Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
Ver. 11. Then contended I with the rulers] Who had let loose the golden reins of authority, and, by a passive ministry at least, suffered this sacrilege, whilst they bare the sword in vain, if they were not chief actors in it; as Luther complaineth of the rulers of his time, Nisi superesset spolium Aegypti quod rapuimus Papae, &c., If we had not some of the spoils of Egypt, pulled from the pope, all we ministers of the gospel might be famished; and this little that is left us is violently taken from us by the civil magistrate. Parishes and schools are polled and spoiled by them, as if they meant to starve us all. Thus Luther, and more to this purpose.
Why is the house of God forsaken?] By your slackness and covetousness, contrary to your covenant? Nehemiah 10:39 .
And I gathered them together] i.e. The scattered Levites, that God's service might be no longer intermitted, and his wrath thereby provoked. Thus Nehemiah, whatever his hand found to do, did it with all his might, Ecclesiastes 8:10; as David danced, Baruch builded, &c., he went throughly about his work.
And set them in their place] Heb. Made them stand in their standing, as if absque stationibus istis non staret mundus, without those standings the world could not stand.