Matthew Henry on Nehemiah 5:14–end
Nehemiah had mentioned his own practice, as an inducement to the nobles not to burden the poor, no, not with just demands; here he relates more particularly what his practice was, not inn pride or vain-glory, nor to pass a compliment upon himself, but as an inducement both to his successors and to the inferior magistrates to be as tender as might be of the people's ease.
I. He intimates what had been the way of his predecessors, Neh 5:15. He does not name them, because what he had to say of them was not to their honour, and in such a case it is good to spare names; but the people knew how chargeable they had been, and how dearly the country paid for all the benefit of their government. The g…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 5:17
Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews--In the East it has been always customary to calculate the expense of a king's or grandee's establishment, not by the amount of money disbursed, but by the quantity of provisions consumed (see Kg1 4:22; Kg1 18:19; Ecc 5:11).
Next: Nehemiah Chapter 6
Adam Clarke on Nehemiah 5:19
Think upon me, my God, for good - Nehemiah wishes for no reward from man; and he only asks mercy at the hand of his God for what his providence enabled him to do; and which, according to the good hand of his God upon him, he had done faithfully. He does not offer his good deeds to God in extenuation of his sins, or as a compensation for the heaven he expected. Nothing of the kind: he simply says, what any good man might say, My God, as I have done good to them, so do good to me; or as the poet has sung: -
"Teach me to feel another's wo,
To hide the fault I see:
The mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me!"
Pope.
This is according to the precept of Christ: "Forgive, and ye shall be for…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on Nehemiah 5:19
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. He expected not any recompence from the people, but from the Lord; and from him not in a way of merit, but of grace and good will, who forgets not what is done for his name's sake, Hebrews 6:10.
