Teks -- Nehemiah 1:8-11 (NET)

1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. 1:9 But if you repent and obey my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 1:10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 1:11 Please, O Lord, listen attentively to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me in the presence of this man.” Now I was cupbearer for the king.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Neh 1:11 - To fear thy name

Those who truly desire to fear his name, shall be graciously accepted of God.

Wesley: Neh 1:11 - This man

The king: who is but a man and therefore his heart is wholly at thy disposal. Favour with men is then comfortable, when we see it springing from the mercy of God.

Wesley: Neh 1:11 - Cup

bearer - Whereby I had opportunity to speak to him, and some favour with him.

JFB: Neh 1:11 - I was the king's cupbearer

This officer, in the ancient Oriental courts, was always a person of rank and importance; and, from the confidential nature of his duties and his frequent access to the royal presence, he possessed great influence.

Clarke: Neh 1:8 - Thy servant Moses

Thy servant Moses - See the parallel places in Lev 26:33 (note), Deu 4:25-27 (note), Deu 28:64 (note), and the notes there. Though in an enemy’ s country, and far from the ordinances of God, Nehemiah did not forget the law: he read his Bible well, and quotes correctly.

Clarke: Neh 1:11 - Mercy in the sight of this man

Mercy in the sight of this man - Favour before the king, Ahasuerus. He seems then to have been giving him the cup

Clarke: Neh 1:11 - For I was the king’ s cup-bearer

For I was the king’ s cup-bearer - The king’ s butler, (the Persians call him saky ), which gave him the opportunity of being frequently with the king; and to be in such a place of trust, he must be in the king’ s confidence. No Eastern potentate would have a cup-bearer with whom he could not trust his life, poison being frequently administered in this way. This verse seems to have been a mental prayer, which Nehemiah now put up as he was delivering the cup into the king’ s hand.

TSK: Neh 1:8 - Remember // If ye transgress

Remember : Psa 119:49; Luk 1:72

If ye transgress : Lev 26:33-46; Deu 4:25-27, Deu 28:64, Deu 32:26-28; 1Ki 9:6, 1Ki 9:7

TSK: Neh 1:9 - if ye turn // yet will I // will bring // the place

if ye turn : Lev 26:39-42; Deu 4:29-31, Deu 30:2-5; Jer 29:11-14

yet will I : 1Ch 16:35; Psa 106:47, Psa 147:2; Isa 11:12, Isa 56:8; Jer 12:15, Jer 31:10; Jer 32:37, Jer 50:19, Jer 50:20; Mat 24:31

will bring : Jer 3:14; Eze 36:24

the place : Deu 12:5, Deu 12:21; 1Ki 9:3; Ezr 6:12

TSK: Neh 1:10 - Now these // whom // thy strong

Now these : Exo 32:11; Deu 9:29; Isa 63:16-19, Isa 64:9; Dan 9:15-27

whom : Exo 15:13; Deu 15:15; Psa 74:2

thy strong : Exo 6:1, Exo 13:9; Psa 136:12; Dan 9:15

TSK: Neh 1:11 - Let now // who desire // grant // For I was

Let now : Neh 1:6; Psa 86:6, Psa 130:2

who desire : Pro 1:29; Isa 26:8, Isa 26:9; Heb 13:18

grant : Neh 2:8; Gen 32:11, Gen 32:28, Gen 43:14; Ezr 1:1, Ezr 7:6, Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28; Pro 21:1

For I was : The office of cup-bearer was one of great trust, honour, and emolument, in the Persian court. To be in such a place of trust he must have been in the king’ s confidence; for no eastern potentate would have a cup-bearer to whom he could not trust his life, poison being often administered in that way. It was an office much desired, because it gave access to the king in those seasons of hilarity when men are most disposed to grant favours. Neh 2:1; Gen 40:2, Gen 40:9-13, Gen 40:21, Gen 40:23, Gen 41:9

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Neh 1:11 - In the sight of this man // I was the king’ s cup-bearer

In the sight of this man the king; who though a god by office, is but a man by nature, and therefore his heart is wholly at thy disposal.

I was the king’ s cup-bearer whereby I had opportunity to speak to him, and some favour and freedom with him; which encouraged me to make this prayer, and to hope for some success.

Haydock: Neh 1:9 - World

World. Literally, "of heaven, or the sky," (Haydock) which seems to the vulgar (Calmet) to rest upon the horizon. (Tirinus) See Deuteronomy xxx. 4.

Haydock: Neh 1:10 - Redeemed

Redeemed, or liberated from great evils. (Menochius)

Haydock: Neh 1:11 - Man // Cup-bearer

Man; ( virum ) the great king, (Haydock) Artaxerxes. (Calmet) ---

Cup-bearer; Athersatha, 1 Esdras ii. 63., and 2 Esdras vii. 65.

Gill: Neh 1:8 - Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses // saying, if ye transgress // I will scatter you abroad among the nations

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses,.... To publish and declare to the children of Israel, Deu 28:64,

saying, if ye transgress; the law of God:

I will scatter you abroad among the nations; as now they had been among the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Medes, and Persians.

Gill: Neh 1:9 - But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them // though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven // yet will I gather them from thence and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there

But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them,.... Return by repentance, and, as a proof of the genuineness of it, yield obedience to the commands of God, and continue therein:

though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven; that is, the uttermost parts of the earth, the most distant regions; so called, because at the extreme parts of the horizon, according to our apprehension, the heavens and earth touch each other; so that what is the uttermost part of the one is supposed to be of the other:

yet will I gather them from thence and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there; that is to Jerusalem where the temple was built, and his name was called upon.

Gill: Neh 1:10 - Now these are thy servants, and thy people // whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand

Now these are thy servants, and thy people,.... Meaning those that were in Jerusalem and Judah, gathered out of several countries, and returned to Jerusalem:

whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand; touching and moving the heart of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to them.

Gill: Neh 1:11 - O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant // and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name // and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day // and grant him mercy in the sight of this man // for I was the king's cupbearer

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant,.... To the prayer of Nehemiah, put up at this time:

and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name; the prayer of the Jews in Judea, whose desire was to worship the Lord in his temple, according to his will:

and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day; meaning himself, who was to wait on the king of Persia that day, and, if he had opportunity, intended to lay the case of the Jews before him, and therefore entreats he might meet with success:

and grant him mercy in the sight of this man; King Artaxerxes, who was but a man, and whose heart was in the hands of God, and he could easily move him to pity and compassion towards his poor people the Jews:

for I was the king's cupbearer; in the execution of which office he was often in the king's presence, and hoped to have an opportunity of speaking to him in the behalf of the Jews; this with the Persians was reckoned a very honourable office ^g. A son of Prexaspes, a very honourable man, was made cupbearer to Cambyses; and so it was with the Greeks and Romans ^h; and the poets not only make Ganymedes to be Jupiter's cupbearer ⁱ, but even Vulcan himself is put into this office ^k.