The Pulpit Commentary on Nehemiah 5:14

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

From the day that I was appointed. Literally, "from the day that he (i.e. Artaxerxes) appointed me." From the twentieth year. See above, Nehemiah 2:1. The appointment, having taken place in Nisan, was in b.

c. 444. Unto the two and thirtieth year. We see here that this chapter, and therefore, probably, the entire first section (Nehemiah 1:1-11.-7.) of this Book, was not written until b.c. 432, the year in which Nehemiah returned to the Persian court from Jerusalem (Nehemiah 13:6).

I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. i.e. "have not lived at the expense of our subjects, as Persian governors do ordinarily." Nehemiah's brethren here are probably not his brothers only, but his entire court.

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