Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Nehemia 5:14

Those who first went forth into exile will be the first to return. Some time later, the children of Judah will return. So Isaiah prophesied when he said: “In that day my Lord will apply His hand a second time to redeem the other part of His people from Assyria—as also from Egypt, Pathos, Nubia, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coastlands” [Isa. 11:11]. The verse specifies “a second time,” for the redemption of the ten tribes will come first. And thus “the other part of His people” who will have remained in Assyria. In the following verse Isaiah lists the two exiles and makes mention of the two acts of redemption, referring to each and every one with its proper name. He says: “He will hold up a signal to the nations and assemble the banished of Israel; and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” [Isa. 11:12]. He refers to the ten tribes as the “banished of Israel” as they dwell together but are banished from their land. The exile of Judah is designated as a dispersion, “and he will gather the dispersed of Judah.” The house of Israel will anoint a Messiah called Messiah ben Joseph; he will conquer lands and kingdoms and go to Jerusalem and rebuild it, as it is written: “The Lord builds Jerusalem, He gathers in the dispersed of Israel” [Ps. 147:2]. But he will die in battle. Of him it states: “In that day, the wailing in Jerusalem shall be great” [Zach. 12:11] and “they shall lament to Me about those who are slain” [Zach. 12:10]. Afterwards, the dispersed and scattered among the nations shall come and appoint a single leader, the Messiah, son of David, who was with them in exile. They will come to the Land of Israel with the permission of the kings of the nations and with their assistance. As it is written: “And out of all of the nations, said the Lord, they shall bring all your brothers on horses, in chariots and drays, on mules and dromedaries to Jerusalem, My holy mountain, as an offering to the Lord” [Isa. 66:20]. This kingdom will continue and never end. This is the meaning of “Thus declares the Lord God, Who gathers the banished of Israel” [Isa. 56:8]: these are the ten tribes. “I will gather still more to those already gathered” [ibid.]: I add yet another gathering to the first, the dispersed of Judah. This is the meaning of “The Lord your God will restore your exile and have mercy upon you. He will return and gather you from among all the nations among whom He scattered you” [Deut. 30:3]. It is possible that there may be a substantial period of time between these two ingatherings. Afterwards they might yet have to be as herdsmen in the wilderness of the nations, in order to separate out and purify the wicked among Israel, and to smelt them just as silver is smelt in the refining furnace, as happened during the Exodus from Egypt….²⁰⁸An eschatological discussion of Zech. 9:9 etc. has been ellipted.

AND THOU SHALT COMMAND HIM [Joshua] — “concerning Israel, [saying to him]: ‘Know that they are troublesome, that they are stubborn. [Accept this position of leadership over them with full awareness of this and] on condition that you take upon yourself [all this].’” This is the language of Rashi. But it is not correct in my opinion, because it says [and thou shalt command him] before their eyes [and Moses would not have told Joshua to say such words in their presence], for this matter ought rather to have been told to him [Joshua] between the two of them [Moses and Joshua]; for if he would say it in their presence, it would [only] have caused them to break off all restraint. And it would have been more fitting that he [Moses] should chastise the people, warning them separately [and not in Joshua’s presence] not to be troublesome and stubborn any more [rather than to tell Joshua, in their presence, that they were a troublesome and stubborn people]! But [the meaning of] and thou shalt command him before their eyes is that you should instruct him in the duties of a prince and judge, since it was because he [Joshua] was to be their leader that he entrusted them to his care. [Therefore] he should [indeed] have warned him to exert himself exceedingly on their behalf, and to fight the battles of the Eternal, and that he should be the one to go out before them [in battle] and to bring them in,¹⁷⁴Above, Verse 17. and that he should be careful in matters of judgment. These [instructions] indeed ought to be said in their presence, in order that they should trust him and listen to him, for they would then know that he will treat their affairs in a truthful manner, since his master had so commanded him. And this is what Moses [actually] did, as it is said there, And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel: ‘Be strong and of good courage etc. fear not, neither be dismayed.’¹⁷²Deuteronomy 31:7-8. And in the Sifre [we find the following text]:¹⁷⁵I have not found this exact text in our editions of Sifre. For the closest approximation, see my Hebrew commentary, p. 316, Note 93. “And command Joshua¹⁷⁶Deuteronomy 3:28. — concerning instruction [learning and teaching Torah].¹⁷⁷Moses is hereby told to transmit the Torah to Joshua, and to command him to teach it further to Israel. See Aboth 1:1 — “Moses received the Torah on Sinai, and handed it down to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, etc.” And encourage ‘him,’ and strengthen ‘him.’¹⁷⁶Deuteronomy 3:28. This teaches us that there cannot be two leaders in one generation.” Now these are duties of the prince, to be firm and not to be afraid of the people.
In my opinion the plain meaning of Scripture is that the explanation of [the expression] ‘v’tzav’ (and thou shalt command) him before their eyes is [that it refers to] appointing [him officially as their leader], for Moses was to appoint Joshua in the presence of the people to be the ruler over them. This is similar to [the expression], from the time ‘tzivah othi’ (I was appointed) to be their governor etc.¹⁷⁸Nehemiah 5:14. So also: ‘vayetzaveihu’ (and the Eternal hath appointed him) to be the prince over His people.¹⁷⁹I Samuel 13:14. Similarly, Even from the day that ‘tzivithi’(‘I commanded’) judges to be over My people Israel,¹⁸⁰II Samuel 7:11. which means “I appointed” [and likewise all these expressions of ‘tzav,’ which literally mean “command,” here mean “appoint”].