Níxīmǐjì 1

1 Hājiālìyà de érzi Níxīmǐ de yányǔ rú xià . Yàdáxuēxī wáng ĕr shí nián jī sī liú yuè , wǒ zaì Shūshān chéng de gōng zhōng .

2 Nàshí , yǒu wǒ yī gè dìxiōng Hānání , tóng zhe jǐ gèrén cóng Yóudà lái . wǒ wèn tāmen nàxiē beìlǔ guī huí , shèngxia taótuō de Yóudà rén hé Yēlùsǎlĕng de guāngjǐng .

3 Tāmen duì wǒ shuō , nàxiē beìlǔ guī huí shèngxia de rén , zaì Yóudà shĕng zāo dà nán , shòu língrǔ . bìngqiĕ Yēlùsǎlĕng de chéngqiáng chāihuǐ , chéng mén beì huǒ fùnshāo .

4 Wǒ tīngjian zhè huà , jiù zuò xià kūqì , bēiāi jǐ rì . zaì tiān shang de shén miànqián jìnshí qídǎo , shuō ,

5 Yēhéhuá tiān shang de shén , dà ér kĕ wèi de shén a , nǐ xiàng aì nǐ , shǒu nǐ jièmìng de rén shǒu yuē shī cíaì .

6 Yuàn nǐ zhēng yǎn kàn , zhāi ĕr tīng , nǐ púrén zhòuyè zaì nǐ miànqián , wèi nǐ zhòng púrén Yǐsèliè mín de qídǎo , chéngrèn wǒmen Yǐsèliè rén xiàng nǐ suǒ fàn de zuì . wǒ yǔ wǒ fù jiā dōu yǒu zuì le .

7 Wǒmen xiàng nǐ suǒ xíng de shén shì xiéè , méiyǒu zūnshǒu nǐ jiè zhe púrén , Móxī suǒ fēnfu de jièmìng , lǜ lì , diǎnzhāng .

8 Qiú nǐ jìniàn suǒ fēnfu nǐ púrén Móxī de huà , shuō , nǐmen ruò fàn zuì , wǒ jiù bǎ nǐmen fēnsàn zaì wàn mín zhōng .

9 Dàn nǐmen ruò guī xiàng wǒ , jǐn shǒu zūnxíng wǒde jièmìng , nǐmen beì gǎnsàn de rén suī zaì tiān yá , wǒ yĕ bì cóng nàli jiāng tāmen zhāo jù huí lái , daì dào wǒ suǒ xuǎnzé Lìwèi wǒ míng de jū suǒ .

10 Zhè dōu shì nǐde púrén , nǐde bǎixìng , jiù shì nǐ yòng dàlì , hé dà néng de shǒu suǒ jiùshú de .

11 Zhǔ a , qiú nǐ zhāi ĕr tīng nǐ púrén de qídǎo , hé xǐaì jìngwèi nǐ míng zhòng púrén de qídǎo , shǐ nǐ púrén xiànjīn hēng tōng , zaì wáng miànqián méng ēn . wǒ shì zuò wáng jiǔ zhèng de .

Níxīmǐjì 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The Old Testament history closes with the book of Nehemiah, wherein is recorded the workings of his heart, in the management of public affairs; with many devout reflections.

Nehemiah's distress for the misery of Jerusalem, His prayer.

- Nehemiah was the Persian king's cup-bearer. When God has work to do, he will never want instruments to do it with. Nehemiah lived at ease, and in honour, but does not forget that he is an Israelite, and that his brethren are in distress. He was ready to do them all the good offices he could; and that he might know how best to do them a kindness, he makes inquiries about them. We should inquire especially concerning the state of the church and religion. Every Jerusalem on this side the heavenly one will have some defect, which will require the help and services of its friends. Nehemiah's first application was to God, that he might have the fuller confidence in his application to the king. Our best pleas in prayer are taken from the promise of God, the word on which he has caused us to hope. Other means must be used, but the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails most. Communion with God will best prepare us for our dealings with men. When we have intrusted our concerns to God, the mind is set at liberty; it feels satisfaction and composure, and difficulties vanish. We know that if the affair be hurtful, he can easily hinder it; and if it be good for us, he can as easily forward it.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH

This book is, by the authors of the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, called the "Second" Book of Ezra, it being a continuation of the same history, and was by the Jews reckoned as one book with Ezra; Kimchi on Isa 9:7, calls it Ezra, so the Talmud {a}; and it has been quoted by Christian writers under his name; see the argument of the book of Ezra; but not as if it was written by him; for it is a clear case it was written by Nehemiah, whose name it bears, as appears from Ne 1:1 and throughout Nehemiah speaks of himself under the first person; and the style also is very different from that of Ezra, being plainer and easier than his. It has always had a place in the canon of Scriptures, both with Jews and Christians; and is of use to show the fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah, and especially of Daniel concerning the building of the wall of Jerusalem in troublesome times; to carry on the history of the Jews, and describe the state of the church in those times, what opposition was made to it, and what enemies it had, and what must be expected when any work of God is set about; it is the last of the historical books that was written, as is thought, and contains an history of the space of about twelve years, from the twentieth of Artaxerxes to the thirty second of his reign, see \Ne 1:1 2:1 13:6\.

{a} T. Bab. Succah, fol. 37. 1. & Gloss. in ib. fol. 12. 1.

\\INTRODUCTION NEHEMIAH 1\\

This chapter relates how that Nehemiah, being at Shushan in Persia, and meeting with some Jews, inquired of the state of Jerusalem, of which having a melancholy account, he betook to mourning, fasting, and prayer, Ne 1:1-4, and his prayer is recorded, Ne 1:5-11.