The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-11-09
REBUILDING THE WALLS.
International sunday school Lesssn
for November IL, 1SO0-Text, Nehe-
miah 4,7-1S-Memory vs.. 15-1S.

International sunday school Lesson
for November ~, 1SO0-Text, Nehe-
minh 4t7-1S-Memory vs.. 1S-1ts.
Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes.
GOLDEN TEXT.-Watch and pray
MRi!. REAB 81 Chapter &
TIME.-The summer and early autumn
of B. C. 44. Nehemiah left Susa about the
first of April. and 1t would require three or
four months to make the journey (Ezra
z: 81. Nehemiah therefore reached Jeru-
salem about July l, and the walls were fin
ished in September.
PLACE.-Jerusalem and vicinity.
EXPLANATORY.
introductory: Nehemiah went up to
Jerusalem, starting about the first OF
April. and reaching the city after three
or four months travel, some time in
July. Compare 2:1 with Ezra 7:9.)
l. The Midnight Tour of Inspection.
-2:l1-1S. Three days after his arrival
Nehemiah went out alone with few
servants in the night to investigate the
truth of the reports that had reached
him. He had not told to anyone his pur-
pose in coming TO Jerusalem. When he
had ridden around the city, and taken
III ilIt tHS ltdu-
ers of the Jews, told them his plans, and
they all agreed heartily to enter upon
the work.
Ii. The Building of the Wall.-Chap.
3. "The wall was parceled out among
"A working parties" (Rawlinson), some
of whom were women, the daughters
of the ruler of the half part of Jerusa-
lon, 10 ~ Lcr
Levites, merchants, the son of gold
smith and of perfumer.
III. Working Amid the Bitterest Op.
position.-Chap. 4, VS.. 1-12. A city was
of little value in those days without
walls. Enemies on every side could rob
or destroy the inhabitants, no treasure
was safe. If Jerusalem was to become
the power that ii once had been and
still wished to be, it must be defended.
V. 7. "Sanballat," who appears to be
the governor of the city of Samaria.--
Adeney. "He was native of Heronaim,
beyond Jordan (Neh. 2:10), and prob
ably Moabite chief" ."-Kitto. TO
biah:" A chief of the little trans-Jor-
danic tribe of the "Ammonites," and
NILlCI VI CliItl uuNIStl ~ Sdu-
ballat. "Arabans:" The wandering
Arabs of the desert. The Arab would
scent prey il the project of warlike
expedition" "Ashododites:'' From
Ashdod, Philistine city near the Medi-
terranean coast. Thus "all the fotsam
and jetsam of humanity, the ragged
edges of society swept up by the broom
of the war god" were opposed to the re-
building of the walls, and "were very
wroth.' V. S. And conspired all of
them together" Breathed in unison,
as in singing, whispered secretly "to
come and to fight agains, Jerusalem"
They planned to take Nehemiah and the
city by surprise, capture and slay the
workers. and thus put stop to-, the
work. V. 10. And Judah said:" The
Jews from outside the city who had
been in closer contact with the heather
element, and were trained. "1he
strength of the bearers of burdens is
decayed:" 1.-The work was hard, and
the carriers had become worn. The
novelty of it had passed. The higher
the wall rose, the harder it was to carry
AAAe'Si ipiS W thO toP. Lie luOTe SlOuc
they used, the more difficult it became
to get suitable stone from the rubbish.
Prof. Beecher. v. 12. 1.-THE Jews,
which dwelt by them:" By Sanballat
and the other adversaries. "They said
unto us ten tines" Repeatedly, again
and again. They either gave friendly
notice to Nehemiah of the proposed at
tack pr tried IN ,,arcno1a tba;r fo11o,,,,
from the surrounding towns to hasten
home in order to escape the threatened
danger.
Nv. Praying, and Watching, and
Working.-Vs. o, 1918. v. o. made
our prayer set watch against
them" opposite the places where they
were proposing an attack, the lower;
less finished places. V. 13. Therefore.
set I in the lowest places behind the
wall, and on the higher places:" There
Is no land" in the original. Nehemiah
means that in the less elevated places.
where the wall was least strong by ma
ture, he had his men posted on con.
spicuous spots within the walls, where
they could be seen from distance, and
20 deferred the enemy from advancing.
He drew them after their families"
that each man might feel that he was
fighting for his brethren, sons, etc.
Pulpit Com. v. II. "And l looked"
he saw the enemy coming. Rose up:"
to take command and give orders. "And
said:" He spoke few words to en-
his men, telling them to re-
member whom they fought under
the Lord; and what they had
to fight for-namely, their homes, and
all they held dear.-Prof. Beecher. v.
l6. Half of my servants" His person
al retainers, trained men, who had
guarded him on his journey. "Haber.
yeons:" Old English for coat of mail.
from halo" (neck) and bergen" Ito
protecD. The rulers" rather cap