Nehemiah 5:17

Neh 5:17 Moreover [there were] at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that [are] about us.

Ver. 17. Moreover there were at my table, &c.] He did not eat his morsels alone, as that Pamphagus Nabal; and as many misers today, who, like little children, though they have their hands full and their mouths full, yet will part with none.

Ecce Deo similis vir dapsilis, atque benignus - Palingen.

Beside those that came unto me from among the heathen] Either as state agents, or upon other occasions. Nehemiah entertained them, that they might not lie upon the public charge. And herein he trod in the footsteps of hospitable Abraham, whom Synesius calleth θεου εστιατορα, God’s host. The primitive Christians likewise won much upon the heathens by their hospitality towards all, as Julian, the apostate, confessed: all that he could say against them for it was, that they did it all in hypocrisy and vain glory; which was an envious and false charge (πεπλασμενην κατα Aνδρονικ. Chrysost. in Joan. Epist.).

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 5:17. There were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers — Not only Jews of the inferior sort, for whom meaner provisions might have sufficed; but also their rulers, for whom better provision was to be made; who resorted to him upon all occasions, either to pour out their complaints to him, or to receive his orders. Besides those that came from among the heathen — Strangers, who came about business, and perhaps brought him intelligence concerning the state of the neighbouring people, and of their designs.

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

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

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 17. A hundred and fifty of the Jews] He kept open house, entertained all comers; besides having one hundred and fifty Jews who had their food constantly at his table, and at his expense. To be able to bear all these expenses, no doubt Nehemiah had saved money while he was cup-bearer to the Persian king in Susa.

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

(17) At my table.—The charge on the governor’s free hospitality was heavy: “of the Jews a hundred and fifty rulers, besides those that came” occasionally from the country.

Because the bondage.—Rather, because the service of building was heavy.

The bondage.—Rather, the service was heavy.

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

17. Moreover] Nehemiah mentions another proof of his generosity as governor. He regularly entertained over 150 officials, and welcomed Jewish strangers to his table.

an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came unto us, &c.] The English rendering which seems here to distinguish between ‘the Jews’ and ‘rulers’ (or ‘deputies’), and to speak of three classes (1) the Jews, (2) rulers, (3) strangers from outside Judæa, may be supported by the traditional interpretation preserved in the Hebrew accents.

From the position here assigned to ‘the Jews,’ the word, if taken to express a distinct class of the community, must be used of ‘the heads of the great Jewish houses or families’ (cf. Ezra 2) as distinct from the administrative officers (see Neh_2:16). According to this explanation the heads of the houses and the rulers together numbered one hundred and fifty.

It may be questioned whether the expression ‘the Jews’ would ever be assigned to a section or class of the community. The word is used in Neh_5:1 and Neh_5:8 without any such limitation of meaning.

It is perhaps better to take ‘the Jews’ as the subject of the whole verse. ‘Moreover the Jews—I regularly entertained two classes, i.e. the 150 officials and those who had recently left their homes to join their countrymen at Jerusalem.’ This is the rendering of the Vulgate, ‘Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri et veniebant ad nos de gentibus.’ The repetition of the copula in the Hebrew with ‘Jews,’ ‘rulers,’ and ‘those’ admits of this rendering as in Neh_4:11.

The large number of the ‘rulers’ is not an insurmountable objection to this rendering. The central organization of the administration required a great deal of subdivision; and as all the officials were under the governor, he extended his hospitality to all alike.

besides those that came unto us, &c.] By this seems to be intended the somewhat numerous class of Jews, who, having resided among the neighbouring nations detached themselves from time to time, and came to join their brethren in or near Jerusalem. These were Jews, whose forefathers had never been carried captive to Babylon, but had settled in foreign lands either for purposes of trade or from fear of the invader. See note on Ezr_6:21.

that are about us] R.V. that were round about us. The past tense is required by the narrative style, which Nehemiah employs.

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.

Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep,.... Or fat ones; of beef and mutton a considerable quantity, abundantly sufficient for his guests and servants, and shows what a good table he kept:

also fowls were prepared for me; what number is not said:

and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine; the country afforded; that is, either once in ten days his stock of wine was renewed, or a more liberal entertainment was made, a banquet of wine, Est 5:6,

yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor; the salary that used to be given him, but did this at his own expense, out of his own estate in Judea; or what he had got by his office as cupbearer to the king of Persia, the salary of which perhaps was continued:

because the bondage was heavy upon the people; the tribute of the king of Persia, and their labour and expense in building the walls of the city.

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

Men, my brethren, not (Calmet) Persians. (Grotius) --- Them; ambassadors. (Menochius) --- If Nehemias behaved with such generosity for twelve years, he must have been very rich; or he received a great pension from the king, or voluntary and abundant contributions from the rich.

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).

An hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers; not only Jews of the inferior sort, for whom meaner provisions might suffice, but also their rulers, such as there were in many places, for whom better provision was fit; who resorted to him upon all occasions, either to pour out their complaints, as here they did; or to give him notice of the enemy’s designs; or to receive his orders and directions.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. At my table — As courtly guests. Here was a great expense, which his official position involved, but which he would not tax the people to bear.

Jews and rulers — Holding official relations to the government, and so belonging to the court of the governor.

Those that came unto us from among the heathen — Ambassadors and persons on official business, who would, of course, be entertained at the governor’s table.

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

A hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers. The "hundred and fifty" were, all of them, "rulers." Nehemiah means to say that he entertained continually at his table 150 of the Jewish chief men or "rulers" (segdnim), and also an indefinite number of foreign Jews, who came on short visits to Jerusalem.

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

Rulers - Not only Jews of the inferior sort, for whom meaner provisions might suffice, but also their rulers, for whom better provision was fit; who resorted to him upon all occasions, to give him notice of the enemies designs; or to receive his orders.

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

one hundred and fifty men were eating at my table, in addition to the proselytes who came to us from the gentiles, for they too were eating at my table.

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.