女二百四十五名。
⁶⁸ 他們有馬七百三十六匹，騾子二百四十五匹，
⁶⁹ 駱駝四百三十五隻，驢六千七百二十頭。
⁷⁰ 有些族長為工程捐助。省長捐入庫房金子一千達利克，碗五十個，祭司的禮服五百三十件。
⁷¹ 又有族長捐入工程的庫房金子二萬達利克，銀子二千二百彌拿。
⁷² 其餘百姓所捐的是金子二萬達利克，銀子二千彌拿，祭司的禮服六十七件。
⁷³ 於是祭司、利未人、守門的、歌唱的、民中的一部分人、尼提寧人和以色列眾人，各住在自己的城裏。到了七月，以色列人各住在自己的城中。
我們在這裏看到尼希米的另一項善舉；因為智慧熱心的人，總是在為神的榮耀和祂教會的造就而籌劃這樣那樣的事。他深知在神的護理之下，城的安全更在於居民的數目和勇武，而不在於城牆的高度或堅固程度；因此他見城中居民稀少，便認為應當清點百姓，好查出哪些家族從前在耶路撒冷定居、如今遷居鄉間，以便將他們帶回來；又有哪些家族可因信仰或因生計的緣故被吸引來重建耶路撒冷的房屋並在其中居住。我們實在沒有理由奢望獨居於世，或獨居於耶路撒冷，因為我們的安全和安舒在很大程度上取決於鄰舍和朋友；人越多便越強，人越多便越快樂。治國之道，在於使城鄉之間保持平衡，使首都不至於過度膨脹以致耗盡鄉村，也不至於過度衰弱以致不能保護鄉村。如今請觀察：
I. 尼希米這善念從何而來。他承認：我的神感動我心（尼7:5）。請注意，我們心中若有甚麼好的意念——無論是出於謀略還是出於敬虔——都當承認是從神而來的。是祂感動我們的心；因為各樣美善的恩賜和全備的賞賜都是從上頭來的。知識是祂賜的，恩典是祂賜的，一切都是出於祂，所以一切都當歸於祂。凡出於人的謀略所成就的，都當歸功於神護理的引導；那教導農夫聰明的（賽28:26），也教導政治家聰明。
II. 他為貫徹這計劃採取了甚麼方法。
1. 他召集官長和百姓，好了解他們各家的現狀——人數和力量，以及他們定居何處。大概他召集他們時，便吩咐各人從所轄地區帶來這樣的統計。想來他們人數不多，這事可以很快辦妥。
2. 他查考了初次上來之人的家譜冊子，將現今的統計與之對照；我們在此看到以斯拉記第二章內容的重複。標題與那裏相同（尼7:6-7；拉2:1-2）：這是猶大省的人等等。這裏兩次重複記錄的，是他們各家族的名字和數目，以及他們為聖殿的服事所獻的供物。這些記錄的重複，或許是要向我們暗示：偉大的神樂意特別看重祂屬靈以色列的人、家族和事奉，並留意記念他們。祂認識那些屬祂的人，全部認識，按着名字認識；祂的眼目注視着那些被擄之子的名冊，並照着祂從古以來對他們的旨意行事。
（1）這裏記載了首先上來的各家族首領的統計（尼7:6-69）。關於這一點：[1] 雖然如今看來似乎用處不大，但在當時卻大有用處——可將從前的他們與如今的他們相對照。我們可以推想，此時他們已大大增多；但記念起初的微小，有助於他們承認神使他們家族繁衍、建立他們的恩典。這樣也可保存他們的家譜，維持各家族的區分，直到彌賽亞降臨；到那時，一切家譜便告終止——這些家譜是為祂的緣故而保存的，此後便無窮無盡了。然而[2]這份目錄中的數目與以斯拉記中的數目之間有許多出入。其中大多數確實完全相同，另有一些只差少許（一兩個）；因此我不能像有些人那樣認為，以斯拉記中的數目是他們初次上來時的，這裏的數目是至少四十年後（有人認為遠不止四十年）的；因為我們不能設想這麼多家族在那麼長的時間內數目竟然完全不變或變化甚微；因此其中的出入，我們可以歸因於抄寫者的失誤（數字中最容易出錯），或他們所依據的抄本不同。又或者，一份是他們從巴比倫與所羅巴伯一同起行時的統計，另一份是他們抵達耶路撒冷時的統計。各項總數在兩處完全相同，只有歌唱的男女不同——那裏是二百名，這裏是二百四十五名。他們並非重要到要嚴格統計的程度。
（2）這裏記載了為神的工作所獻的供物（尼7:70-72等）。這與以斯拉記2:68-69的記載出入頗大，是否指同一筆捐獻也成疑問。這裏省長（即首席長官）率先奉獻，而那裏沒有提到他；那裏提到的單筆總數超過這裏所有各項的總和；然而很可能指的是同一回事，只是那份依據一份名單抄本，這份依據另一份抄本；因為尼7:73與拉2:70、3:1在此與在那裏完全相同。感謝神，我們的信心和盼望並非建立在姓名和數目、家譜和年代等細枝末節上，而是建立在律法和福音的大事上。凡獻給神之工的，神是公義的，不忘記的；甚至一杯涼水，若為榮耀祂而獻，也必不致不得賞賜。
英文原文
The Register of the Captives (445 BC)
⁵ And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
⁶ These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
⁷ Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
⁸ The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
⁹ The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
¹⁰ The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
¹¹ The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
¹² The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
¹³ The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
¹⁴ The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
¹⁵ The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
¹⁶ The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
¹⁷ The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
¹⁸ The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
¹⁹ The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.
²⁰ The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.
²¹ The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
²² The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.
²³ The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
²⁴ The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.
²⁵ The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
²⁶ The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight.
²⁷ The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
²⁸ The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.
²⁹ The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.
³⁰ The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
³¹ The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two.
³² The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three.
³³ The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
³⁴ The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
³⁵ The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
³⁶ The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
³⁷ The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.
³⁸ The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
³⁹ The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
⁴⁰ The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
⁴¹ The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
⁴² The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
⁴³ The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
⁴⁴ The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight.
⁴⁵ The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight.
⁴⁶ The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
⁴⁷ The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
⁴⁸ The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,
⁴⁹ The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
⁵⁰ The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
⁵¹ The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
⁵² The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
⁵³ The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
⁵⁴ The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
⁵⁵ The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
⁵⁶ The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
⁵⁷ The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
⁵⁸ The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
⁵⁹ The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
⁶⁰ All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
⁶¹ And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
⁶² The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
⁶³ And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
⁶⁴ These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
⁶⁵ And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
⁶⁶ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
⁶⁷ Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.
⁶⁸ Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:
⁶⁹ Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.
⁷⁰ And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.
⁷¹ And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.
⁷² And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments.
⁷³ So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
We have here another good project of Nehemiah's; for wise and zealous men will be always contriving something or other for the glory of God and the edification of his church. He knew very well that the safety of a city, under God, depends more upon the number and valour of the inhabitants than upon the height or strength of its walls; and therefore, observing that the people were few that dwelt in it, he thought fit to take an account of the people, that he might find what families had formerly had their settlement in Jerusalem, but were now removed into the country, that he might bring them back, and what families could in any other way be influenced by their religion, or by their business, to come and rebuild the houses in Jerusalem and dwell in them. So little reason have we to wish that we may be placed alone in the earth, or in Jerusalem itself, that much of our safety and comfort depends upon our neighbours and friends; the more the stronger, the more the merrier. It is the wisdom of the governors of a nation to keep the balance even between the city and country, that the metropolis be not so extravagantly large as to drain and impoverish the country, nor yet so weak as not to be able to protect it. Now observe,
I. Whence this good design of Nehemiah's came. He owns, My God put it into my heart, Ne 7:5. Note, Whatever good motion is in our minds, either prudent or pious, we must acknowledge it to come from God. It was he that put it into our hearts; for every good gift and every good work are from above. He gives knowledge; he gives grace; all is of him, and therefore all must be to him. What is done by human prudence must be ascribed to the direction of divine Providence; he that teaches the husbandman his discretion (Isa 28:26) teaches the statesman his.
II. What method he took in prosecution of it.
1. He called the rulers together, and the people, that he might have an account of the present state of their families—their number and strength, and where they were settled. It is probable that when he summoned them to come together he ordered them to bring such an account along with them out of their several districts. And I doubt they were not so many but that it might be soon done.
2. He reviewed the old register of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and compared the present accounts with that; and here we have the repetition of that out of Ezra 2. The title is the same here (Ne 7:6,7) as there (Ne 7:1,2): These are the children of the province, etc. Two things are here repeated and recorded a second time from thence—the names and numbers of their several families, and their oblations to the service of the temple. The repetition of these accounts may intimate to us the delight which the great God is pleased to take in the persons, families, and services of his spiritual Israel, and the particular notice he takes of them. He knows those that are his, knows them all, knows them by name, has his eye on the register of those children of the captivity, and does all according to the ancient counsel of his will concerning them.
(1.) Here is an account of the heads of the several families that first came up, Ne 7:6-69. As to this, [1.] Though it seem of little use to us now, yet then it was of great use, to compare what they had been with what they now were. We may suppose they were much increased by this time; but it would do well for them to remember their small beginnings, that they might acknowledge God in multiplying their families and building them up. By this means likewise their genealogies would be preserved, and the distinction of their families kept up, till the Messiah should come, and then an end be put to all their genealogies, which were preserved for his sake, but afterwards were endless. But, [2.] There are many differences in the numbers between this catalogue and that in Ezra. Most of them indeed are exactly the same, and some others within a very few under or over (one or two perhaps); and therefore I cannot think, as some do, that that was the number of these families at their first coming and this as they were now, which was at least forty years after (some make it much more); for we cannot suppose so many families to be not at all, or but little, altered in their numbers in all that time; therefore what differences there are we may suppose to arise either from the mistakes of transcribers, which easily happen in numbers, or from the diversity of the copies from which they were taken. Or perhaps one was the account of them when they set out from Babylon with Zerubbabel, the other when they came to Jerusalem. The sum totals are all just the same there and here, except of the singing-men and singing-women, which there are 200, here 245. These were not of such importance as that they should keep any strict account of them.
(2.) Here is an account of the offerings which were given towards the work of God, Ne 7:70-72, etc. This differs much from that in Ezr 2:68,69, and it may be questioned whether it refers to the same contribution; here the tirshatha, or chief governor, who there was not mentioned, begins the offering; and the single sum mentioned there exceeds all those here put together; yet it is probable that it was the same, but that followed one copy of the lists, this another; for the Ne 7:73, Ezr 2:70,3:1 is the same here that it was Ne 7:73, Ezr 2:70,3:1. Blessed be God that our faith and hope are not built upon the niceties of names and numbers, genealogy and chronology, but on the great things of the law and gospel. Whatever is given to the work of God, he is not unrighteous to forget it; nor shall even a cup of cold water, wherewith he is honoured, go without its reward.
一個為神和我們這世代而設的善工若已成功，就當激勵我們繼續前行，再立別的善工；尼希米正是如此。他既已用門扇和城牆鞏固了耶路撒冷，下一步所關心的便是：第一，使城市得到妥善的看守，Ne 7:1-4。第二，使城中有足夠的居民；為此他在此重新查閱並點算被擄歸回之人的名冊，即最初歸回的各家族，並加以記錄，Ne 7:5-73。這與我們在 Ezr 2:1-62 所看到的內容大體相同。他如何使用這名冊，我們將在後文看到——當他使每十人中有一人住在耶路撒冷之時，Ne 11:1。