Nehemiah 12

Chap. XII. ver. 1. Now these are the priests &c.] As the writer is now about to give an account of the solemn procession, by way of religious dedication of the city wall, or thanksgiving for the happiness of seeing it rebuilt; and as the tribe of Levi, being the ministers of the temple, bore the principal part of the service of this solemnity, he thinks proper to insert a fresh register of that tribe, comprising the chief heads of their several courses who returned from captivity with Zerubbabel. At the first return, these persons, to the number of twenty-three, were the chief heads of the priests, Jeshua being at that time high priest in succession. Pyle.

— the joy of Jerusalem &c.] The emperor Augustus boasted, that he had found Rome built with bricks, and left it built with marble. Nehemiah found Jerusalem a heap of rubbish, and left it so well inhabited, adorned, and fortified, that it soon became a city of note, and recovered in a great measure its former lustre. Dr. Jortis.

Nehemiah 12:3

3. — they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.] They separated from the true Israelites those who were born of strangers, whom the law would not allow to partake of the rites of marriage with Israelites. Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 12:4

4. — Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber] It has been doubted, whether he was only a common priest, or whether the high priest of this name is meant, mentioned at chap. iii. 1. It is most probable, that the high priest is meant, and that the expression, “having the oversight of the chamber,” (or chambers, the singular put for the plural,) implies his having the whole government of the temple, especially since it is not to be conceived how any one, less than the chief governor of the temple, could make so great an innovation as that here described. Dean Prideaux.

— was allied unto Tobiah:] He had married his grandson to the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, who was the firm friend of this Tobiah, chief of the Ammonites, ver. 28. Pyle.

Nehemiah 12:5

5. And he had prepared for him a great chamber, &c.] It seems he had pulled down the partitions of several of the temple chambers, where the tithes, offerings, and

The chambers are cleansed. Certain abuses reformed. Before CHRIST about 454. end of days. normally requested. standing. storehouses. their hand. upon them. c Ver. 22.

Nehemiah 12:6

6. — and after certain days] In the Hebrew the words are, “at the end of days,” meaning perhaps “the end of the year.” It has been the prevailing opinion, that Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in the same year, and this is adopted in the dates given in the margin of our Bible, according to Archbishop Usher. On the other hand, Dean Prideaux is of opinion, that he was absent for not less a space than five years: he grounds his opinion principally on the idea, that a considerable time was required for those great abuses to grow to such a height, as is described in this chapter; and he observes, that the word translated “days” very frequently signifies a number of years in Scripture.

Nehemiah 12:8

8. — which was over the thanksgiving.] Was appointed to see the psalm of thanksgiving sung every morning and evening at the burnt sacrifice. Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 12:9

9. — were over against them in the watches.] That is, ministered in their courses, as did the others, and kept their stations over against them in their turns of attendance, which are called their watches or wards. Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 12:10

10, 11. — Joiakim — Jaddua.] In these two verses is an account of the succession of the high priests, from the return from captivity, till the time when they began to bear the greatest sway in the Jewish nation.

10. — the portions of the Levites had not been given] The tithes which had been assigned to maintain the

ministers of the temple in their offices and stations, had been either embezzled by the high priest and other rulers of the temple under him, or else withdrawn by the people, and not paid at all; and, for want of these, the Levites and singers were driven from the temple, each to his home, to seek subsistence in some other way; a circumstance which had occasioned the neglect of the daily service in the house of God. Dean Prideaux.

Nehemiah 12:11

11. — Jaddua.] It is commonly supposed that this is the same person as Jaddua the high priest mentioned in profane history, who went out in his pontifical habit to meet Alexander the Great when he came from the

Nehemiah 12:15

15. In those days &c.] Although these things are all related in one chapter, yet it does not follow that all the reformations took place at one time; but Nehemiah probably brought them about as occasions called for them, and as he saw opportunities for effecting them with success. Dean Prideaux.

— and I testified against them] Some translate these words, “and I contested with them that they should sell provisions on those days when they might be sold,” (and not on the sabbath.) Bp. Patrick.

Nehemiah 12:22

22. — also the priests, to the reign of Darius] This is understood to mean Darius Codomannus; and this verse, together with ver. 11, affords a proof that Nehemiah did not put a finishing hand to this book; for, to be able to speak of this Darius, he must have lived at least 131 years, and at that age must have written or enlarged this book, which is highly improbable. Le Clerc. Or the Darius meant may be Darius Nothus, who reigned B. C. 423, much earlier than Darius Codomannus, who began to reign B. C. 335. It is probable, that the whole, or at least the latter part of the register contained in the twenty-six first verses of this chapter, was a subsequent addition to the book, made by those who superintended the forming of the canon of the Scriptures. Dr. Gray.

Nehemiah 12:24

24. — with their brethren over against them, &c.] Though we are somewhat at a loss for information respecting the usual manner and ceremony of chanting the Hebrew poems, and though the subject of the Hebrew sacred musick in general is involved in doubt and obscurity, thus far at least is evident from many examples, that the sacred hymns were alternately sung by opposite choirs, and that the one choir usually performed the hymn itself, while the other sang a particular The solemnity of the dedication of the wall. Before CHRIST about 336. Or, irreserves, or, assemblies. 445.

Nehemiah 12:27

27. And at the dedication of the wall &c.] As Solomon and all Israel dedicated the house of God when it was built, (see 1 Kings viii; 2 Chron. vii.) so now Nehemiah, having set things in good order, thought fit to dedicate the city, whose wall was rebuilt and gates set up, as a place in which God had chosen to place His name. Accordingly he assembled the people to beseech His blessing and protection on the city, in which, being now provided with proper defences, they hoped to be permitted long to serve Him in quiet and security. Bp. Patrick.

By this ceremony of dedicating of the walls, they acknowledged that their hope and confidence were placed in God, and not in the strength of their walls and bulwarks. Bp. Wilson.

Nehemiah 12:43

43. Also that day they offered great sacrifices.] The dedication of the walls of Jerusalem was an instance of the piety of Nehemiah, and of the rest of the Jews. By this ceremony, by the sacrifices they offered, and by the hymns of praise which they sung upon the occasion, they meant to ascribe to God’s mercy the restoration of their city and nation, and to secure His protection for the future. Zealous persons take occasion from every thing to express their piety and gratitude, to render homage to the Lord for all the temporal advantages they enjoy; and wise and pious magistrates look upon His protection as the fountain of all the happiness, and of all the security both of cities and states. Christians ought to imitate the seal of Nehemiah and his people, and like them promote the good of religion, provide for the support of the Divine service, and the advancement of God’s glory, every one according to his power and abilities. Ostervald.

The offices of priests and Levites. CHAP. XII, XIII. The mixed multitude are separated.

the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

Nehemiah 12:45

45. And both the singers &c.] That is, the singers sung orderly in their courses to the praise of God, and the porters “kept the ward of purification;” that is, duly observed the orders about purification, in not suffering any unclean person or thing to come unto the sacred house. Thus they did “according to the commandment of David, &c.” who had regulated all things belonging to the duties of these persons; see 1 Chron. xxv, xxvi. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. XIII. ver. 1. On that day] It seems not on the day of the dedication of the city wall, related in the last chapter, but on some day after Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem from Persia, where, as is related at ver. 6, he had gone to wait upon the king: as soon as he returned, all the abuses which had crept in were corrected. It is probable, that he continued the public reading of the law at stated times, on the great festivals especially; and, on one of these days that portion of Scripture was read at Deut. xxiii. 3, which forbids the admission of the Ammonites and Moabites into “the congregation of God.” Bp. Patrick.

— into the congregation of God] See note at Deut. xxiii. 3. The expression there is to be understood as a

miah at his return causeth the chambers to be cleansed. 10 He reformeth the offices in the house of God. 15 The violation of the sabbath, 23 and the marriages with strange wives.

ON that day † they read in the book of Moses in the † audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;