EXPOSITION
THE REGISTER OF THOSE WHO RETURNED UNDER ZERUBBABEL, WITH THE NUMBER OF THEIR SLAVES, BEASTS, AND OBLATIONS (Nehemiah 7:6-16). It is no doubt a curious circumstance that this list should occur twice, with no important differences, in the two Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Perhaps it was not in the original Ezra, that writer not having had the good fortune to "find" the document; but Nehemiah having "found" it and inserted it here, in connection with its discovery, a later arranger (Malachi?) removed it to the early part of Ezra, because it belonged to that portion of the Jewish history chronologically. The double record enables us to make out a more perfect catalogue than we could have obtained from either separately,-since there are corruptions in each which may be corrected by means of the other. See the comment which follows.
Jeshua, Nehemiah, etc. To the eleven names given by Ezra, Nehemiah adds one, "Nahamani," the sixth. He gives the others in the same order as Ezra, but spells some of the names differently—e.g. "Azariah" for "Seraiah," "Raamiah" for "Reelaiah," "Mispereth" for "Mizpar," and "Nehum" for "Rehum."
Binnui. Ezra has "Bani," which receives confirmation from Nehemiah 10:14 and 1 Esdras 5:12.
The children of Ater. Up to this Nehemiah observes the same order as Ezra; but the remaining personal names (three) are placed differently.
The children of Hariph. Ezra has "Jorah" instead of Hariph (Ezra 2:18); but "Hariph" is confirmed by Nehemiah 10:19.
The children of Gibeon. For "Gibeon" Ezra has "Gibbar"—a name otherwise unknown to us. "Gibeon" should probably be read in both places.
The men of the other Nebo. To Nebo has as yet been mentioned, which makes it unlikely that the text is correct here. Apparently the word translated "the other" (acher) has been accidentally repeated from the next verse. Ezra has "the men of Nebo" simply.
This section exactly reproduces Ezra 2:36-15.
The children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah may be corrected from Ezra 2:40 and Ezra 3:9. It should be "Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah." This ancestor of Joshua and Kadmiel appears under the three forms of Hodevah, Hodaviah (Ezra 2:40), and Judah (Ezra 3:9).
The Nethinims. The list which follows is very close to that of Ezra (Neh 2:1-20 :43-54). A few names are differently spelt, and one of Ezra's names (Akkub—Neh 2:1-20 :45) is omitted.
The children of Solomon's servants. This section and the section which follows (Nehemiah 7:63-16) are nearly identical in Ezra and Nehemiah. A few names only are slightly different.
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. It makes against the view of Bishop Patrick and others, who regard Ezra's list as made at Babylon, some time before the final departure, and Nehemiah's as made at Jerusalem, after the arrival of the exiles, that the sum total is in each case the same (see Ezra 2:64). Bishop Kennicott's theory, that the three lists—that of Ezra, that of Nehemiah, and that in the first of Esdras—had all one original, and that the existing differences proceed entirely from mistakes of the copyists, is the only tenable one. It is especially remarkable that the differences in the numbers of the three lists consist chiefly in a single unit, a single ten, or a single hundred—or in a five; less often in two units, or two tens, or two hundreds, or in a six—differences probably arising from the obliteration of one or two signs in a notation resembling the Roman or the Egyptian, where there are special signs for a thousand, a hundred, ten, five, and the unit, complex numbers being expressed by repetition of these, as 3438 in Latin inscriptions by MMMCCCCXXXVIII. Any fading of a sign in such a notation as this causes a copyist to diminish the amount by one, five, ten, a hundred, a thousand, etc. A fading of two sigmas may produce a diminution of two thousand, two hundred, twenty, two; or again of eleven hundred, one hundred and ten, one hundred and five, fifteen, eleven, six, and the like.
Two hundred and forty-five singing men and singing women. Ezra says 200; but this must be a round number. 1 Esdras confirms Nehemiah (Neh 5:1-19 :42).
The numbers of the animals are identical in Ezra and Nehemiah. The apocryphal Esdras has an enormous and most improbable augmentation of the number of the horses.
The Tirshatha gave. This is additional to the information contained in Ezra, who does not separate Zerubbabel's offering from that of the other heads of families (Neh 2:1-20 :69). The account of the oblations is altogether more exact in Nehemiah than in the earlier historian. For the value of the contributions made, see the comment on Ezra (1.s.c.).
And all Israel dwelt in their cities. The document found by Nehemiah (verse 5) probably ended with these words (romp. Ezra 2:70); and Nehemiah 7:1-16. should here terminate, as it does in the Septuagint. Having completed the account of what happened in the sixth month, Elul (Nehemiah 6:15), and transcribed the register which he had the good fortune to discover at that date, Nehemiah proceeds to relate events belonging to the seventh month.
HOMILETICS
An honourable register.
Account of those who had returned to the Holy Land under Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and other leaders; found by Nehemiah when seeking guidance in making a general census of the people. In reading this record, the following observations suggest themselves:—
I. THE COMPARATIVE FEWNESS AND GENERAL POVERTY OF THE RETURNING PEOPLE. The majority of their brethren preferred their position among the heathen to the honour and peril of aiding to re-establish their nation in their own land. The temptation to this course was greatest in the case of men of substance, and most of them appear to have yielded to it. We are reminded that of professing Christians a large number, perhaps the majority, do not really accept the invitation pressed continually upon them to undertake the journey to heaven, and that still the rich find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven.
II. Although few and poor, THE RETURNING PEOPLE INCLUDED ALL THE ELEMENTS NEEDFUL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGULARLY ORGANISED JEWISH STATE. They were not a mere rabble. There was the civil governor, Zerubbabel; the high priest, Jeshua; a considerable number of ordinary priests; there were Levites and other temple servants, even singers; besides the body of the people.
III. THEIR FAITH, ZEAL, AND COURAGE ARE TO BE NOTED AND ADMIRED. All left some sort of settled home to which they were accustomed; some, businesses more or less lucrative; a few, the positions which wealth or talent affords. They encountered certain, though untried, privations, struggles, and dangers, the end of which to each one was very uncertain. But they were men, whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem" (Ezra 1:5). They believed the prophets, and anticipated a glorious future for their nation. They loved their God, their nation, and their country, though to the last most of them were strangers. The priests particularly distinguished themselves, as is shown by the number of them who returned, as compared with that of the people. They surpassed the Levites, who, both under Zerubbabel and Ezra, showed backwardness. Yet this class had formerly been more zealous than the priests (2 Chronicles 29:34). The leaders are especially worthy of commendation. Their sacrifice must have been greater, and the cares and responsibilities they undertook were much heavier. Numbers followed at subsequent periods, after the first difficulties had been overcome and a settlement effected; but they could not attain to the honour of those who led the way.
IV. The failure of some who accompanied the expedition to prove themselves by genealogy Israelites, of others to prove themselves priests, suggests THAT GOD'S TRUE ISRAEL AND PRIESTHOOD REQUIRE NO GENEALOGY. They belong to a higher order of things, not regulated "after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life" (Hebrews 7:16). God's spiritual Israel become such by faith; each one belonging to it is "born not of blood, but of God" (John 1:13). And while it is a blessed thing to have a pious ancestry, those who have it not are admitted as freely and fully into all the privileges of citizenship, on their acceptance of Christ, as those who have it. One of these privileges is that of being "priests unto God." Nor is special ministry in the Church inherited; it is the privilege of those who are fitted for it, and called to it by the Holy Ghost, who distributes his gifts "to every man severally as he will" (1 Corinthians 12:11).
V. THE LACK IN THE NEWLY-ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY OF SOME PRIVILEGES ENJOYED BY THEIR FOREFATHERS is seen in the absence of "a priest with Urim and Thummim." The time was eagerly expected when this and other like advantages would be restored, but in vain. For a while the gift of prophecy lingered, and then passed away. The losses were deplored, but proved to be gains. The guidance withdrawn belonged to the period of childhood. God s people were more and more to be prepared for the time of moral manhood, when they would realise the guidance and help of God in the exercise of their own spirits in connection with the written word remaining as a permanent legacy from the past. One more outburst of the miraculous, the grandest and most fruitful of all, and then the Spirit of God would abide with the Church as never before, its permanent Teacher and Guide through the at length completed word; but the miraculous would cease. We long at times for the return of "signs from heaven," but "it is expedient" for us that we should be without them.
VI. The variations in the several copies of this document suggest that happily THERE ARE, AND CAN BE, NO MISTAKES IN GOD'S REGISTER OF HIS SPIRITUAL ISRAEL. Finally, the perusal of this and similar lists may well lead us to exclaim with good Matthew Henry, "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."
A good collection.
The conclusion of the document found by Nehemiah, being chiefly an account of the gifts of the returned people towards the cost of rebuilding the temple and restoring its services.
I. THE OBJECT OF THE COLLECTION. The restoration of the temple and its services lay very near their hearts. It was the chief object of their return to Palestine (Ezra 1:5), and would be regarded by them, and justly, as the surest foundation, under God, of their unity and prosperity—of their welfare at once as individuals, families, and a state. Equally concerned should we be for the erection of churches and the maintenance of public worship, and for like reasons.
II. THE LIBERALITY DISPLAYED. Very considerable, if we bear in mind their general poverty, the recentness of their return, and the many demands upon their resources which their re-settlement in the land would make.
III. THE UNION OF ALL CLASSES IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE COLLECTION, They were well led by the Tirshatha, Zerubbabel, who was well followed by "some of the chief of the fathers." The rest of the people contributed according to their means. It seems, however, from the words "some," etc; that, as usual, there were some that did not contribute; yet these may have been among the loudest to express their pleasure that so good a collection had been made. With this exception, we have here a model collection.
1. It was well started. Much depends on this. The many take their ideas of what is needful and fitting from their leaders, and are fired by their ardour, or chilled by their coldness.
2. All classes contributed. The rich as well as the poor, the poor as well as the rich. Neither can be spared, neither should be passed over. Not the rich, for a few of them can easily give as much as all the rest, and for their own sake they need to be generous in their gifts (1 Timothy 6:17-54). Not the poor, for to give to God's cause is a privilege which they should delight to share, and the aggregate of their smaller gifts may equal or exceed that of the larger contributions of the wealthy.
3. All contributed voluntarily (see Ezra 2:68—"freely").
4. All appear to have contributed liberally.
IV. THEIR SUBSEQUENT SETTLEMENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CITIES. Which they could effect with a good conscience and cheerful hope of God's blessing, after having first shown their zealous care for the establishment of his worship.
HOMILIES BY R.A. REDFORD
The true method of prosperity.
Here are the three great aims of God's people distinguished. The walls of the city are built. The place of habitation is prepared. The doors are fixed. Then the true citizens of Zion will see to it; God will put it in their hearts.
I. TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY Of the city. There must always be the possibility of attack from without. Watch the walls and the gates.
1. The leading men of the Church should be faithful, and fearers of God above many. It is a terrible danger when prominent men are not examples of piety. Those who have a great charge should be above suspicion.
2. The gates must be specially watched, and their shutting and opening special matter of anxious care. When Churches are indifferent as to the admission of members they are doing incalculable harm to the cause of their religion. Wide and unwatched gates mean an unsafe city, an approaching ruin.
3. Let every one take part in the guardianship of Jerusalem. "Every one over against his own house." There are eminent men who occupy prominent posts, but the humblest believer has his part in the work of defending truth and guarding the spiritual prosperity of Zion. It was a good regulation which Nehemiah made: "Let not the gates be opened till the sun be hot." Do nothing in the dark. See the men who ask for admission in the clear daylight; know who they are, and what they mean. It is the multitudinousness of the Church which endangers it. If there be no light at the gates there will soon be enemies within the walls, traitors in the camp, and the safety of the Church will be undermined.
II. Those who seek the welfare of Zion will desire INCREASE OF NUMBERS. The large city and the great walls are no honour to God without many people therein. "The houses not built" represent the lack of individual and family life. It is the living souls that are the city's glory.
III. The TRUE METHOD OF ESTABLISHING THE PROSPERITY OF JERUSALEM IS TO LOOK WELL TO THE PURITY of its inhabitants. God put it into Nehemiah's heart to search for the genealogy, to distinguish the true Israel from the false.
1. The variety of office and degrees of honour quite consistent with unity of origin and community of spirit. It is better to have a place in the genealogy of God's people than to be high in this world's rank.
2. The preservation of the record was a help to subsequent generations to maintain the cause of Zion, and to tread in the footsteps of. the fathers.
3. The position of absolute, uncompromising purity and faithfulness to God is the only ground upon which discipline can be maintained. In the case of the priests, if the register could not be found "they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood."
4. The mere external purity of ritual is insufficient; the great requisite is direct intercourse with God. In all difficult cases the Urim and Thummim of immediate revelation must be sought. What is the mind of God? How little would the Church have erred if it had followed this rule: to suffer no caprice, no departure from principle, no compromise, but depend upon the word of God.—R.