Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:1

Priests] The chief of them, ver. 7. that came up with Zerubbabel, and were in the dayes of Ieshua; in number twenty two. Many of these Priests are not mentioned in that Catalogue, Ezra II. 36,—39. and might well be there left out, without blame.

Nehemiah 12:8

The Levites] The chief of them, in the foresaid time; in number eight, ver. 8, 9.

Nehemiah 12:10

Ieshua] Catalogue or Series of the High Priests from Ieshua or Ioshua, to the end of the Persian Empire, from Cyrus to Alexander the Great; in six generations, ver. 10, 11. Of these, Eliashib was allied to Tobia; and Ioiada to Sanballet; both alients, and enemies to the Jewes, chap. XIII. 4, 5, 28, 29. And Iaddua the last of them hath his name inserted here by some Prophet, after the dayes of Ezra, and Nehemiah too, specialy if Nehemiah be the man that came up with Zerubbabel; as hath been said in the Observations upon the beginning of this Book. See them.

Nehemiah 12:12

dayes of Iojakim] The sonne of Ieshua. As formerly in his fathers dayes; so here in his dayes, the Prime Priests that were Heads of families, (those in his fathers time being supposed to be now dead) are set down; in number twenty, from ver. 12. to 21. These relate to those ver. 1,—7. Yet the number of the Courses of the Priests appointed by David was twenty four, 1 Chron. XXIV. 7, 18. That the number of the Priests were now but few, that place Ezra VIII. 15. doth import.

Nehemiah 12:22

The Levites] The chief Fathers of them; in the times here mentioned.

recorded] And so to be found registred by name in the publike records; so as they need not here to be set down again.

also the Priests] They likewise so recorded; and so not needful to be here recited.

Darius] Darius Codomannus; the last Persian Emperour, conquered by Alexander the Great.

Nehemiah 12:23

in the Book of the Chronicles] 1 Chron. IX. 14, 15, 16. seeme to be related to in these words, for these Levites, in the times of these High Priests.

Nehemiah 12:25

Porters] See 1 Chron. XXVI. and chap. IX.

Nehemiah 12:26

Nehemiah] It seemes hereby that Joshuah the High Priest was dead before Nehemiah came as Governour into Judea; yea or Ezra with his Commission.

Nehemiah 12:27

Dedication of the wall] The former Genealogies and Records of the Priests and Levites seeme to be insisted upon, the rather because they had so prime an hand in the Dedication of the wall. And therefore they are here so carefully gathered and brought together, 27, 28, 29. And this seemes to be also in the first year of Nehemiah’s Government.

Nehemiah 12:30

purified] See the Annotations.

Nehemiah 12:31

I brought up] The maner of the Dedication of the wall was thus; The wall was thick and broad; that divers went a breast on it. Nehemiah appointed two great companies, consisting of Priests, Levites, Princes, and People. They entred upon the wall about the middle of the West wall, near the Dung-gate. And there the two companies parted. And each went as in Procession in this Order; The one company had Ezra the Priest and Scribe before them. And other Priests after him, founding their Trumpets.

After them the Levites, playing on sacred musical instruments; and singers of them, that sang with a loud voice; All sounding forth Gods praise, and their own thankfulnesse and joy, ver. 31,—42. After them the Princes and Rulers. After them the People. And last of all, some great Prince, likely next in degree to Nehemiah. And this company thus went on the right hand South-ward by the Fountain Gate; and about the Citie of David, and all along the South-wall, even unto the Water-gate on the East. The other company went in like equipage; and Nehemiah himself the last of them.

And they made their Procession on the left hand North-wards, from beyond the Tower of the Furnaces, even unto the Broad wall. And all along the North-side, from above the Gate of Ephraim, and above the Old-gate; and above the Fish-gate, and the Tower of Hananeel, and the Tower of Meah, even unto the Sheep-gate, on the East; And they stood still in the Prison-gate. The two companies somewhat beyond this Gate met together, that they might in order descend from this East-wall, to go into the House of God. And likely it was from the Water-gate on the East-wall; For the street it opened upon, was one of the eminentest, and of greatest receipt in the Citie, deemed to be that of Millo, which lay between the Temple on Mount Morea, and the Pallace on Mount Zion, by which the King and Courtiers did usualy passe to and fro, Neh. III. 26. and VIII. 3, 16. 2 Chron. XXIX. 3, 4. and XXXII. 6.

Nehemiah 12:33

Ezra] Some other Ezra.

Nehemiah 12:36

Ezra the Scribe] That famous Ezra.

Nehemiah 12:39

Gate] Of the Gates, and Towers in this Procession mentioned, see the Observations on chap. III. 1.

Nehemiah 12:43

great sacrifices] As in like cases of joy and thankfulnesse: So 1 Chr. XXIX. 21. 1 Kings VIII. 62, 63.

Nehemiah 12:44

for the treasures] 1 Chron. IX. 26. And so in Hezekiah’s time, 2 Chr. XXXI. 4, 5, 11. See again, Neh. XIII. 12, 13.

Nehemiah 12:47

And the Levites sanctified them unto] The Levites paid to the Priests the tythes of all their tythes, Num. XVIII. 26,—30.