Nehemiah 4:14

Neh 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, [which is] great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

Ver. 14. And I looked, and rose up] Et vidi, et surrexi, et dixi, so the original runs. He saw the enemy a-coming, he started up, and he made this excellent exhortation; which puts me in mind of that which one once said of Julius Caesar, If you had never known him to have been a soldier, yet hear him but speak only, and you will conclude him to be one, Si acta eius penitus ignorasses, per linguam tanten militem esse diceres.

And said unto the nobles] In a short but pithy oration; such as was that of Joab, 2Sa 10:12, of which Pellican saith, Non potuit vex duce dignior cogitari, as brave a speech as a man could make; or that of Hunniades, about to join battle with the Turks (see Turk. Hist. fol. 272); or, lastly, that of the Prince of Orange at the battle of Newport; where they had the sea on one side and the Spaniards on the other. If, said he, you will live, you must either eat up these Spaniards or drink up this sea. So here, Either you must fight lustily, or all you have is forfeited assuredly.

Be not ye afraid of them] Away with that cowardly passion, which unmans a man, et rectum tollit de cardine mentem, robs him of all power and policy.

Remember the Lord] Whom he that feareth needs fear none else. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower," &c.

Who is great and terrible] For the defence of his people, and offence of his enemies. The Lord is a man of war, Exo 15:3. Yea, he alone is a whole army of men, van and rear both, Isa 52:12; and may better say to his soldiers than Antigonus did to his, when they were afraid of the enemy’s numbers, How many do ye reckon me for?

And fight for your brethren] Whether by race, or religion.

Your sons, and your daughters] Those φιλτατα, as the Greeks call them; Charissimi, as the Latins; dearest pledges.

Your wives, and your houses] In the last commandment houses are set first before wives, because a house is to be first provided; neither will a wise man take a wife before he hath a house. Here wives are set before houses; because far more precious, and a main part of a man’s self, Eph 5:28. House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers, but a prudent wife is of the Lord, Pro 19:14. She was one of the first real and royal gifts bestowed by God upon Adam. By the way note, that if men may fight for their civil right to their houses and lands, have they not as good warrant to fight for their religion, especially since they have the laws of the land for it; and, besides, a civil right at least to the outward peaceable profession and practice of it? The Athenians themselves, though their religion was no better than superstition, Act 17:22, yet they bound themselves, by a public and solemn oath, to defend it to the utmost. The words of the oath were these: I will fight for the temples and holy rites, both alone and with others, Aμυνω δε και υπεο ιεοων και υπερ οσιων και μονος και μετα πολλων..

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.

Neh_4:14

Remember the Lord, which is great.

The power of memory

Consider--

I. The power of memory.

II. The application of the text to ourselves.

1. Parents should remember that God regards them as stewards, to whom are committed the care, the instruction, and the discipline of their offspring.

2. Children should remember that forgetfulness of the claims of home, of a father, of a mother, is a forgetfulness of God.

3. Employers should remember the Lord in the example which He furnishes of gentleness, patience, kindness, forbearance, and deep humility.

4. Servants should remember the Lord, that He took upon Him the form of a servant. Conclusion: Remember the promises He has made, the deliverances He has wrought, the blessings He has conferred, the invitations He has given, and the relations He now fills. Remember Him--in calamity to trust Him, in prosperity to praise Him, in danger to call upon Him, in difficulty to expect His interference. Remember Him, for it is your duty, it is your privilege. Remember Him, for He never forgets you. (W. Horwood.)

God is on the field

Always believe that God is on your side. He is on the field when most invisible. In one of the great continental cities the regalia are not kept behind iron bars as in the Tower of London, but lie upon an open table. It might appear an easy thing for some thief to snatch a diamond or a jewel from the glittering array, and yet no man dare put out his band to take one, for that table is charged with electricity, and woe to the person who touches it. The protection is complete; you cannot see it, but there it is. Only live in daily--hourly communion with Christ. Dont break the spiritual connection, and you are as safe from Satan and sin as the jewels from the devices of the thief. Greater is He that is for us than all enemies that can be against us. (E. Abbott.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh 4:14. I said unto the nobles, Be not afraid of them — All was at stake; therefore he exhorts them to be valiant, trusting in God. Remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, &c. — You think your enemies are great and terrible; but what are they in comparison with God? especially in opposition to him?

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4:14 The strongest motivation for hope was Israel’s great and glorious God, who had delivered his people from mighty nations before (cp. 2 Chr 32:7-8; see Exod 14:13-14; Deut 8:1-3; 20:3; Josh 10:25). Another motivation was to protect their own families and properties.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Who is ever at hand to deliver his out of danger: and therefore seeing they should fight for the maintenance of God’s glory, and for the preservation of their own lives and of theirs, he encourageth them to play the valiant men.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 14. Be not ye afraid of them] Are they more terrible or stronger than God?

Fight for your brethren] Your own countrymen, who worship the same God, and are come from the same stock; your sons, whom they wish to slay or lead into captivity; your daughters and wives, whom they wish to deflower and defile; and your houses, which they wish to seize and occupy as their own. They had every thing at stake; and therefore they must fight pro aris et focis, for their religion, their lives, and their property. A people thus interested, who once take up the sword, can never be conquered.

There is an address made to the Greeks by their leader in AEschylus, Pers. ver. 402, similar to this, to excite them against the Persians: -

- Ω Παιδες Ἑλληνων, ιτε,

Ελευθερουτε πατριδ,ελευθερουτε δε

Παιδας, γυνιακας, θεων ρε πατρῳων ἑδη,

Θηκας τε προγονων· νυν ὑπερ παντων αγων.

"-----------Sons of the Greeks, go on!

Free now your country, and your children free;

Your wives, the temples of your fathers' gods,

And dear abodes of farthest ancestors:--

Now strike the blow for all!" J. B. B. C.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) And I looked.—It appears that the energetic appeal now described was uttered on the actual approach of an attacking party.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. And I looked, and rose up] Nehemiah’s ‘look’ seems to denote his inspection of the guards which he had stationed.

unto the nobles, and to the rulers] R.V. marg. ‘Or, deputies’. Upon the difference of these two classes see note on Neh_2:16.

the Lord] R.V. the Lord. The sacred name here used is ‘Adonai,’ not ‘Jahveh;’ see on Neh_1:11, (Neh_3:5).

which is great and terrible] For these epithets, see note on Neh_1:5, and compare Neh_9:22. The attributes of power and awe belong to the God of Israel and ensure the victory of those that trust him, cf. Deu_3:22, Deut. 20:31, 32.

fight for your brethren … houses] Nehemiah exhorts his men to fight courageously. To the Jews the contest must be for their very existence as a people. Their foes are banded together to compass the extermination of their race and name. The brotherhood of the race (brethren), the blessings of family and home (sons and daughters), the ties of personal affection (wives) or cherished ancestral inheritance (house) were at stake. The enemy against whom they fought knew no pity.

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.

And I looked,.... Took a view of the people, and observed that they were in their proper place, and sufficiently armed, and also whether the enemy was coming:

and rose up and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people; who were under their nobles and rulers, as their captains and commanders:

be not ye afraid of them; of their enemies, their numbers, and their threats:

remember the Lord, which is great and terrible; who is greater than they, and is to be feared and trusted in by his people, and is terrible even to the kings of the earth:

and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses; intimating, that they were in danger of losing all that was near and dear, valuable and precious to them, if they did not fight for them; and therefore it became them to quit themselves like men, and be strong.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Remember. These are the most powerful arguments to encourage an army. (Haydock)

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).

14. I looked — To see if all my orders had been carried out.

Rose up — To pass around and address the nobles and others with words of encouragement and cheer.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And I looked, and rose up, and said. A particular occasion seems to be spoken of. The allies had joined their forces; the army was advancing; Nehemiah had obtained information of the quarter from which the attack was to be expected; he had posted his men (ver. 13); when he "looked, and rose up," and spoke, it was probably as the enemy was coming up to the attack; he then made this short but stirring appeal. That no conflict followed would seem to show, that "when the enemy approached, and saw from a distance the whole people awaiting them in perfect equipment, order, and spirit," they lost heart and "turned back" (Ewald, "History of Israel," vol. 5. p. 155). The Lord, which is great and terrible. See the comment on Neh_1:5.

Courage in the Christian war.

"Be not ye afraid of them," etc. A stirring battle-cry. Suitable in the Christian warfare.

I THE CHURCH"S WARFARE. Each for himself and his family; all for the common good. Against the world, the flesh, and the devil, in all the forms they assume: infidelity, heresy, ungodliness, wickedness of all kinds. The war is

1. Defensive. To preserve themselves, and their households and Churches, from spiritual and moral evil.

2. Offensive. To subdue the world to Christ. Destroying the errors and sins which prevail in it, and rescuing their victims.

II THE CHURCH"S LIABILITY TO FEAR. On account of the number, and power, and subtlety of her enemies, and the hardships and perils of the war. There is a fear which is good. "Happy is the man that feareth alway." But not the craven fear which shuns the fight.

III THE CHURCH"S REMEDY AGAINST FEAR.

1. Remembrance of God.

(1) His greatness. "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." He has all power to sustain his servants, give them the victory, and reward the victors.

(2) His terribleness. To his enemies to subdue them; to his professed friends if they decline to do battle for him. "Fear him, ye saints, and you will then Have nothing else to fear.

1. Thought of the interests involved. As here, of brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and houses.

2. Mutual encouragement. "Be not afraid," etc.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Looked - He looked up, engaged God for him, and put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. That was his way, and should be ours: all his cares, all his griefs, all his fears he spread before God. Great and terrible - You think your enemies are great and terrible. But what are they in comparison of God? Especially in opposition to him?

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

"And I looked, and rose up, and said." These words can only mean: When I saw the people thus placed with their weapons, I went to them, and said to the nobles, etc., "Be not afraid of them (the enemies); remember the Lord, the great and the terrible," who will fight for you against your enemies (Deu 3:22; Deu 20:3, and Deu 31:6), "and fight ye for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses," whom the enemies would destroy.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

will fight for us [as translated,] will fight for us.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.