Lux Domini

Nehemiah 10

Chapter context

What is happening in Nehemiah 10?

restorationleadershipreformprayer

Nehemiah 10 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as ongoing reform and correction. Nehemiah recounts the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, the renewal of covenant identity, and the hard maintenance of communal reform. Read this chapter with the wider themes of restoration, leadership, and reform in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,   2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,   3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,   4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,   5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,   6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,   7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,   8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.   9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;   10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,   11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,   12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,   13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.   14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,   15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,   16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,   17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,   18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,   19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,   20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,   21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,   22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,   23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,   24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,   25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,   26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,   27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.   28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;   29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;   30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:   31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.   32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;   33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.   34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:   35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:   36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:   37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.   38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.   39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.  

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Glossary

Nehemiah Tribe v. 1

Comforted by Jehovah. (1. ) Ezra 2:2 ; Neh. 7:7 . (2. ) Neh. 3:16 . (3. ) The son of Hachaliah ( Neh. 1:1 ), and probably of the tribe of Judah. His family must have belonged to Jerusalem ( Neh. 2:3 ).

Azariah Person v. 2

Whom Jehovah helps. (1. ) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah ( 1 Chr. 2:8 ). (2. ) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest ( 1 Chr. 6:9 ; 1 Kings 4:2 ) in the days of Solomon.

Jeremiah Person v. 2

Raised up or appointed by Jehovah. (1. ) A Gadite who joined David in the wilderness ( 1 Chr. 12:10 ). (2. ) A Gadite warrior ( 1 Chr. 12:13 ). (3. ) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:4 ).

Seraiah Person v. 2

Soldier of Jehovah. (1. ) The father of Joab ( 1 Chr. 4:13 , 14). (2. ) The grandfather of Jehu ( 1 Chr. 4:35 ). (3. ) One of David’s scribes or secretaries ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ). (4. ) A Netophathite.

Amariah Person v. 3

Said by Jehovah. (1. ) One of the descendants of Aaron by Eleazar ( 1 Chr. 6:7 , 52). He was probably the last of the high priests of Eleazar’s line prior to the transfer of that office to Eli, of the line of Ithamar.

Pashur Person v. 3

Release. (1. ) The son of Immer (probably the same as Amariah, Neh. 10:3 ; 12:2 ), the head of one of the priestly courses, was “chief governor [Heb. paqid nagid, meaning “deputy governor”] of the temple” ( Jer. 20:1 , 2).

Hattush Person v. 4

Assembled. (1. ) A priest who returned with Zerubbabel ( Neh. 12:2 ). (2. ) Ezra 8:2 . (3. ) Neh. 3:10 . (4. ) Neh. 10:4 . (5. ) 1 Chr. 3:22 .

Malluch Person v. 4, 27

Reigned over, or reigning. (1. ) A Levite of the family of Merari ( 1 Chr. 6:44 ). (2. ) A priest who returned from Babylon ( Neh. 12:2 ). (3. ) Ezra 10:29 . (4. ) Ezra 10:32 .

Shebaniah Person v. 4, 10, 12

Whom Jehovah hides, or has made grow up. (1. ) A Levite appointed to blow the trumpet before the ark of God ( 1 Chr. 15:24 ). (2. ) Another Levite ( Neh. 9:4 , 5). (3. ) A priest ( Neh. 10:12 ). (4. ) A Levite ( Neh. 10:4 ).

Meremoth Person v. 5

Exaltations, heights, a priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel ( Neh. 12:3 ), to whom were sent the sacred vessels ( Ezra 8:33 ) belonging to the temple. He took part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

Obadiah Person v. 5

Servant of the Lord. (1. ) An Israelite who was chief in the household of King Ahab ( 1 Kings 18:3 ).

Baruch Tribe v. 6

Blessed. (1. ) The secretary of the prophet Jeremiah (32:12; 36:4). He was of the tribe of Judah (51:59). To him Jeremiah dictated his prophecies regarding the invasion of the Babylonians and the Captivity.

Daniel Person v. 6

God is my judge, or judge of God. (1. ) David’s second son, “born unto him in Hebron, of Abigail the Carmelitess” ( 1 Chr. 3:1 ). He is called also Chileab ( 2 Sam. 3:3 ).

Abijah Person v. 7

Father (i. e., “possessor or worshipper”) of Jehovah. (1. ) 1 Chr. 7:8 . (2. ) 1 Chr. 2:24 . (3. ) The second son of Samuel ( 1 Sam. 8:2 ; 1 Chr. 6:28 ).

Meshullam Person v. 7, 20

Befriended. (1. ) One of the chief Gadites in Bashan in the time of Jotham ( 1 Chr. 5:13 ). (2. ) Grandfather of Shaphan, “the scribe,” in the reign of Josiah ( 2 Kings 22:3 ). (3. ) A priest, father of Hilkiah.

Shemaiah Person v. 8

Whom Jehovah heard. (1. ) A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam ( 1 Kings 12:22-24 ). (2. ) Neh. 3:29 . (3. ) A Simeonite ( 1 Chr. 4:37 ). (4. ) A priest ( Neh. 12:42 ). (5. ) A Levite ( 1 Chr. 9:16 ). (6. ) 1 Chr. 9:14 ; Neh. 11:15 .

Henadad Person v. 9

Favour of Hadad, the name of a Levite after the Captivity ( Ezra 3:9 ).

Hanan Person v. 10, 22, 26

Merciful. (1. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:23 ). (2. ) One of David’s heroes ( 1 Chr. 11:43 ). (3. ) Jer. 35:4 . (4. ) A descendant of Saul ( 1 Chr. 8:38 ). (5. ) One of the Nethinim ( Ezra 2:46 ).

Pelaiah Person v. 10

Distinguished of the Lord. (1. ) One of David’s posterity ( 1 Chr. 3:24 ). (2. ) A Levite who expounded the law ( Neh. 8:7 ).

Hashabiah Person v. 11

Regarded by Jehovah. (1. ) Merarite Levite ( 1 Chr. 6:45 ; 9:14 ). (2. ) A son of Jeduthun (25:3, 19). (3. ) Son of Kemuel (26:30). (4. ) One of the chief Levites ( 2 Chr. 35:9 ). (5. ) A Levite ( Neh. 11:22 ).

Micha Person v. 11

(1. ) 2 Sam. 9:12 =MICAH (2). (2. ) The son of Zabdi, a Levite of the family of Asaph ( Neh. 11:17 , 22).

Sherebiah Person v. 12

Flame of the Lord, a priest whose name is prominent in connection with the work carried on by Ezra and Nehemiah at Jerusalem ( Ezra 8:17 , 18, 24-30; Neh. 8:7 ; 9:4 , 5; 10:12).

Zaccur Person v. 12

Mindful. (1. ) Father of Shammua, who was one of the spies sent out by Moses ( Num. 13:4 ). (2. ) A Merarite Levite ( 1 Chr. 24:27 ).

Adonijah Person v. 16

My Lord is Jehovah. (1. ) The fourth son of David ( 2 Sam. 3:4 ). After the death of his elder brothers, Amnon and Absalom, he became heir-apparent to the throne. But Solomon, a younger brother, was preferred to him.

Jaddua Person v. 21

Known. (1. ) One of the chiefs who subscribed the covenant ( Neh. 10:21 ). (2. ) The last high priest mentioned in the Old Testament ( Neh. 12:11 , 22), sons of Jonathan.

Zadok Person v. 21

Righteous. (1. ) A son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazer ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ; 1 Chr. 24:3 ), high priest in the time of David ( 2 Sam. 20:25 ) and Solomon ( 1 Kings 4:4 ).

Pelatiah Person v. 22

Deliverance of the Lord. (1. ) A son of Hananiah and grandson of Zerubbabel ( 1 Chr. 3:21 ). (2. ) A captain of “the sons of Simeon” (4:42). (3. ) Neh. 10:22 .

Hananiah Tribe v. 23

Jehovah has given. (1. ) A chief of the tribe of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:24 ). (2. ) One of the sons of Heman ( 1 Chr. 25:4 , 23). (3. ) One of Uzziah’s military officers ( 2 Chr. 26:11 ).

Hashub Person v. 23

Intelligent. (1. ) A Levite of the family of Merari ( Neh. 11:15 ; 1 Chr. 9:14 ). (2. ) Neh. 3:23 . 3:11.

Ahijah Person v. 26

Brother (i. e., “friend”) of Jehovah. (1. ) One of the sons of Bela ( 1 Chr. 8:7 , R. V. ). In A. V. called “Ahiah. ” (2. ) One of the five sons of Jerahmeel, who was great-grandson of Judah ( 1 Chr. 2:25 ).

Baanah Person v. 27

Son of affliction. (1. ) One of the two sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, a captain in Saul’s army. He and his brother Rechab assassinated Ishbosheth.

Harim Place v. 27

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Al Haram.

Shewbread Object v. 33

Ex. 25:30 (R. V. marg., “presence bread”); 1 Chr. 9:32 (marg., “bread of ordering”); Num. 4:7 : called “hallowed bread” (R. V., “holy bread”) in 1 Sam. 21:1-6 .

Levi Person v. 39

Adhesion. (1. ) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah’s words ( Gen. 29:34 ).