Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
“Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v7 Hebrew, corrupted.
Hebrew, corrupted.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–9 Neh 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and…
Neh 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
Ver. 6. Let thine ears now be attentive, and thine eyes open] Should not God see as well as hear (saith a divine), his children should want many things. We apprehend not all our wants; and so cannot pray for relief of all. He of his own accord, without any monitor, is wont to aid us. "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous; and his ears are open to their prayer," Psa 33:15.
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That thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant] If not secundum voluntatem, yet ad utilitatem (Aug. Confess. 1. 5, c. 8), but usually God answereth his servants’ prayers, fitting his mercy ad cardinem desiderii, to a longing heart, as here; and letting it be unto them even as they will.
Which I pray before thee now, day and night] Christ requireth his servants and suppliants to pray and not faint, Luk 18:1. Ordinarily, morning and evening without fail; extraordinarily, oftener. The Jews divide their day into prayer, work, and repast; neither will they omit prayer for their meat or labour. The Mahometans, what occasion soever they have, either by profit or pleasure, to divert them, will pray five times every day; and upon the Friday (which is their sabbath) six times. Vae torpori nostro! woe our numbness, how few and feeble are our prayers for ourselves and for brethren in distress; who have for that cause an unanswerable action against us!
And confess the sins of the children of Israel] This he did more fully and at large than is here set down; and he fitly beginnneth with confession; that having gotten off the guilt of sin, he might with more courage and comfort deprecate wrath, and beg mercy.
Which we have sinned against thee] There lay the pinch of his grief, that they sinned against so good a God.
Both I and my father’s house have sinned] Hic igitur Lyra deliravit, Lyra is incorrect when he saith here, that Nehemiah confessed his own sins, but only as a member of the same body, he himself being innocent. Comparatively innocent he was, doubtless; but that he was not without sin, and such sin as he had cause to confess to be God provoking sins, is clear by this very text. He was sensible of his own sins, and of other men’s sins too. The sins of our ancestors not bewailed and disclaimed, are set upon our score, Dan 5:22.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v7 We have dealt very corruptly, or we have wholly…
We have dealt very corruptly, or we have wholly corrupted, to wit, ourselves, and our ways, and thy worship.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–9 Let thine ear be now attentive,.... To his prayer,…
Let thine ear be now attentive,.... To his prayer, as in Neh 1:11,
and thine eyes open; to behold with pity and compassion the distressed case of Jerusalem, and the Jews in it:
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I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants; this he had continued to do ever since he heard of their trouble and calamity:
and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned; he considered sin as the cause of all this evil that had befallen his people, and confesses it with sorrow and humiliation, and not their sins only, but his own personal and family sins.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v6 Which I pray, &c. - He refers to all…
Which I pray, &c. - He refers to all the prayers, which he had for some time been putting up.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Verse 6. Let thine ear] Hear what we say…
Verse 6. Let thine ear] Hear what we say and confess. Thine eyes open - see what we suffer.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv6, 9 Neh 1:6. Which I pray before thee night and…
Neh 1:6. Which I pray before thee night and day — He refers to all the prayers which he had for some time been addressing to God, during his sorrow for the desolations of Jerusalem.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 9 They. Hebrew and Septuagint, "we have sinned." (Menochius)
They. Hebrew and Septuagint, "we have sinned." (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv6–7 6. Thine ear… thine eyes — He that formed…
6. Thine ear… thine eyes — He that formed the ear, shall he not hear his children’s cry? He that made the eye, shall he not see the sufferings of his people?
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv6–9 6. The humble access leading to the confession of…
6. The humble access leading to the confession of sin.
let thine ear now be attentive] The word ‘attentive’ is not very common in the original. It occurs again in Neh_1:11, in Psa_130:2. And with the rendering ‘attent’ (A.V. and R.V.) in 2Ch_6:40; 2Ch_7:15. The LXX. renders πρόσεχον.
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and thine eyes open] We should expect this clause to come first, as in 2Ch_6:40; 2Ch_7:15. We need not however supply the words ‘to the misery of thy people’ or ‘to him that prayeth.’ A similar passage in 1Ki_8:52, ‘that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant,’ shows that the metaphor is not to be pressed too literally.
hear] R.V. hearken unto. An alteration due to the wish to give the full force of the Hebrew. ‘Thy servant.’ Compare 1Sa_3:9-10; 1Sa_23:10; 2Sa_7:20.
now, day and night] R.V. at this time, day and night. Literally, ‘this day, day and night,’ cf. Neh_1:11. ‘At this time’ then refers to the ‘certain days’ mentioned in Neh_1:4 : it does not mean that he went into the presence of the king on the day of this prayer.
The Vulgate ‘hodie nocte et die.’ Cf. Act_20:31 ‘night and day with tears.’
for the children of Israel thy servants] i.e. in their behalf. In spite of their sin and disobedience, the children of Israel are still God’s servants, cf. Lev_25:55; Isa_63:17. The exact phrase used here does not occur elsewhere. But the permanent ideal relation, in spite of all failure or rebellion, is frequently expressed in the prophets; cf. ‘Jacob, my servant,’ used in Isaiah (Isa_41:8; Isa_44:2 &c.), Jeremiah (Jer_30:10; Jer_46:27-28), Eze_37:25.
and confess] R.V. while I confess. The A.V. is not grammatical.
‘Confess.’ See on Ezr_10:1.
the sins of the children of Israel, which we &c.] Nehemiah identifies himself with the guilt of the people. Cf. Moses in Exo_34:9 ‘Pardon our iniquity and our sin.’
both I and my father’s house] i.e. Neither the individual nor the family being free from the responsibility of national sin. It has been remarked that, if Nehemiah belonged to the house of David, there would be a special appropriateness in these words. According to one tradition (Euseb.), he was of the tribe of Judah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Both I and my father"s house have sinned. Ewald…
Both I and my father"s house have sinned. Ewald well observes, "In the prayer of Nehemiah the keynote is struck in the words, "I and my father"s house have sinned ("History of Israel," vol. 5. p. 149, note 1). The desolation which he mourns is the result of the people"s sins, and in those sins are included his own, and those of his ancestors. His own may not have been very grievous, but those of his fathers weigh upon him as if his own, and oppress his spirit.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v9 But if ye turn to Me, and keep My…
Neh_1:9-11
But if ye turn to Me, and keep My commandments.
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The spiritual favourite at the throne of grace
If you turn unto Me, and keep My commandments. There is no promise of mercy but to those that turn. The Scripture is peremptory in denial of mercy to such as go on in their sins. Yet how many are there that bless themselves that it shall go well with them, though they cast off all Gods yokes. If ye turn. The holy man Nehemiah puts God in mind of His promise, and his argument is from the like, and indeed from the less to the greater. Because God would rather of both perform His promises than His threatenings, because mercy is His own proper work. These are Thy servants. Though sinful servants, yet they are Thy servants. These are Thy people. Thou hast no other people in the world but these, and Thou art their God. He pleads from former favours. Thou hast redeemed them by Thy great power and strong hand. It is a good argument to plead with God for former favours: because there is no shadow of change in Him (Jam_1:17); He is always like Himself; He is never drawn dry. And it is a great honour to go to Him for new favours upon former, because He hath an infinite supply. We may draw so much from men as they have not afterwards to make good, but we cannot honour God more than to go to Him with a large faith, to fetch largo favours from Him. The more He gives, the more He can give, and the more He is willing to give. We may much more take this argument in our mouths, and press the majesty of God. Thou hast redeemed us, not out of Egypt or Babylon, the land of the north, but with the blood of Thy Son, from hell and damnation; and therefore Thou canst redeem us from this petty misery, from these enemies. We may allege that grand favour to all other petty redemptions, whatsoever they are. Let Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servants. It is a prayer; and Thou art a God hearing prayer. They be Thy servants, and Thou regardest Thy servants. Here are but a few petitions in this large request: remember, be attentive, and give me favour. It is an excellent skill and art in prayer to have strong arguments. Then the suit comes off easily, as in Psa_90:1-17. Therefore, it is an excellent thing to study the Scriptures, and to study all the arguments whereby holy men have prevailed with God in Scripture, and to see in what case those arguments were used. It is a pitiful thing now for Christians under the glorious light of the gospel to come to God only with bare, naked petitions and have not reasons to press God out of His own Word. They cannot bind God with His own promise, nor with arguments that He hath been bound with before. They desire to fear Thy name. Empty relations have no comforts in them: to profess ones self a servant, and not to make it good that he is a servant. We must make good the relation we stand in to God, before we can claim interest in the favour of God by our relation. He goes to make it good that he was the servant of God, not from any outward thing, but from his inward disposition, the fear of God, which I will not now stand to speak largely of. God requires the heart; and religion is most in managing and turning the affections, for they are the wind that carries the soul to every duty. The devil hath brain enough, he knows enough, more than any of us all. But then he hates God. He hath no love to God, nor no fear of God, but only a slavish fear. He hath not this reverential fear, childlike fear. Therefore let us make it good that we are the servants of God, especially by our affections, and chiefly by this of fear, which is put for all the worship of God. How doth he make it good that he feared the name of God? He makes it good from this, that he had had good desires. We desire to fear Thy name. First of all, out of this, that this desire to fear the name of God is brought as an argument to prevail in prayer, we may observe that--
1. Those that will prevail with God in prayer must look to the bent of their souls for the time to come, and for the present. Regard Thy servants that desire to fear Thy name. For to come to God without such a frame of soul as this, to desire to please God in all things for the present, and for the time to come, it is to come as Gods enemy; and will God regard His enemies?
2. Religion especially is in holy desires. The greatest part of Christianity is to desire to be a sound Christian with all the heart. Why are desires such trials of the truth of grace? Because they are the immediate issues of the soul. Desires and thoughts, and such like, they are produced immediately from the soul, without any help of the body, or without any outward manifestation. They show the temper and frame of the soul, Thereupon God judgeth a man by his desires. But how is the truth of these desires known?
I will name a few signs.
1. If they be constant desires and not flashes; for then they come from a new nature. Nature is strong and firm. Art is for a turn to serve a turn. When men personate a thing they do it not long. Creatures that are forced to do so and so they return to their own nature quickly; but when a man doth a thing naturally, he doth it constantly. So, constant desires argue a sanctified frame of soul and a new creature. They argue that the image of God is stamped upon the soul.
2. And likewise, if these desires be hearty, strong desires, and not only strong, but growing desires--desire upon desire, desire fed with desire still, never satisfied till they be satisfied. Strong and growing desires argue the truth of desires; as indeed a child of God hath never grace enough, never faith enough, never love enough, or comfort enough, till he come to heaven. They are growing desires more and more.
3. Again, true desires they are not only of the favour of God, but of graces for the altering of our nature; as Nehemiah here, he desires not the favour of God so much as he desires to fear Gods name. Now when desire is of graces, it is a holy desire. You have not the worst men but would desire, with Balaam, to die the death of the righteous, etc. (Num_23:10), that they might enjoy the portion of Gods people. But to desire grace, that is opposite to corrupt nature as fire and water, this is an argument of a holy principle of grace in us, whence this desire springs, when we desire that that is a counter poison to corrupt nature that hath an antipathy to corruption.
4. True desire is carried to grace as well as glory, and the desire of heaven itself. A true spirit that is touched with grace, with the Spirit of God, it desireth not heaven itself so much for the glory, and peace, and abundance of all contentments, as it desires it that it is a place where it shall be freed from sin, and where the heart shall be enlarged to love God, to serve God, and to cleave to God for ever, and as it is a condition wherein he shall have the image and resemblance of Jesus Christ perfectly upon his soul.
5. True desires are likewise to the means of salvation, and to the means of salvation as they convey grace, as sincere milk; as you have it, 1Pe_2:2, As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word. Where a man hath holy desires of any grace, and hath them in truth, he will desire those means whereby those graces may most effectually be wrought in his heart. Use: The comfortable observation hence is this, that weak Christians that find a debility, and faintness, and feebleness in their performances, hence they may comfort themselves by their desire to fear God, and to worship God, and to serve Him, if their desires be true. The reason why God accepts them is partly because they spring from His own Spirit. These desires they are the breathings of the Spirit. And because they are pointed to heavenward, to show that a man is turned; for it is put here instead of turning, Turn ye to Me, saith the Lord (verse 9); and he answereth here instead of turning, My desire is to fear Thy name. And prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day. Now he comes to his petition, Prosper I pray Thee, Thy servant this day. He doth not capitulate with God for particular matters much--for he knew he had to deal with an all-wise God--but he commends his petition in general. He comes again with his relation of servant, to teach us alway when we come to God to look in what relation we stand to Him, whether we be true servants or no. What work we do for Him, in what reference we do what we do; whether we do it to please Him as servants or no. In all our services we should look to God; for our aim in our works shows what they are, whether they come from servants or no. As the stamp upon a token makes it, if there be a good stamp on it; it is not the matter that makes it current. A stamp on silver makes it current as well as gold, though the metal of gold be better, So when things are done, because God commands them, to please God, as a service to Him, this makes it good that we are servants indeed, that the relation is good. When we go about the service of the Church or country, or place we live in, to think I do God service here, and do it as a service to God, who will be honoured and served in our service to others, herein I am a good servant. Prosper Thy servant this day. What is included in this word prosper? It includes not only success, which is the main upshot of all, but all that tends to good success. In that he saith Prosper Thy servant, it includes these things. First of all, that in ourselves there is neither direction, nor wisdom, nor ability enough for success. We have not power in ourselves to bring things to a comfortable issue.
2. And then again, to attribute to God all, both wisdom and strength, and goodness, and all. Here is a giving to God the glory of all, when he saith, Prosper Thy servant this day.
3. Then in the third place, here is a dependence upon God, not only acknowledging these things to be in God, but it implies a dependence upon God for these: Prosper me, Lord. I cannot prosper myself.
4. Again, in the fourth place, here is a recommendation of all by prayer; a recommendation of his inward dependence upon God for all. Now, Lord, prosper Thy servant. So that when we come to God for any prosperity and good success, let us remember that we bring self-denial, and an acknowledgment of all excellency to be in God, to guide, and direct, and assist, and bless us. Who can see all circumstances that stand about a business? Who can see all circumstances of time, and place, and persons, that are hindrances or furtherances? It must be an infinite wisdom that must foresee them; man cannot see them. So that unless God in a particular business give success, who is infinitely wise and powerful to remove all hindrances, there will be no success. As it is in the frame of the body, it stands upon many joints; and if any be out of tune, the whole body is sick. And as it is in a clock, all the wheels must be kept clean and in order, so it is in the frame of a business. There must all the wheels be set a-going; if one be hindered, there is a stop in all. It is so with us in the affairs of this world. When we deal with kings and states, if all the wheels be not kept as they should, there will be no success or prosperity. Nehemiah knew this well enough, Prosper Thou, therefore. He meant not to be idle when he said this, Prosper Thou, for he after joined his own diligence and waited. Use: Its should teach us to make this use of it, when we deal in any matter, to go to God to prosper it, and give success and direction and assistance and a blessed issue. Let us learn by this a direction to piety and holy walking with God; in all things to pray to God for a blessing. And to that purpose we must be in such a condition of spirit as we may desire God to prosper us; that is, we must not be under the guilt of sin when we come to God to prosper us. And we must be humble. God will not prosper a business till we be humble. Do we think that God will give strength to an ill business? This is to make Him a factor for mischief, for the devils work. Then come with a purpose to refer all to His service. Lord, if Thou wilt bless me in this business, the strength and encouragement I have by it, I will refer it to Thy further service. Prosper now Thy servant. What is the reason that God blasts and brings to nothing many excellent endeavours and projects? Men set upon the business of God, and of their callings, in confidence of their wit and pride of their own parts. Men come as gods to a business as if they had no dependence upon Him for wisdom, or direction, or strength. They carry things in a carnal manner, in a human manner, with human spirits. Therefore they never find either success, or not good success. Now when we deal with things in a holy manner, we may, without tempting God, trust Him. And grant him mercy in the sight of this man. He comes more particularly to this request, Grant me mercy in the sight of this man. We see that, a king is a great organ or instrument to convey good things from God, the King of kings to men. Therefore he prays that God would give him favour in the sight of the king. For a king is the first wheel that moves all other wheels, and as it were the sun of the commonwealth, or the first mover that moves all inferior orbs. Therefore in heavenly wisdom he desires God to give him favour with him; for if he had that, the king could turn all the inferior orbs to his pleasure. And when God means to do good to a Church or state, He raiseth up nursing fathers and nursing mothers (Isa_49:23). A wise and holy prayer! He begins at the head; He goes to the spring of all good. Therefore the observation hence is this, that when we have anything to do with great men, with kings, etc., however, begin with the King of kings, and do all in heaven before we do it in earth; for heaven makes the laws that earth is governed by. Let earth conclude what it will, there will be conclusions in heaven that will overthrow all their conclusions. Therefore in our prayers we should begin with God. And when we have gotten what we would in heaven, it is easy to get in earth. You see what great good a good man may do in a state. The innocent man delivers the land, as it is in Job_22:30. (R. Sibbes.)
The prayer of Nehemiah
I. God has his servants in all conditions and occupations of life. We behold Zenas the lawyer, Erastus the Chamberlain, Paul the tentmaker, Luke the physician, Zaccheus the publican, Peter the fisherman, Joseph the carpenter, Amos the herdsman, Daniel the minister of state, Nehemiah the cup-bearer--all standing in the same relation, swayed by the same influence. Let it teach us two things.
1. Not to condemn bodies and professions of men indiscriminately.
2. Let us not make our business an excuse for ungodliness.
II. If we have access to superiors, we should use it for good. Let us remember that we are answerable for all our talents, and one of them is--the influence which in various degrees we have over others. How are we using it?
III. The best way to succeed in any enterprise with men is to commend the matter to god. Our intercourse with God will best prepare us for our dealings with men. It will repress every unhallowed purpose; it will give decision and vigour to good resolutions: it will inspire rectitude and dignity in action; it will enable us to bear disappointment or success. When we have thus commended a concern to God, the mind is set at liberty, and feels satisfaction and composure. When we have thus addressed ourselves to God, difficulties vanish. We know that if the affair be injurious, He can easily hinder it; and if it be good for us, He can as easily promote it. His kingdom ruleth over all. Every event is under His direction, and every character under His control. Solomon has told us, and not without reason, that the kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will. Eastern monarchs were absolute: they consulted nothing but their own pleasure: yet God had them more under His command than the husbandman has a direction of the water in a meadow. There is a twofold dominion which God exercises over the mind of man. The one is by the agency of His grace. Thus He can enlighten the most ignorant understanding, and subdue the most rebellious will. We see this exemplified in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus. But there is another empire which He exercises over mankind--it is by the agency of His providence. History is full of this. He can give another heart, when He does not give a new one. Where He does not convert He can check. Jacob was convinced of the dominion and influence of God over the affairs, and even the dispositions, of men.
IV. How nehemiah speaks of the governor of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces. This man. Let us not however suppose that Nehemiah despised dominion, or spoke evil of dignities. But Nehemiah was now before the God of heaven and earth; and what is the greatest monarch in the world compared with Him? Less than nothing and vanity. This is the way to reduce worldly impressions; the world strikes and conquers you when it meets you absent from God. Bring it into His presence--view it there--and what is it? What are the smiles of men to the favour of God?
V. Observe how this good man characterises himself and his brethren. Thy servants who desire to fear Thy name. Modest, diffident language best becomes us, especially before God. There are many who must derive their satisfaction from their desires, rather than anything else. They cannot say they do fear Him, or love Him, or depend upon Him--but they desire to do it. These desires are proofs of something good and pledges of something better. They are evidences of grace and forerunners of glory. Desires are the pulse of the soul, by which we may judge of our spiritual life and health. In some respects they are more decisive than actions. Actions may be counterfeited, desires cannot; we may be forced to act, but not to will. All the desires of the Christian, in proportion to their degree, will necessarily excite him to strive, to wrestle, to fight, and to use all the means which lead to the end he has in view. Desires are nothing without endeavours, Balaam, etc. (William Jay.)
Now these are Thy servants, and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power.
Gods doings in grace are as the links of a chain
The whole of Gods doings in grace are as the links of a chain, not lying apart, but united together, and the first through an unbroken series leading to the last. Hence Nehemiah finds a plea in what the Lord has done for His people, that He will still show them mercy. (W. Ritchie.)
Pleading former favours
Plutarch tells us that the Rhodiaus appealed to the Romans for help, and one suggested that they should plead the good turns they had done for Rome. This was a plea difficult to make strong enough, very liable to be disputed, and not at all likely to influence so great a people as the Romans, who would not readily consider themselves to be debtors to so puny a state as that of Rhodes. The Rhodians were, however, wiser than their counsellor, and took up another line of argument, which was abundantly successful. They pleaded the favours which, in former times the Romans had bestowed upon them, and urged these as a reason why a great nation should not cast off a needy people for whom they had already done so much. Nehemiah here pleads Gods former favours to His people. (Signal.)
For I was the kings cup-bearer.--
The kings cup-bearers
This is a suggestive text. There is another King, and He, too, speaks of a cup which is His, and a cup which we may bear, not for Him, but from Him to others. Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of water only, etc. We are cup-bearers of our King, Jesus.
I. Cup-bearers of the great King should remember what the cup contains. The cup of blessing is communion with Christ. By His Cross He has reconciled the world to God, and now He invites the race to taste and see that the Lord is good. In the East there are various costly drinks. Some were supposed to have a healing, and others a life-preserving, element in them. The worlds salvation is in that cup which Christ has filled for the life of the world.
II. Cup-bearers of the King should remember the loyal mandate they have to obey. Come is the first word of Christianity. Come to Christ for life, for ourselves. Its next word is Go. Go ye into all the world, etc. If we do not believe in the healing water we shall not give it. Have you ever noticed how heartily people recommend their doctors? During the memorable illness of the Prince of Wales hundreds of people from all parts of the empire forwarded their nostrums for the disease; they felt quite sure that if these special remedies were tried the Prince would recover. Selfishness probably lay at the bottom of some of those recommendations, but in the main these people believed in their prescriptions; they had tried them or seen them tried, and had rejoiced in their success. We must believe, then, before we can give. And then we shall each do it in our own way.
1. Quietly, perhaps, as falls the dew, our influence will rest on others hearts.
2. Suggestively, perhaps, by a spirit of reverence and a devout habit of daily walk, which tells of a life hid with Christ in God.
3. Communicatively, perhaps, as when we gather our classes in Sunday school, etc.
4. Distributively, perhaps, by means of the printed page. Every cup that God has placed in our hands--whether filled with wealth or knowledge--we ought to raise to the lips of others.
III. Cup-bearers of the king should re member the work of the enemies of God. We are not the only cup-bearers in the world. Other visitants are here with other cups, which seem as if they ought to hold sweet and satisfying waters: pleasure, beauty, ambition, etc. Some of these cups are filled with deadliest poison. The cup of knowledge--degrading literature, the cup of companionship, the cup of pleasure, are often so many cups of poison presented to the young..
IV. Cup-bearers of the King should remember that it is a post of honour. Christians are the representatives of Christ. They are doing what Christ would do ii He were here.
V. Cup-bearers of the King anticipate the day of Divine reward. Let us notice--
1. That Christs rewards are ours now.
2. That the cup-bearer will be rewarded in the redeemed history of those to whom he has borne the living water, and who will welcome him to glory.
3. That the cup-bearer will be welcomed and rewarded also by the King of kings Himself. (W. M. Statham.)
The kings cup-bearer
I. Now, observe, this must be by divine appointment. I presume that this absolute monarch would not have allowed any one to have been cup-bearer to him but the man he approved of; nay, he would give the appointment him self, and insist that it should be so. No man has a right to assume the Christian ministry but by royal appointment. There are thousands of impostors in these days that the King of kings and Lord of lords never appointed to the work. Now this office is one in which both Prince and people are deeply interested. I presume that Nehemiah--and I may turn to him for illustrations as I go on--was concerned, in his official capacity, to present the cup, not only to the prince, but to the people who were guests with the prince. I pass on, just to notice the official responsibility involved in this. A cup-bearer A very responsible position this. And a cup-bearer must at his peril look well to all that is contained in the cup, as well as to his promptitude in presenting it. So solemn is the responsibility that according to the view we have just taken of the Lords servants, if there be any foul and poisonous ingredient found in the cup, the blood of the injured person will be required at his hand. Then, if we observe whence this cup-bearer alluded to in the text was taken, I think we shall find a striking correspondence. He was taken from among the captives, by an act of sovereign grace. What say you to this humbling view of the subject? Are you really aware that you were captives, slaves and bondsmen, in the lowest degradation to sin and Satan, when God took possession of you? Now do not talk about your pedigree any more.
II. Now let us look at the understanding the cup-bearer ought to have of what the cup contains. This is a matter of vast importance. I shall guess after this manner--that the cup-bearer, in the presence of a Persian monarch, would be required to know that the cup contained approved old wine, of the purest and best character. But how was he to know that? Why, by tasting it for himself. Well, but what would be the effect? Why, there would be a very cheering effect. All must come from the Kings own stores. We must get it from above--from the fulness treasured up in the covenant. Bring me the cup that is full of the atoning blood, pressed from the merits of Christ, acceptable before God, and that the eternal cup-bearer Himself has entered into the Kings presence to present before God.
III. Now let us look at this cup-bearer, As taught how to enter the presence of the monarch; because this is a very essential part of the business. He must be a living man. It will not do to bring an automaton, much less a putrid corpse; he must be a living man, with the life of God in the soul, whether he be intended for a public pastor or a more private labourer. Then as regards the cleanliness. Oh, how sad that there should be persons pretending to be ministers of Jesus Christ whose lives are impure! And oh, the importance of a steady hand! If the cup be full, and the cup-bearer have a trembling, tottering hand, he is likely to create alarm, at least, as he goes round, and to spill over some of the precious liquor he has to dispense. What do you mean by this steady hand? I mean the steadfast confidence of faith. A word more respecting the cup-bearers qualifications. He must not go to the king vauntingly, Please, your majesty, see what choice wine I have brought for you--that would not do at all. Now you know that this must be repeated as often as called for. I presume that Nehemiah was called for, when he was to bring his majesty the cup. Be sure you are always ready, that whenever you are called for, you may go in, whenever Jehovah-Jesus, the King of kings, summons you. Now this will make the cup-bearer very familiar with his majesty, as well as with his guests. If a man were only admitted once to a large feast, like a hired waiter, and never had anything to say to the company before or after, he could not be supposed to be very familiar with them; but if he is appointed day by day to hand round the same old wine to the same guests, under the same orders, and in the same position, as a graceful cup-bearer, will not he become very familiar? A word more. When the soul has become so familiar with the monarch, has been admitted so frequently into the banqueting-house, and has partaken so freely of this good old wine, his must be an exalted station. (J. Irons.)
The kings cup-bearer
It is remarkable that Nehemiah performed the great work of his life without receiving any supernatural communication from heaven. Other eminent servants of God, in their labour for the Church of Israel, enjoyed special direction and encouragement from above. Moses heard the voice of God at the bush, and saw His wonders at the Red Sea. Elijah met the Lord in Horeb, and received words of comfort at the brook Cherith. Daniel beheld visions of God in Babylon, and enjoyed the visit of an angel in the hour of his earnest prayer. We have not now inspired prophets among us, to direct us in the trying situations of life. We are appointed to learn duty from studying the Word of God, and considering the operation of His hands. In this dependence on the ordinary means of grace for counsel and help in our way of life, we have Nehemiah for an example of fidelity, of patience, and of wisdom.
I. His service. He was the kings cup-bearer. The monarch whom Nehemiah served in this capacity is generally supposed to have been Artaxerxes Longimanus. Artaxerxes reigned on the throne of Persia forty-one years, from 466-425 b.c. This king had conceded important favours to the Jewish people; and now in the twentieth year of his reign, Nehemiah filled the high office of the kings cup-bearer. It was a situation this of distinguished honour and emolument in the Persian court. It belonged to the person holding it, not only to bear the royal cup to the sovereign on high festivals, but also to intro duce all persons who had business to transact into the kings presence. It is a remarkable circumstance that one of the captive people of Judah should be invested with this high dignity in the kingdom of their conquerors. We may regard it as an illustration of Gods faithfulness to His promise, and as a testimony to the power of religion in commending its possessors to confidence. Then, while the faithful providence of God is here illustrated, the religion of these Israelites is also signally attested. Their piety must have been instrumental in elevating them to situations of such responsibility and trust. And what is this but an exemplification of the Scripture, Godliness is profitable for all things, having a promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. True religion fits its possessors for better performing all the duties of social life; and men find it valuable in the integrity it inspires. Thus was Nehemiah elevated to high office in the Persian court; yet to a man of his lofty principle it was a place of peculiar trial. He was called to serve his royal master in that which is perilous to the character of princes, and to the comfort of all about them. His office was to bring wine before him, and to give it to the king. And who can tell what power for good the pious Israelite thus exerted over the prince whom he served, as well as in the court where he moved as a witness for God.
II. His sadness. It is a mistake to suppose there is any religion in morose or sombre looks. It is true, religion interdicts the frivolous mirth which the world calls pleasure, and it inspires its possessors with a prevailing seriousness of mind. But so far from forbidding any true enjoyment, piety towards God opens the wellspring of all satisfying felicity. Is not this manifest from the blessings it imparts to the soul? While Nehemiah, therefore, here makes mention of his sorrow of spirit, he is careful to note that he had not been beforetime sad in the kings presence. He owed it in courtesy to his sovereign, and he owed it also in justice to his religion, to stand in his place with a cheerful countenance. But sorrows at time press on the spirit which cannot be concealed; and seasons, too, occur when they should be known to others. Still there was peril in that look of anguish, for no token of grief was allowed in the royal presence. Several reasons may be assigned for this exclusion of all signs of mourning from the royal presence. It is flattering to the vanity of kings to have all looking and acting before them as if the light of their countenance chased away sorrow; and it may therefore be accounted an affront to contravene this fiction of their power. Hence the proverb, In the light of the kings countenance is life, and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. Then, again, princes and nobles of earth are loath to look on any memento of the evanescence of their grandeur. They are fain to shut out of view sights of sorrow that might send an arrow to their conscience, or constrain them to think of their dying hour. And surely this is the bitterest drop in the cup of the exile and the bondman, to demand from him looks of cheerfulness while his very heart is wrung with anguish. How different it is with our Saviour King! His heart is the seat of compassion for the afflicted, the wellspring of sympathy for the sorrowful in their distress.
III. His reasons for sorrow. Men are sometimes sad when they cannot give an adequate reason for their sorrow. They perhaps brood over imaginary woes, and sink into melancholy which has no assignable cause; or they fall into distress, the reason of which they dare not allow even to their own hearts. It may be disappointed pride, or vexation at the success of others, that occasions their griefs, and such reasons will not bear to be expressed as the cause of a sorrowful countenance. But the sadness of Nehemiah was a look of sublime sorrow, whose expression was an honour to his heart. Yet we mark his self-possession and wisdom in that trying moment. There is with him no con-fusion--no undue excitement; he quails not, nor speaks with stammering tongue. He addresses the king with earnest deference, and yet with manly dignity. Having thus conciliated the kings regard, Nehemiah frames his plea for sorrow with consummate skill and delicacy. Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? This is powerful and effective pleading. He speaks not of Jerusalem as the city of the worship of his God, though this view of it rendered it dearest to his heart, and awakened his deepest sorrow over its desolation. The mention of it, however, in this relation, would eider not have affected a heathen prince at all, or it might have aroused his anger to find the temple of God so praised above the altars of his own idols. Neither does Nehemiah speak of Jerusalem as the ancient metropolis of a great nation, the capital of a long line of illustrious kings, though the memory of its past greatness made his bosom swell with grief at its overthrow, and inspired his soul with unquenchable desire for its restoration. Any reference, however, to the history of the fame and power of the city of God might have inflamed the jealousy of the Persian king, and fixed his resolution to leave it in its present ruin. But the human heart naturally softens into tenderness at the graves of the dead, and here the appeal is made to the place of the sepulchres of the departed ancestors of the exile. In these touching and powerful words of Nehemiah we remark the almighty aid God gives His servants in pleading for, and bearing witness to, His cause. The man of God here stood up before the Persian monarch a solitary witness for Divine truth; and the welfare of Judah for ages to come seemed to depend on the manner he would testify for the Lord. But the great Counsellor gives him a mouth and wisdom in this trying hour, that honour his fidelity, and crown his petition with success. It has been so with all faithful witnesses for God in every age. When Luther, at the Diet of Worms, was arraigned before the Papal power, and called to retract the truth of the gospel, it appeared as if the whole cause of the Reformation was suspended on his utterance of Yes or No. But there, too, the Lord stood by him, and enabled him to hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering. So, when our own Knox was required to preach before the lords of the Congregation, amid the wavering zeal of some, and the warping policy of others, the very existence of pure religion in Scotland appeared to depend on the courageous faithfulness with which he should preach the Word.
IV. His request to the king.
V. His preparation for departure. (W. Ritchie.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 8 open your eyes
open your eyes
"look at me." Here "open your eyes" is a metaphor that represents paying attention to someone. AT: "pay attention to me" (See: Metaphor)
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so you may hear the prayer of your servant
"so that you may hear the prayer that I, your servant, am praying." The word "servant" refers to Nehemiah. This is how a person would address his superior in order to show humility and respect.
day and night
By saying that he prays both during the day and during the night, Nehemiah emphasizes the frequency of his prayers. AT: "all the time" (See: Merism)
Both I and my father's house
Here the word "house" represents family. AT: "Both I and my family" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
pray
servant
people group
Israel
confess
sin
house
ancestor
evil
command
law, laws
decree
Moses
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 8 1:6 I confess that we have sinned: Like Ezra…
1:6 I confess that we have sinned: Like Ezra (Ezra 9:5-15) and Daniel (Dan 9:4-19), Nehemiah identified with the sins of his people, made no excuses, and accepted both his individual responsibility and the responsibility of the larger covenant group that had sinned against God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.