| Nehemiah 6:15
| But the wall was finished the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, in two and fifty days.
| Elul, the last of the civil year, corresponding with our August and September, when the walls were dedicated, 2 Esdras 12:27. --- Days. Josephus ([Antiquities?] 11:5.) says, "two years and three (Greek four) months" (Haydock) had been spent in perfecting the work. (Cajetan) --- Others date from the reception of the letter, ver. 5. (Vatable) --- But the work only lasted the time here specified, as the materials were at hand, and some of the walls were standing, while the rocks defended other parts; and the city was not then so large as it was afterwards. (Calmet) --- The whole people wrought almost day and night, and Nehemias encouraged them with all his power. (Tirinus) --- Thus Alexander the Great built the walls of New Alexandria, on the Tanais, 60 stadia, or near 6000 paces (Calmet) long, in less than twenty days; (Tirinus) and Caesar perfected other works, before Alise, etc., with equal expedition. (Bel. Gal. i., and vii.) --- The Romans, at the last siege of Jerusalem, surrounded the city with a wall 5000 paces long, and with thirteen towers, in three days. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:13.) (Calmet)
|