Nehemiah 6:15

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

Nehemiah 6:15 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month
Elul
The sixth month, answering to part of August and part of September:

in fifty and two days;
which Aben Ezra reckons from the time that Sanballat sent his letter to Nehemiah, when no more were wanting than to set the doors upon the gates, ( Nehemiah 6:1 ) , but rather these, with Jarchi, must be reckoned from the time the building was begun; which, reckoning back from the twenty fifth of Elul, it will appear it was begun the third day of the fifth month Ab; nor need this be thought incredible, considering the number of workmen, their ardour and diligence in building, and that the walls were not wholly built all around, only repaired, and breaches made up, and much of the old materials were made use of, which were at hand, and stone unhewed, and especially being attended with the blessing of God, which succeeded the undertaking: nor are there wanting examples similar to this; and as it is observed by many from Curtius F24, the walls of new Alexandria, which were sixty furlongs in length, or more than seven miles, were finished in seventeen days; if Nicephorus F25 is to be credited, the high walls which surrounded Constantinople, and were twenty miles in circumference, were finished in two months time. Josephus is not to be regarded, who, contrary to the Scriptures says F26, this wall of Jerusalem was two years and four months in building.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Hist. l. 7. c. 6. Justin e Trogo, l. 12. c. 5.
F25 Hist. l. 14. c. 1.
F26 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 5. sect. 8.

Nehemiah 6:15 In-Context

13 He was hired for this purpose, to intimidate me and make me sin by acting in this way, and so they could give me a bad name, in order to taunt me.
14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.