Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Nehemiah 7:4

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Nehemiah 7:4. The houses were not builded. — The city was not yet rebuilt, only a row of houses in the inside of the wall all round.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The wall completed (6:1-7:73)

With the wall nearing completion, the enemies saw that their only hope lay in getting rid of Nehemiah himself. They tried to draw him out into the country where they could murder him, but Nehemiah was aware of their tricks (6:1-4). They then spread rumours, by means of an open letter, that Nehemiah was planning a revolt against Persia, but their efforts came to nothing (5-9).
The enemies thought of yet another plan. They tried to make Nehemiah act in a way that would ruin his reputation for fearlessness before opponents and reverence for the temple. Again they failed (10-14). Even the spies and traitors whom the enemies had planted in Jerusalem were unable to stop Nehemiah from completing the wall (15-19).
Jerusalem was now surrounded with a solid wall of defence. But as usual Nehemiah took no risks. The city was only thinly populated and special precautions were necessary. In case of a surprise early morning attack, Nehemiah ordered that the city gates remain closed until all the people were awake and about their daily business. In addition he formed a city-wide guard, arranged so that each household supervised an area close to it (7:1-4).

Nehemiah then made a register of all those living in Jerusalem. It was based on lists that went back to the very first group of returned exiles, who had come to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel almost a century earlier (5-73; see notes on Ezra 2:1-70, where the same list is given).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.”

This verse is actually the key to the inclusion at once of that long list of genealogies. Jerusalem was in desperate need of more inhabitants, for it was far too large a city for the few who lived there; and “Nehemiah, at once, laid plans for populating the city with PURE JEWS; and the register of those who had returned with Zerubbabel becomes his basis for determining the purity of genealogy.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 441.

And the houses were not builded. “This must be understood in a relative sense, because some houses are referred to in Nehemiah 7:3.”The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 540.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The people were few - The number of those who returned with Zerubbabel was no more than 42,360 Nehemiah 7:66. Less than 2,000 people had come with Ezra Ezra 8:1-20.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 7

Now in chapter 7:

It came to pass, when the wall was built, and the doors, the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, that he gave his brother Hanani ( Nehemiah 7:1-2 ),

Now this is the one who had come to Babylon and told him of the sad condition of Jerusalem and of the people.

He gave them charge over Jerusalem: to these faithful men, who feared God above many. And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is up ( Nehemiah 7:2-3 );

And before the sun goes down make sure that the gates are closed that the inhabitants of Jerusalem might actually dwell safely within its walls.

Now beginning with verse Nehemiah 7:5 , you have actually a repetition of Ezra chapter 2. For this is a list of the registry that they found of the people who returned at the beginning when Cyrus had allowed some 49,000 or so of them to return. This is the same register that is given in Ezra 2:1-70 , the families that came, the numbers of the family and the items that they brought with them. "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Now the city was large and great,.... The circumference of it, all within the wall; for that was built on its old foundation, and enclosed as much ground as ever it did: Hecataeus b, an Heathen writer, says the circumference of Jerusalem was fifty furlongs, which was more than six miles; but Josephus c makes the circuit of it but thirty three furlongs or about six miles:

but the people were few therein; in comparison of the largeness of the place; for though there were 42,360 that came up at first with Zerubbabel, and many more with Ezra, yet a great number chose to settle in the towns and cities in the country, Jerusalem being in such a desolate condition:

and the houses were not builded; some were, but they were but few, many of them still lay in ruins.

b Apud Euseb. Praepar. par. Evangel. l. 9. c. 4. p. 408. & apud Joseph. contr. Apion, l. 1. c. 22. c De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 3.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,   2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.   3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.   4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

      God saith concerning his church (Isaiah 62:6), I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem! This is Nehemiah's care here; for dead walls, without living watchmen, are but a poor defence to a city.

      I. He appointed the porters, singers, and Levites, in their places to their work. This is meant of their work in general, which was to attend the temple service; it had been neglected in some degree, but now was revived. God's worship is the defence of a place, and his ministers, when they mind their duty, are watchmen on the walls. Or, in particular, he ordered them to be ready against the wall was to be dedicated, that they might perform that service in an orderly and solemn manner; and the dedication of it was its strength. That is likely to be beneficial to us which is devoted to God.

      II. He appointed two governors or consuls, to whom he committed the care of the city, and gave them in charge to provide for the public peace and safety. Hanani, his brother, who came to him with the tidings of the desolations of Jerusalem, was one, a man of approved integrity and affection to his country; the other was Hananiah, who had been ruler of the palace: for he that has approved himself faithful in less shall be entrusted with more. Of this Hananiah it is said that he was a faithful man and one that feared God above many,Nehemiah 7:2; Nehemiah 7:2. Note, 1. Among those who fear God truly there are some who fear him greatly, and excel others in the expressions and instances of that fear; and they are worthy a double portion of that honour which is due to those that fear the Lord,Psalms 15:4. There were many in Jerusalem that feared God, but this good man was more eminent for religion and serious godliness than any. 2. Those that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all men and universally conscientious. 3. God's Jerusalem is then likely to flourish when those rule in it, and have charge of it, who excel in virtue, and are eminent both for godliness and honesty. It is supposed, by some, that Nehemiah was now about to return to the Persian court to have his commission renewed, and that he left these two worthy men in charge with the affairs of the city in his absence. Good governors, when and where they cannot act themselves, must be very careful whom they depute.

      III. He gave orders about the shutting of the gates and the guarding of the walls, Nehemiah 7:3; Nehemiah 7:4. See here, 1. What the present state of Jerusalem was. The city, in compass, was large and great. The walls enclosed the same ground as formerly; but much of it lay waste, for the houses were not built, few at least in comparison with what had been; so that Nehemiah walled the city in faith, and with an eye to that promise of the replenishing of it which God had lately made by the prophet, Zechariah 8:3-8, c. Though the people were now few, he believed they would be multiplied, and therefore built the walls so as to make room for them had he not depended upon this he might have thought walls without a city as great a reproach as a city without walls. 2. What was the care of Nehemiah for it. He ordered the rulers of the city themselves, (1.) To stand by, and see the city-gates shut up and barred every night; for in vain had they a wall if they were careless of their gates. (2.) To take care that they should not be opened in the morning till they could see that all was clear and quiet. (3.) To set sentinels upon the walls, or elsewhere, at convenient distances, who should, in case of the approach of the enemy, give timely notice to the city of the danger; and, as it came to their turn to watch, they must post themselves over against their own houses, because of them, it might be presumed, they would be in a particular manner careful. The public safety depends upon every one's particular care to guard himself and his own family against sin, that common enemy. It is every one's interest to watch, but many understand not their own interest; it is therefore incumbent upon magistrates to appoint watches. And as this people had lately found God with them in their building (else they would have built in vain), so now that the wall was built, no doubt, they were made sensible that except the Lord kept the city the watchman waked but in vain,Psalms 127:1.