Níxīmǐjì 4

1 Sānbālā tīngjian wǒmen xiūzào chéngqiáng jiù fānù , dàdà nǎohèn , chīxiào Yóudà rén .

2 Duì tā dìxiōng hé Sāmǎlìyà de jūn bīng shuō , zhèxie ruǎnfuò de Yóudà rén zuò shénme ne . yào bǎohù zìjǐ ma . yào xiànjì ma . yào yī rì chénggōng ma . yào cóng tǔ duī lǐ ná chū huǒshào de shítou zaì lì qiáng ma .

3 Yàmén rén Duōbǐyǎ zhàn zaì pángbiān , shuō , tāmen suǒ xiūzào de shí qiáng , jiù shì húli shang qù yĕ bì £¿ £¿ dǎo .

4 Wǒmen de shén a , qiú nǐ chuí tīng , yīnwei wǒmen beì miǎoshì . qiú nǐ shǐ tāmende huǐbàng guīyú tāmende tóu shang , shǐ tāmen zaì lǔ dào zhī dì zuòwéi lüè wù .

5 Búyào zhēyǎn tāmende zuìniè , búyào shǐ tāmende zuìè cóng nǐ miànqián túmǒ , yīnwei tāmen zaì xiūzào de rén yǎnqián rĕ dòng nǐde nùqì .

6 Zhèyàng , wǒmen xiūzào chéngqiáng , chéngqiáng jiù dōu lián luò , gāo zhì yī bàn , yīnwei bǎixìng zhuān xīn zuò gōng .

7 Sānbālā , Duōbǐyǎ , Yalābó rén , Yàmén rén , Yàshítū rén tīngjian xiūzào Yēlùsǎlĕng chéngqiáng , zhào shǒu jìnxíng dǔ sāi pòliè de dìfang , jiù shén fānù .

8 Dàjiā tóng móu yào lái gōngjī Yēlùsǎlĕng , shǐ chéng neì rǎoluàn .

9 Ránér , wǒmen dǎogào wǒmen de shén , yòu yīn tāmende yuángù , jiù paì rén kānshǒu , zhòuyè fángbeì .

10 Yóudà rén shuō , huī tǔ shàng duō , gāng tái de rén lì qì yǐjing shuāi baì , suǒyǐ wǒmen bùnéng jiànzào chéngqiáng .

11 Wǒmen de dírén qiĕ shuō , chèn tāmen bù zhī , bú jiàn , wǒmen jìnrù tāmen zhōngjiān , shā tāmen , shǐ gōngzuò zhǐ zhù .

12 Nà kàojìn dírén jūzhù de Yóudà rén , shí cì cóng gè chù lái jiàn wǒmen , shuō , nǐmen bìyào huí dào wǒmen nàli .

13 Suó yǐ wǒ shǐ bǎixìng gè àn zōngzú ná dāo , ná qiāng , ná gōng zhàn zaì chéngqiáng hòubiān dī wā de kōng chù .

14 Wǒ chákàn le , jiù qǐlai duì guìzhòu , guān zhǎng , hé qíyú de rén shuō , búyào pà tāmen . dāng jìniàn zhǔ shì dà ér kĕ wèi de . nǐmen yào wèi dìxiōng , érnǚ , qīzi , jiā chǎn zhēng zhàn .

15 Chóudí tīngjian wǒmen zhīdào tāmende xīnyì , jiàn shén yĕ pò huaì tāmende jì móu , jiù bù lái le . wǒmen dōu huí dào chéngqiáng nàli , gè zuò gè de gōng .

16 Cóng nà rì qǐ , wǒde púrén yī bàn zuò gōng , yī bàn ná qiāng , ná dùnpái , ná gōng , chuān ( chuān huò zuò ná ) kǎijiǎ , guān zhǎng dōu zhàn zaì Yóudà zhòngrén de hòubiān .

17 Xiūzào chéngqiáng de , káng tái cái liào de , dōu yī shǒu zuò gōng yī shǒu ná bīngqì .

18 Xiūzào de rén dōu yào jiān peì dāo xiūzào , chuī jiǎo de rén zaì wǒ pángbiān .

19 Wǒ duì guìzhòu , guān zhǎng , hé qíyú de rén shuō , zhè gōng chéng hào dà , wǒmen zaì chéngqiáng shang xiāng lí shén yuǎn .

20 Nǐmen tīngjian jiǎo shēng zaì nǎli , jiù jùjí dào wǒmen nàli qù . wǒmen de shén bì wèi wǒmen zhēng zhàn .

21 Yúshì , wǒmen zuò gōng , yī bàn ná bīngqì , cóng tiān liàng zhídào xīng xiǔ chūxiàn de shíhou .

22 Nàshí , wǒ yòu duì bǎixìng shuō , gèrén hé tāde púrén , dāng zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng zhù xiǔ , hǎo zaì yè jiān bǎoshǒu wǒmen , báizhòu zuò gōng .

23 Zhèyàng , wǒ hé dìxiōng púrén , bìng gēn cóng wǒde hù bīng dōu bù tuō yīfu , chū qù dá shuǐ yĕ daì bīngqì .

Níxīmǐjì 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Opposition of Sanballat and others. (1-6) The designs of the adversaries. (7-15) Nehemiah's precautions. (16-23)

Verses 1-6 Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing, will unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools according to their folly, but looked up to God by prayer. God's people have often been a despised people, but he hears all the slights that are put upon them, and it is their comfort that he does so. Nehemiah had reason to think that the hearts of those sinners were desperately hardened, else he would not have prayed that their sins might never be blotted out. Good work goes on well, when people have a mind to it. The reproaches of enemies should quicken us to our duty, not drive us from it.

Verses 7-15 The hindering good work is what bad men aim at, and promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light, and so of bringing to nought, the devices and designs of his church's enemies. If our enemies cannot frighten us from duty, or deceive us into sin, they cannot hurt us. Nehemiah put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. It was the way of this good man, and should be our way. All his cares, all his griefs, all his fears, he spread before God. Before he used any means, he made his prayer to God. Having prayed, he set a watch against the enemy. If we think to secure ourselves by prayer, without watchfulness, we are slothful, and tempt God; if by watchfulness, without prayer, we are proud, and slight God: either way, we forfeit his protection. God's care of our safety, should engage and encourage us to go on with vigour in our duty. As soon as a danger is over, let us return to our work, and trust God another time.

Verses 16-23 We must watch always against spiritual enemies, and not expect that our warfare will be over till our work is ended. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand, and never to have to seek for it, either in our labours, or in our conflicts, as Christians. Every true Christian is both a labourer and a soldier, working with one hand, and fighting with the other. Good work is likely to go on with success, when those who labour in it, make a business of it. And Satan fears to assault the watchful Christian; or, if attacked, the Lord fights for him. Thus must we wait to the close of life, never putting off our armour till our work and warfare are ended; then we shall be welcomed to the rest and joy of our Lord.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 4

This chapter relates, how the Jews, while building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no answer was returned but by prayer to God, and they went on notwithstanding in their work, Ne 4:1-6 and how that their enemies conspired against them, to hinder them by force of arms, Ne 4:7-12 to oppose which, both spiritual and temporal weapons were made use of, so that the work was still carried on, Ne 4:13-23.