Nehemiah 7:5

“And my God put into mine heart, etc.] Every good motion in him, and whatever he thought of that was conducive to the good and welfare of Jerusalem, Nehemiah always ascribed it to God; (see <470305>2 Corinthians 3:5) to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy; that their number might be known, and of what families they were, and in what cities they formerly dwelt; and this was not only of use for the present purpose of Nehemiah, but was of service hereafter to show the pedigree of families, and that it might be clearly known from whence the Messiah sprung: and I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first;…”

“GENEALOGY OF THOSE WHO CAME AT THE FIRST OUT OF BABYLON. (Neh. 7:5-38) my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, &c.--The arrangement about to be described, though dictated by mere common prudence, is, in accordance with the pious feelings of Nehemiah, ascribed not to his own prudence or reflection, but to the grace of God prompting and directing him. He resolved to prepare a register of the returned exiles, containing an exact record of the family and ancestral abode of every individual. While thus directing his attention, he discovered a register of the first detachment who had come under the care of Zerubbabel. It is transcribed in the following verses, and differs in some…”

“It is argued by some that the entire catalogue which follows Nehemiah 7:7-73 is not the register of them “which came up ‘at the first’,” but of the Jewish people in Nehemiah’s time. Nehemiah 7:7 and Ezra 2:2 are, however, very positive in their support of the usual view; and some of the arguments against it are thought to be met by considering the Nehemiah of Nehemiah 7:7 and Ezra 2:2 a person different from Nehemiah the governor; and “Tirshatha” an official title likely to have belonged to others besides Nehemiah (see the Ezra 2:63 note.) return to 'Top of Page'”

“God put it into mine heart - Whatever good motion is in our minds, we must acknowledge it to come from God. What is done by human prudence is to be ascribed to the direction of Divine Providence. Nehemiah 7:7”

“my God: Neh 5:19, Neh 6:14 put into mine: Ezr 7:27; Co1 15:10; Co2 3:5, Co2 8:16; Phi 2:12, Phi 2:13; Col 1:29; Jam 1:16; Whatever good motion is in our minds, whether prudent or pious, we must acknowledge it to come from God; for every good gift and every good work are from above; he gives knowledge, he gives grace. What is commonly called human prudence, ought to be ascribed to the direction of Divine Providence. He who teaches the husbandman discretion, Isa 28:26, as certainly over-rules the deliberations of senators. that: Neh 7:64; Ch1 9:1-9; Ezr 2:62 Nehemiah 7:6”

“And God put into my heart, i.e., God inspired me with the resolution; comp. Neh 2:12. What resolution, is declared by the sentences following, which detail its execution. The resolution to gather together the nobles and rulers of the people for the purpose of making a list of their kinsmen, and thus to obtain a basis for the operations contemplated for increasing the inhabitants of Jerusalem. והסּגנים החרים are combined, as in Neh 2:16. On התיחשׂ, comp. Ch1 5:17. While this resolve was under consideration, Nehemiah found the register, i.e., the genealogical registry, of those who came up at first (from Babylon). בּראשׁונה, at the beginning, i.e., with Zerubbabel and Joshua under Cyrus (Ezra…”