AN ELABORATE WATCH In the last chapter we saw how the outer work of building the walls of the city was completed in a record time of 52 days; and how the gates were set. But Nehemiah, the living leader, is not preoccupied with the buildings themselves, as much as with those who live inside them, and who use them. He felt the need for a spiritual renewal, and a revival of both the leaders and the people. To realize such a spiritual renewal, we need to perceive the dimensions of the problem. The wall was set, but there was need for hearts attached to the Lord. No one can grant such a renewal, except God the Creator alone. Hence Nehemiah and those around him resorted to God, by the return of all the people to Him with repentance, with the help of prayer and the reading of the word of God. This chapter talked about three things: 1- In spite of the completion of the wall, there was a commitment to set elaborate watch on it. Being a practical man who runs everything with exalted wisdom; it so seems from verse 1, that those responsible for guarding the temple have been also given the responsibility to guard the gates of the city; for they were not working in the fields like the rest of the people; and there was no army to guard the gates. 2- The lists of genealogies that came in this chapter (7: 5:-73), is almost identical to the one that came in Ezra 2. Therefore Nehemiah revised the https://coptic-treasures.com/ lists of genealogies to make sure that the inhabitants of the city were a pure race. 3- After few days from the completion of the wall, in the twenty-fifth of the sixth month (6: 5), the people gathered together to consecrate themselves to God. Here, Ezra appears again as an interpreter of the law (Nehemiah 8: 1); although other Levites joined him in the work (7: 7; Deuteronomy 31: 9-13)……… The seventh month included the day of Atonement on the tenth of the month, and the Feast of the Tabernacles on the fifteenth day. That month was chosen before to prepare the altar (Ezra 3: 1); but now it was chosen to read the law and to interpret it. (8: 1). The copies of the law, being only in the hands of the Levites, the people had to learn by ear. And many of the phrases were repeated several times to help the listeners to know them by heart. The concentration was more on the warnings that came in the law, to which the people responded by weeping (8: 9). ……. Although Nehemiah and Ezra knew that weeping was convenient to the Day of Atonement, yet the first day of the seventh month was of a special importance (Leviticus 23: 23-25); and they intended to make it a day of joy and of thanksgiving to God for the sake of the completion of rebuilding the wall (8: 10-12). In the next day Ezra proclaimed to the leaders that they are committed to celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacles on the fourteenth day (8: 13); And when that day came, the people were well prepared by the branches of trees to celebrate the memorial of the peaceful crossing over from the wilderness, to build their own houses in the promised land (Leviticus 23: 34). 1- An elaborate and exultant watch over the wall 1 - 3 2- A census of the people and the leaders 4 - 73 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 1- AN ELABORATE AND EXULTANT WATCH OVERTHE WALL: “Then it was, when the wall was built and I had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed” (1) The gatekeepers or the guards: were referred to 13 times in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and 19 times in the books of the Chronicles. They were seen as Levites (1 Chronicles 9: 26; 2 Chronicles 8: 14; 23: 4; Nehemiah 12: 25; 13: 22); and sometimes as different from them (2 Chronicles 35: 31). Sometimes they are so numerous to reach 4000 (1 Chronicles 23: 5); whose main job was to guard the gates of the temple (1 Samuel 3: 15; 1 Chronicles 9: 17-32); although they were expected to do other less important jobs (2 Chronicles 31: 4)…….. The psalmist said: “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of My God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84: 10). To Nehemiah, building the wall and keeping the gates were not a goal by itself, but he was preoccupied with bringing Jerusalem back to worship God ………... What did Nehemiah do to realize that goal? The first task was to engage all the human energies to partake of that goal, like appointing gatekeepers, singers of praise, and Levites to serve the temple. The gatekeepers to guard the temple; the singers to sing praise to the Lord, to create a joyful heaven-like atmosphere, and the Levites to minister in the temple of the Lord. All had to work together: the civil work beside the spiritual one, in a joyful angelic atmosphere. “that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many” (2). https://coptic-treasures.com/ Hanani was the first to provide Nehemiah with the information about the desolation of Jerusalem, its wall, and gates (1: 2) Hananiah, a faithful and a man who feared God (4: 8; 9: 15). Nehemiah started by setting spiritual leaders who fear God, who trust in God, and whose decisions are in harmony with His holy will. To create a sound leadership, Nehemiah chose faithful men in the Lord. It is important not to choose for leadership those who fear men, or show partiality to the great and those of authority, a serious trap for the soul. The fear of God is the true source of wisdom, knowledge, courage, and daring with the Lord…………. Two features are important in choosing the leaders: faithfulness, and the fear of God. Nehemiah so did to avoid any probability of treason during his absence in Persia. If he has cared to build the stone walls, Jerusalem was in need of holy human walls; as it is said: “I have set watchmen on Your walls, O Jerusalem. They shall never hold their peace day and night” (Isaiah 62: 6). “And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house” (3) After choosing the leaders, and engaging all the human energies, Nehemiah cared to protect and guard the city; lest all what was being achieved would be destroyed. It was previously the custom to open the gates of Jerusalem at sunrise, to let the traders enter and set their tents before the people awake, But, for fear that the enemies would take that chance to invade the city before its inhabitants were awake, resumed their activity and their ability to resist, Nehemiah ordered the gatekeepers not to open the gates until the sun is hot. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Strengthening the watch with joy, exultation, and the spirit of worship, does not imply a lack of trust in the watch and care of the Lord; for God does not want us to be slothful and negligent; but that, while doing what we are committed to do, to sing with the psalmist: “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127: 1). + If we wish to be guarded by God, He who became humble for our sake, and was glorified to keep us; let us be likewise humble; let no one think too high of himself; for no one can have anything good, unless he has it from God, who alone is Good. (St. Augustine) + Those who believe that human affairs are done by the divine care, would never refer anything achieved by men to their personal effort. For: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who would build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127: 1). He does not mean that no one should build a house, or guard the city, but that it is befitting of him to believe that unless God gives success to the exerted effort, both the effort and those who strive would end up in failure. ……….On our side, we have to start; and on God’s side to grant success. ………..We have to start building the house, and God would help us to consummate the work………….. We have to guard the city, but it is God who protects it against the enemy. That was expressed by the proverb, saying: “Keep your heart with all diligence” (Proverb 4: 23). But even if you do manage by yourself to keep your heart with diligence, yet you should say: “You, O Lord, keep us and guard us”. This line of thought is confirmed by the apostle Paul, who says: “It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Romans 9: 16). He does not keep us from running to realize our goals; but keeps us from assuming https://coptic-treasures.com/ that we reach them by our own effort. For many of those who had such assumption ended up in failure. (St. Dedymus the blind) + It is not easy for any human soul to achieve such great things. Why? ……….For there are many thieves who lie in wait; a dense darkness; and a wicked devil at the doors plotting against her. …….How then, would we able to keep them? …….Bu the Holy Spirit; for if the Spirit dwells in us, and if we do not drive the divine grace away, God will stand with us. For, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who would build it; and unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127: 1). This is our stronghold; this is our tower; this is our refuge……….Now, if the spirit dwells in us, and guards us; what is our need for the commandment? It is to let us holdfast by the Spirit, and not to let Him desert us. (St. John Chrysostom) The wise Solomon sees the Word of God as the divine power that guards the human soul, and even guards the believer as a whole, being the building of God. Hence he asks us to attach ourselves perpetually to the Commandment; saying, “My son, keep your father’s command; and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck; When you roam, they will lead you; When you https://coptic-treasures.com/ sleep they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverb 6: 20-22). 2- A CENSUS OF THE LEADERS AND THE PEOPLE: “ Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt” (4) The spiritual work will never cease as long as we are still in the body, until our last breath. It is not enough to build a wall to fortify the city; but we are committed to set an alert and elaborate watch on it. For any negligence to guard what we have acquired or what we enjoy, will make us lose everything.. Jerusalem was suffering the rarity of its inhabitants. According to the list within our hands, the census at the beginning was recorded according to the families or the places of dwelling, together with a list of the religious workers; beside those whose ancestors could not be identified; and provides a list of the donations of those people. After caring for rebuilding Jerusalem with material stones, Nehemiah now cares for rebuilding it with the living stones, namely the people of God. Ezra cared to repair the temple, being the center of worship by Israel. Now, we find a list of those who led the people of God to worship. Finally, as the Word of God is the secret of life of the people,; Nehemiah cared for the law of God (Nehemiah 8). In Jerusalem, which has been so wide to accommodate about half a million people, those who came together with Zerubbabel were less than 50,000; and there probably were no one else, because of the destruction it suffered at the time of captivity; and because those who remained after the captivity dwelt around the city. https://coptic-treasures.com/ According to Adam Clark, the city at that time was not yet built; except for a row of houses by the wall, while the center of the city was desolate, and without inhabitants.. It so seems that, during the process of building the wall, many people dwelt in temporary primitive lodgings of wood or of loose stones not held by cement; when the city was surrounded on all sides with enemies well trained on battle, with huge possibilities, and persistence on keeping the city in ruins. ……How then would it be possible for a few number of inhabitants in Jerusalem to confront such a huge, ferocious, and violent opposition?! The census as a preparation of the people for the spiritual renewal: The goal of such long lists of names, was not to make a census of the people to know a total figure; as much as it was to show the need to recognizing the people of God , to let everyone get to know his specific role in the collective work. Some may feel bored to read the long list of genealogies in the Holy Book; but he who enters into the depth, would find in them the pleasure to know how much God cares for every single one of His people; and to exhort everyone to search for his own place in those genealogies, as a member of the people of God. “ Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and found written in it………” (5) How wonderful are the words: “Then my God put it into my heart”; for what moves Nehemiah was God’s talk to him, in the depth of his heart and mind. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Doing the census was not just a passing fancy in Nehemiah’s mind, nor the result of a temporary enthusiasm, but was a divine inspiration put into his heart. It is probable that Nehemiah used Ezra’s record kept in the house of the Lord; then altered it according to what took place through the period between the coming of Ezra and his own coming, and the building of the walls. There were differences between what came in the list here, and what came in that of Ezra; as the result of that Ezra’s list was made when the people assembled in Babylon before the actual return; whereas Nehemiah’s list was made in Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the walls. Some people might probably changed their minds, and stayed back, and some might have died during that period of 13 years. Who are the leaders mentioned here? 1- The priests (39) 2- The Levites (43) 3- The singers of praise (44) 4- The gatekeepers (450 5- The Nethinim (Ezra 8: 30); namely those “dedicated” to help the Levites Mentioning the genealogies in detail, confirms an important fact, that the church of God includes, beside the true believers, who have a living fellowship with God; those who work to the account of the kingdom of God, whether by preaching or by testifying through being role models. ………Finally, the goal of this census was to prepare all to enjoy the Word of god, the Grantor of life; according to the Lord Christ, saying: “The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life” (John 6: 63).. A- The families (6 – 25) The names of the families here, mostly conform to the list set by Ezra as mentioned in (Ezra 2: 1-70). We have already talked about the reason of the differences between the lists of Ezra and that of Nehemiah. https://coptic-treasures.com/ . “These are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city” (6) “ Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth,[b] Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel” (7) “the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventytwo” (8) “he sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two” (9) “the sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two” (10) “ the sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen” (11) “the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four” (12) “the sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five” (13) “ the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty” (14) “ the sons of Binnui,[c] six hundred and forty-eight” (15) “ the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight” (16) “ the sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twentytwo” (17) “ the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven” (18) “ the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven” (19) “the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five” (20) “ the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight” (21) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “ the sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight” (22) “ the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four” (23) “the sons of Hariph,[d] one hundred and twelve” (24) “the sons of Gibeon,[e] ninety-five” (25) B- The farmers (26 – 38): There is difference in number between the list here and that which came in Ezra 21: 21-35). “the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight” (26) “the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight” (27) “the men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two” (28) “the men of Kirjath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three” (29) “the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one” (30) “ the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two” (31) “ the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three” (32) “ the men of the other Nebo, fifty-two” (33) “the sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four” (34) “the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty” (35) “the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five” (36) “ the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one” (37) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “ the sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty” (38) C- The priests: (39-42): The two lists are almost identical (Ezra 2: 36 – 69). It is obvious that the priests who returned to Jerusalem were only four divisions, not including that of Abijah, mentioned in Luke 1: 5. But those divisions were late divided into 24 subdivisions, after the system set by king David. “The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three” (39) “ the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two” (40) “ the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and fortyseven” (41) “ the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen”.(42) D- The Levites: (43): On his way to leave ‘Messisa’ (Mesopotamia), finding no single son of Levi in the congregation, Ezra postponed his departure, to find Levites to include (Ezra 8: 15-20). “”The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel,and of the sons of Hodevah, seventy-four (43). E- The workers in the temple (44 – 60): It conforms to the list that came in Ezra 21: 41 – 58) “The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and fortyeight”.( 44) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum: the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight”.(45) “ The Nethinim: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth” (46) “ the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon” (47) “the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Salmai” (48) “the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar” (49) “the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda” (50) “ the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah” (51) “ the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim” (52) “the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur” (53) “ the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha” (54) “ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah” (55) “ the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha”.(56) “The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida” (57) “ the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel” (58) “the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, and the sons of Amon” (59) “All the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred and ninety-two” (60) https://coptic-treasures.com/ F- Individuals who could not identify their father’s house nor their lineage ((61- 65) Every Jew cared very much for his genealogy to prove that he is a descendant of Abraham, and belongs to the people of God. The loss of the records makes him in real danger. “And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon,[p] and Immer, but they could not identify their father’s house nor their lineage, whether they were of Israel” (61) “ the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two” (62) “and of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name”.(63) “These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled” (64) .”And the governor (the Torshata) said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim”. (65) The Torshata: A Persian title of the governor of Judah. According to ‘Gesenius’, this word is derived from the Persian word ‘Torsh’, meaning (firm). A title almost analogous to the English title ‘The Most dreaded Sovereign ‘. …….. The use of the Urim and the Thummim on the breast plate of the high priest was a way to know the will of God (Exodus 28: 30-31). G- The total number (66 – 69): Conforms to what came in the list of Ezra 2: 64 – 67. But in the list of Ezra it came that the male and the female singers were 200, while here they are 245. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,” (66) “ besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers” (67) “Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five” (68) “their camels four hundred and thirty-five, and donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty” (69). As the list concerning the census came to an end; he start talking about the donations for the sake of the work: “ And some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor[s] gave to the treasury one thousand gold drachmas, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly garments” (70). The drachmas was a Greek coin that weighed 3/10 of an ounce of silver (1000 drachmas weighed 19 Libra).. But here it refers to Persian drachmas. “Some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand gold drachmas, and two thousand two hundred silver minas” (71) The two thousand two hundred minas weigh 2550 Libra of silver “And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly garments” (72). https://coptic-treasures.com/ “So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities” (73) Many of those who returned from captivity, being originally from outside of Jerusalem, went back to their own cities. The building of the wall was completed in the sixth month; and going through the records took a month of elaborate investigation, to avoid any claim of partiality. . ----------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM NEHEMIAH 7 BE MY GUARDIAN, O LORD + My Lord and Savior, You set me from nothing, and redeemed me by Your precious blood; You renewed me by Your Holy Spirit’ Out of me You make a holy temple; + Who will keep this holy building but You? Who will protect me from the arrows of the evil enemy but You? Who will make me safe from the strikes of sin but You? You are my Guardian; my Keeper, and the Stronghold of my life + Together with the gatekeepers, Nehemiah appointed singers of praise; So that a spirit of exultation might prevail instead of that of fear; And that standing watch would be done in a heavenly atmosphere; Who will grant me the spirit of true joy but You? Who will lift my heart up to heaven but Your Holy Spirit?. + Your commandment is the best keeper of my soul https://coptic-treasures.com/ It grants me strength and protection It pours sweetness into my soul. + Nehemiah cared to make a census of Your people, together with the leaders; To let tem all work to the account of Your kingdom; To let them all enjoy fellowship in the spiritual work That no one would be denied the eternal glory. + Nehemiah recorded a list of the donations; What have I to donate to the account of Your kingdom? You anticipate from me just a glass of cold water; To find daring with You, and that my wages would not be wasted; By Your love, when You are the Creator of heaven and earth, I seek to hear from Your divine mouth: “You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler on many things” (Matthew 25: 23).
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