The children H1121 of Bezai, H1209 three H7969 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Jorah, H3139 an hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240 The children H1121 of Hashum, H2828 two hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Gibbar, H1402 ninety H8673 and five. H2568 The children H1121 of Bethlehem, H1035 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969 The men H582 of Netophah, H5199 fifty H2572 and six. H8337 The men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and eight. H8083 The children H1121 of Azmaveth, H5820 forty H705 and two. H8147 The children H1121 of Kirjatharim, H7157 Chephirah, H3716 and Beeroth, H881 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and forty H705 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Ramah H7414 and Gaba, H1387 six H8337 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and one. H259 The men H582 of Michmas, H4363 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and two. H8147 The men H582 of Bethel H1008 and Ai, H5857 two hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Nebo, H5015 fifty H2572 and two. H8147 The children H1121 of Magbish, H4019 an hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and six. H8337 The children H1121 of the other H312 Elam, H5867 a thousand H505 two hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and four. H702 The children H1121 of Harim, H2766 three H7969 hundred H3967 and twenty. H6242 The children H1121 of Lod, H3850 Hadid, H2307 and Ono, H207 seven H7651 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and five. H2568 The children H1121 of Jericho, H3405 three H7969 hundred H3967 forty H705 and five. H2568 The children H1121 of Senaah, H5570 three H7969 thousand H505 and six H8337 hundred H3967 and thirty. H7970 The priests: H3548 the children H1121 of Jedaiah, H3048 of the house H1004 of Jeshua, H3442 nine H8672 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Immer, H564 a thousand H505 fifty H2572 and two. H8147 The children H1121 of Pashur, H6583 a thousand H505 two hundred H3967 forty H705 and seven. H7651 The children H1121 of Harim, H2766 a thousand H505 and seventeen. H7651 H6240 The Levites: H3881 the children H1121 of Jeshua H3442 and Kadmiel, H6934 of the children H1121 of Hodaviah, H1938 seventy H7657 and four. H702 The singers: H7891 the children H1121 of Asaph, H623 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and eight. H8083 The children H1121 of the porters: H7778 the children H1121 of Shallum, H7967 the children H1121 of Ater, H333 the children H1121 of Talmon, H2929 the children H1121 of Akkub, H6126 the children H1121 of Hatita, H2410 the children H1121 of Shobai, H7630 in all an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and nine. H8672 The Nethinims: H5411 the children H1121 of Ziha, H6727 the children H1121 of Hasupha, H2817 the children H1121 of Tabbaoth, H2884 The children H1121 of Keros, H7026 the children H1121 of Siaha, H5517 the children H1121 of Padon, H6303 The children H1121 of Lebanah, H3838 the children H1121 of Hagabah, H2286 the children H1121 of Akkub, H6126 The children H1121 of Hagab, H2285 the children H1121 of Shalmai, H8073 the children H1121 of Hanan, H2605 The children H1121 of Giddel, H1435 the children H1121 of Gahar, H1515 the children H1121 of Reaiah, H7211 The children H1121 of Rezin, H7526 the children H1121 of Nekoda, H5353 the children H1121 of Gazzam, H1502 The children H1121 of Uzza, H5798 the children H1121 of Paseah, H6454 the children H1121 of Besai, H1153 The children H1121 of Asnah, H619 the children H1121 of Mehunim, H4586 the children H1121 of Nephusim, H5300 H5304 The children H1121 of Bakbuk, H1227 the children H1121 of Hakupha, H2709 the children H1121 of Harhur, H2744 The children H1121 of Bazluth, H1213 the children H1121 of Mehida, H4240 the children H1121 of Harsha, H2797 The children H1121 of Barkos, H1302 the children H1121 of Sisera, H5516 the children H1121 of Thamah, H8547 The children H1121 of Neziah, H5335 the children H1121 of Hatipha. H2412 The children H1121 of Solomon's H8010 servants: H5650 the children H1121 of Sotai, H5479 the children H1121 of Sophereth, H5618 the children H1121 of Peruda, H6514 The children H1121 of Jaalah, H3279 the children H1121 of Darkon, H1874 the children H1121 of Giddel, H1435 The children H1121 of Shephatiah, H8203 the children H1121 of Hattil, H2411 the children H1121 of Pochereth of Zebaim, H6380 the children H1121 of Ami. H532 All the Nethinims, H5411 and the children H1121 of Solomon's H8010 servants, H5650 were three H7969 hundred H3967 ninety H8673 and two. H8147 And these were they which went up H5927 from Telmelah, H8528 Telharsa, H8521 Cherub, H3743 Addan, H135 and Immer: H564 but they could H3201 not shew H5046 their father's H1 house, H1004 and their seed, H2233 whether they were of Israel: H3478 The children H1121 of Delaiah, H1806 the children H1121 of Tobiah, H2900 the children H1121 of Nekoda, H5353 six H8337 hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and two. H8147 And of the children H1121 of the priests: H3548 the children H1121 of Habaiah, H2252 the children H1121 of Koz, H6976 the children H1121 of Barzillai; H1271 which took H3947 a wife H802 of the daughters H1323 of Barzillai H1271 the Gileadite, H1569 and was called H7121 after their name: H8034 These sought H1245 their register H3791 among those that were reckoned by genealogy, H3187 but they were not found: H4672 therefore were they, as polluted, H1351 put from the priesthood. H3550 And the Tirshatha H8660 said H559 unto them, that they should not eat H398 of the most H6944 holy things, H6944 till there stood up H5975 a priest H3548 with Urim H224 and with Thummim. H8550 The whole congregation H6951 together H259 was forty H702 H7239 and two thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 and threescore, H8346 Beside their servants H5650 and their maids, H519 of whom there were seven H7651 thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven: H7651 and there were H428 among them two hundred H3967 singing men H7891 and singing women. H7891 Their horses H5483 were seven H7651 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and six; H8337 their mules, H6505 two hundred H3967 forty H705 and five; H2568 Their camels, H1581 four H702 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and five; H2568 their asses, H2543 six H8337 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and twenty. H6242 And some of the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 when they came H935 to the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is at Jerusalem, H3389 offered freely H5068 for the house H1004 of God H430 to set it up H5975 in his place: H4349 They gave H5414 after their ability H3581 unto the treasure H214 of the work H4399 threescore H8337 H7239 and one thousand H505 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 and five H2568 thousand H505 pound H4488 of silver, H3701 and one hundred H3967 priests' H3548 garments. H3801 So the priests, H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and some of the people, H5971 and the singers, H7891 and the porters, H7778 and the Nethinims, H5411 dwelt H3427 in their cities, H5892 and all Israel H3478 in their cities. H5892
The children H1121 of Hashum, H2828 three H7969 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and eight. H8083 The children H1121 of Bezai, H1209 three H7969 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and four. H702 The children H1121 of Hariph, H2756 an hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240 The children H1121 of Gibeon, H1391 ninety H8673 and five. H2568 The men H582 of Bethlehem H1035 and Netophah, H5199 an hundred H3967 fourscore H8084 and eight. H8083 The men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and eight. H8083 The men H582 of Bethazmaveth, H1041 forty H705 and two. H8147 The men H582 of Kirjathjearim, H7157 Chephirah, H3716 and Beeroth, H881 seven H7651 hundred H3967 forty H705 and three. H7969 The men H582 of Ramah H7414 and Geba, H1387 six H8337 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and one. H259 The men H582 of Michmas, H4363 an hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 and two. H8147 The men H582 of Bethel H1008 and Ai, H5857 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969 The men H582 of the other H312 Nebo, H5015 fifty H2572 and two. H8147 The children H1121 of the other H312 Elam, H5867 a thousand H505 two hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and four. H702 The children H1121 of Harim, H2766 three H7969 hundred H3967 and twenty. H6242 The children H1121 of Jericho, H3405 three H7969 hundred H3967 forty H705 and five. H2568 The children H1121 of Lod, H3850 Hadid, H2307 and Ono, H207 seven H7651 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and one. H259 The children H1121 of Senaah, H5570 three H7969 thousand H505 nine H8672 hundred H3967 and thirty. H7970 The priests: H3548 the children H1121 of Jedaiah, H3048 of the house H1004 of Jeshua, H3442 nine H8672 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and three. H7969 The children H1121 of Immer, H564 a thousand H505 fifty H2572 and two. H8147 The children H1121 of Pashur, H6583 a thousand H505 two hundred H3967 forty H705 and seven. H7651 The children H1121 of Harim, H2766 a thousand H505 and seventeen. H7651 H6240 The Levites: H3881 the children H1121 of Jeshua, H3442 of Kadmiel, H6934 and of the children H1121 of Hodevah, H1937 seventy H7657 and four. H702 The singers: H7891 the children H1121 of Asaph, H623 an hundred H3967 forty H705 and eight. H8083 The porters: H7778 the children H1121 of Shallum, H7967 the children H1121 of Ater, H333 the children H1121 of Talmon, H2929 the children H1121 of Akkub, H6126 the children H1121 of Hatita, H2410 the children H1121 of Shobai, H7630 an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and eight. H8083 The Nethinims: H5411 the children H1121 of Ziha, H6727 the children H1121 of Hashupha, H2817 the children H1121 of Tabbaoth, H2884 The children H1121 of Keros, H7026 the children H1121 of Sia, H5517 the children H1121 of Padon, H6303 The children H1121 of Lebana, H3838 the children H1121 of Hagaba, H2286 the children H1121 of Shalmai, H8014 The children H1121 of Hanan, H2605 the children H1121 of Giddel, H1435 the children H1121 of Gahar, H1515 The children H1121 of Reaiah, H7211 the children H1121 of Rezin, H7526 the children H1121 of Nekoda, H5353 The children H1121 of Gazzam, H1502 the children H1121 of Uzza, H5798 the children H1121 of Phaseah, H6454 The children H1121 of Besai, H1153 the children H1121 of Meunim, H4586 the children H1121 of Nephishesim, H5300 H5304 The children H1121 of Bakbuk, H1227 the children H1121 of Hakupha, H2709 the children H1121 of Harhur, H2744 The children H1121 of Bazlith, H1213 the children H1121 of Mehida, H4240 the children H1121 of Harsha, H2797 The children H1121 of Barkos, H1302 the children H1121 of Sisera, H5516 the children H1121 of Tamah, H8547 The children H1121 of Neziah, H5335 the children H1121 of Hatipha. H2412 The children H1121 of Solomon's H8010 servants: H5650 the children H1121 of Sotai, H5479 the children H1121 of Sophereth, H5618 the children H1121 of Perida, H6514 The children H1121 of Jaala, H3279 the children H1121 of Darkon, H1874 the children H1121 of Giddel, H1435 The children H1121 of Shephatiah, H8203 the children H1121 of Hattil, H2411 the children H1121 of Pochereth of Zebaim, H6380 the children H1121 of Amon. H526 All the Nethinims, H5411 and the children H1121 of Solomon's H8010 servants, H5650 were three H7969 hundred H3967 ninety H8673 and two. H8147 And these were they which went up H5927 also from Telmelah, H8528 Telharesha, H8521 Cherub, H3743 Addon, H114 and Immer: H564 but they could H3201 not shew H5046 their father's H1 house, H1004 nor their seed, H2233 whether they were of Israel. H3478 The children H1121 of Delaiah, H1806 the children H1121 of Tobiah, H2900 the children H1121 of Nekoda, H5353 six H8337 hundred H3967 forty H705 and two. H8147 And of the priests: H3548 the children H1121 of Habaiah, H2252 the children H1121 of Koz, H6976 the children H1121 of Barzillai, H1271 which took H3947 one of the daughters H1323 of Barzillai H1271 the Gileadite H1569 to wife, H802 and was called H7121 after their name. H8034 These sought H1245 their register H3791 among those that were reckoned by genealogy, H3187 but it was not found: H4672 therefore were they, as polluted, H1351 put from the priesthood. H3550 And the Tirshatha H8660 said H559 unto them, that they should not eat H398 of the most H6944 holy things, H6944 till there stood H5975 up a priest H3548 with Urim H224 and Thummim. H8550 The whole congregation H6951 together H259 was forty H702 H7239 and two thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 and threescore, H8346 Beside their manservants H5650 and their maidservants, H519 of whom there were seven H7651 thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven: H7651 and they had two hundred H3967 forty H705 and five H2568 singing men H7891 and singing women. H7891 Their horses, H5483 seven H7651 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and six: H8337 their mules, H6505 two hundred H3967 forty H705 and five: H2568 Their camels, H1581 four H702 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and five: H2568 six H8337 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and twenty H6242 asses. H2543 And some of H7117 the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 gave H5414 unto the work. H4399 The Tirshatha H8660 gave H5414 to the treasure H214 a thousand H505 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 fifty H2572 basons, H4219 five H2568 hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 priests' H3548 garments. H3801 And some of the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 gave H5414 to the treasure H214 of the work H4399 twenty H8147 thousand H7239 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 and two thousand H505 and two hundred H3967 pound H4488 of silver. H3701 And that which the rest H7611 of the people H5971 gave H5414 was twenty H8147 thousand H7239 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 and two thousand H505 pound H4488 of silver, H3701 and threescore H8346 and seven H7651 priests' H3548 garments. H3801 So the priests, H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and the porters, H7778 and the singers, H7891 and some of the people, H5971 and the Nethinims, H5411 and all Israel, H3478 dwelt H3427 in their cities; H5892 and when the seventh H7637 month H2320 came, H5060 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were in their cities. H5892
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 10
Commentary on Nehemiah 10 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
(10:2)
A covenant made (vv. 1-32), and an engagement entered into, to furnish what was needed for the maintenance of the temple, its services, and ministers (Nehemiah 10:33-39). - Vv. 1-28. For the purpose of giving a lasting influence to this day of prayer and fasting, the assembled people, after the confession of sin (given in Neh 9), entered into a written agreement, by which they bound themselves by an oath to separate from the heathen, and to keep the commandments and ordinances of God, - a document being prepared for this purpose, and sealed by the heads of their different houses.
And because of all this we make and write a sure covenant; and our princes, Levites, and priests sign the sealed (document). בּכל־זאת does not mean post omne hoc , after all that we have done this day (Schmid, Bertheau, and others); still less, in omni hoc malo, quod nobis obtigerat (Rashi, Aben Ezra), but upon all this, i.e., upon the foundation of the preceding act of prayer and penitence, we made אמנה , i.e., a settlement, a sure agreement (the word recurs Nehemiah 11:23); hence כּרת is used as with בּרית , Nehemiah 9:8. אמנה may again be taken as the object of כּתבים , we write it; החתוּם ועל be understood as “our princes sealed.” החתוּם is the sealed document; comp. Jeremiah 22:11, Jeremiah 22:14. החתוּם על means literally, Upon the sealed document were our princes, etc.; that is, our princes sealed or signed it. Signing was effected by making an impression with a seal bearing a name; hence originated the idiom החתוּם על אשׁר , “he who was upon the sealed document,” meaning he who had signed the document by sealing it. By this derived signification is the plural חחתוּמים על (Nehemiah 10:2), “they who were upon the document,” explained: they who had signed or sealed the document.
(10:3-10)
At the head of the signatures stood Nehemiah the Tirshatha, as governor of the country, and Zidkijah, a high official, of whom nothing further is known, perhaps (after the analogy of Ezra 4:9, Ezra 4:17) secretary to the governor. Then follow (in vv. 3-9) twenty-one names, with the addition: these, the priests. Of these twenty-one names, fifteen occur in Nehemiah 12:2-7 as chiefs of the priests who came up with Joshua and Zerubbabel from Babylon, and in Nehemiah 12:11-20 as heads of priestly houses. Hence it is obvious that all the twenty-one names are those of heads of priestly classes, who signed the agreement in the names of the houses and families of their respective classes. Seraiah is probably the prince of the house of God dwelling at Jerusalem, mentioned Nehemiah 11:11, who signed in place of the high priest. For further remarks on the orders of priests and their heads, see Nehemiah 12:1.
(10:11-15)
The Levites who sealed were: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, and their brethren, fourteen names. Sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel returned, together with seventy-four other Levites, with Zerubbabel and Jeshua; Ezra 2:4; Nehemiah 7:42. Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, and Sherebiah are also named in Nehemiah 12:8 as heads of orders of Levites. Of the rest nothing further is known, but we may regard them as heads of Levitical houses.
(10:16-29)
The heads of the people. Forty-four names, thirteen of which are found in the list (Ezra 2) of the kindreds who returned with Zerubbabel; see Ezra 2. The rest are names either of the heads of the different houses into which these kindreds were divided, or of the elders of the smaller towns of Benjamin and Judah. The fact that, while only thirty-three kindreds and placed are enumerated in Ezra 2, forty-four occur here, - although names of kindreds mentioned in Ezra 2, e.g., Shephatiah, Arah, Zaccai, etc., are wanting here, - is to be explained partly by the circumstance that these kindreds included several houses whose different heads all subscribed, and partly by fresh accessions during the course of years to the number of houses.
(10:30-33)
All the members of the community acceded to the agreement thus signed by the princes of the people, and the heads of the priests and Levites, and bound themselves by an oath to walk in the law of the Lord, and to separate themselves from the heathen.
Nehemiah 10:29
And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the door-keepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all who had knowledge and understanding, held with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into an oath and curse, etc. מצזיקים is the predicate of the subjects in Nehemiah 10:29 : they were holding with their brethren, i.e., uniting with them in this matter. “The rest of the people, the priests,” etc., are the members of the community, exclusive of the princes and heads of the priestly and Levitical orders. The Nethinim, to whom belonged the servants of Solomon (see rem. on Ezra 2:43.), were probably also represented in the assembly by the heads of the Levites. To these are added all who had separated themselves, etc., i.e., the descendants of those Israelites who had been left in the land, and who now joined the new community; see rem. on Ezra 6:21. The connection of נבדּל with אל־תּורת is significant: separated from the heathen to the law of God, i.e., to live according thereto; comp. Ezra 6:21. Not, however, the men only, but also women and children of riper years, acceded to the covenant. כּל־יודע מבין , every one knowing, understanding ( מבין and יודע being connected as an asyndeton, to strengthen the meaning), refers to sons and daughters of an age sufficient to enable them to understand the matter. אדּרריהם , their nobles, is connected in the form of an apposition with אחיהם , instead of the adjective האדּירים . The princes and the heads of the community and priesthood are intended. באלה בּוא , to enter into an oath, comp. Ezekiel 17:13. אלה is an oath of self-imprecation, grievous punishments being imprecated in case of transgression; שׁבוּעה , a promissory oath to live conformably with the law. We hence perceive the tenor of the agreement entered into and sealed by the princes. Non subscripsit quidem populus , remarks Clericus, sed ratum habuit, quid-quid nomine totius populi a proceribus factum erat, juravitque id a se observatum iri . Besides the general obligation to observe all the commandments, judgments, and statutes of God, two points, then frequently transgressed, are specially mentioned in Nehemiah 10:31 and Nehemiah 10:23. In Nehemiah 10:31 : that we would not give our daughters to the people of the lands, etc.; see rem. on Ezra 9:2. In Nehemiah 10:32 : that if the people of the land brought wares or any victuals on the Sabbath-day to sell, we would not buy if of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and would let the seventh year lie, and the loan of every hand. The words וגו הארץ עמּי are prefixed absolutely, and are afterwards subordinated to the predicate of the sentence by מהם . מקּחות , wares for sale, from לקח , to take, in the sense of to buy, occurs only here. מהם נקּח , to take from them, i.e., to buy. קדשׁ יום beside שׁבּת means the other holy days, the annual festivals, on which, according to the law, Num 28 and 29, no work was to be done. To the sanctification of the Sabbath pertained the celebration of the sabbatical year, which is therefore named immediately afterwards. The words השׁ את־השּׁנה נטשׁ , to let the seventh year lie, i.e., in the seventh year to let the land lie untilled and unsown, is an abbreviation taken from the language of the law, Exodus 28:10. כל־יד משּׁא also depends upon נטּשׁ . This expression ( משּׁא , not משּׂא , being the reading of the best editions) is to be explained from Deuteronomy 15:2, and means the loan, that which the hand has lent to another; see rem. on Deuteronomy 15:2.
(10:34-40)
Agreement to provide for the expenses of the temple and its ministers. - If the community seriously intended to walk by the rule of God's law, they must take care that the temple service, as the public worship of the community, should be provided for according to the law and a firm footing and due solemnity thus given to religion. For this purpose, it was indispensable to guarantee the contributions prescribed for the necessary expenses of the temple worship, and the support of its ministers. Hence this entering into a solemn agreement to observe the law was regarded as a suitable occasion for regulating the services prescribed by the law with respect to the temple and its ministers, and mutually binding themselves to their observance.
Nehemiah 10:33-34
We ordained for ourselves ( עלינוּ , upon us, inasmuch as such things are spoken of as are taken upon one). עלינוּ לתת , to lay upon ourselves the third part of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God. It is not said who were to be bound to furnish this contribution, but it is assumed that it was a well-known custom. This appointed payment is evidently only a revival of the Mosaic precept, Exodus 30:13, that every man of twenty years of age and upwards should give half a shekel as a תּרוּמה to the Lord, - a tribute which was still paid in Christ's days, Matthew 17:24. In consideration, however, of the poverty of the greater portion of the community, it was now lowered to a third of a shekel. The view of Aben Ezra, that a third of a shekel was to be paid in addition to the half shekel levied in conformity with the law, is unsupported by the text. העבודה , the service of the house of God, is not the building and repairs of the temple, but the regular worship. For, according to Nehemiah 10:34, the tax was to be applied to defraying the expenses of worship, to supplying the shew-bread, the continual meat and burnt offerings (Numbers 28:3-8), the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, new moons ( Numbers 28:9-15), and festivals (Numbers 28:16-29, 38), - for the קדשׁים , holy gifts, by which, from their position between the burnt-offering and the sin-offering, we may understand the thank-offerings, which were offered in the name of the congregation, as e.g., the two lambs at Pentecost, Leviticus 23:19, and the offerings brought at feasts of dedication, comp. Exodus 24:5; Ezra 6:17, - for the sin-offerings which were sacrificed at every great festival; and finally for all the work of the house of our God, i.e., whatever else was needful for worship ( ל must be supplied from the context before כּל־מלאכת ). The establishment of such a tax for the expenses of worship, does not justify the view that the contributions promised by Artaxerxes in his edict, Ezra 7:20., of things necessary to worship had ceased, and that the congregation had now to defray the expenses from their own resources. For it may readily be supposed, that besides the assistance afforded by the king, the congregation might also esteem it needful to furnish a contribution, to meet the increased requirements of worship, and thus to augment the revenues of the temple, - the royal alms being limited to a certain amount (see Ezra 7:22).
Nehemiah 10:35
“And we cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after our houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law.” In the law we merely find it prescribed that wood should be constantly burning on the altar, and that the priest should burn wood on it every morning, and burn thereon the burnt-offering (Leviticus 6:12.). The law gave no directions concerning the procuring of the wood; yet the rulers of the people must, at all events, have always provided for the regular delivery of the necessary quantity. Nehemiah now gives orders, as he himself tells us, Nehemiah 13:31, which make this matter the business of the congregation, and the several houses have successively to furnish a contribution, in the order decided by casting lots. The words, “at times appointed, year by year,” justify the conclusion that the order was settled for several years, and not that all the different houses contributed in each year.
(Note: Josephus ( bello Jud . ii. 17. 6) speaks of a τῶν ξυλοφορίων ἑορτή , which he places on the fourteenth day of the month Λῶος , i.e., Ab, the fifth month of the Jewish year. From this Bertheau infers that the plural מזמּנים עתּים , here and Nehemiah 13:31, denotes the one season or day of delivery in each year. But though the name of this festival is derived from the present verse, the lxx translating העצים קרבּן העצי על , πιρὶ κλήρον ξυλοφορίας , it appears even from what Josephus says of this feast, ἐν ᾗ πᾶσιν ἕθος ὕλην τῷ βωμῷ προσφέρειν , that the feast of wood-carrying does not designate that one day of the year on which the wood was delivered for the service of the altar. According to Mishna Taanit, ch. 4 (in Lightfoot's horae hebraicae in Matth . i. 1), nine days in the year were appointed for the delivery of wood, viz., 1st Nisan, 20th Tammuz, 5th, 7th, and 10th Ab, etc. Further particulars are given in Lundius, jüd. Heiligtümer , p. 1067f. The feast of wood-carrying may be compared with our harvest festival; and Bertheau's inference is not more conclusive than would be the inference that our harvest festival denotes the one day in the year on which the harvest is gathered in.)
Nehemiah 10:36-38
It was also arranged to contribute the first-fruits prescribed in the law. The infinitive להביא depends on העמדנוּ , and is co-ordinate with לתת , Nehemiah 10:33. The first-fruits of the ground, comp. Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 26:2; the first-fruits of all fruit trees, comp. Numbers 18:13; Leviticus 19:23; the first-born of our sons who were redeemed according to the estimation of the priest, Numbers 18:16, and of our cattle (i.e., in the case of the unclean, the required redemption, Exodus 13:12., Numbers 18:15), and the firstlings of the herds and of the flocks, the fat of which was consumed on the altar, the flesh becoming the share of the priests, Numbers 18:17. In Nehemiah 10:38 the construction is altered, the first person of the imperfect taking the place of the infinitive: and we will bring the first-fruits. ערסות , probably groats or ground flour; see rem. on Numbers 15:20, etc. תרוּמות , heave-offerings, the offering in this connection, is probably that of wheat and barley, Ezekiel 45:13, or of the fruits of the field, which are suitably followed by the “fruit of all manner of trees.” On “the first of the wine and oil,” comp. Numbers 18:12. These offerings of first-fruits were to be brought into the chambers of the house of God, where they were to be kept in store, and distributed to the priests for their support. “And the tithes of our ground (will we bring) to the Levites; and they, the Levites, receive the tithes in all our country towns. (Nehemiah 10:39) And a priest, a son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes; and the Levites shall bring the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, into the chambers of the treasury.” The parenthetical sentences in these verses, המעשׂרים הלויּם והם and הלויּם בּעשׂר , have been variously understood. עשׂר in the Piel and Hiphil meaning elsewhere to pay tithe, comp. Deuteronomy 14:22; Deuteronomy 26:12; Genesis 28:22, many expositors adhere to this meaning in these passages also, and translate Nehemiah 10:38 : for they, the Levites, must give again the tenth (to the priests); and Nehemiah 10:39 : when the Levites give the tenth; while the lxx, Vulgate, Syriac, Rashi, Aben Ezra, Clericus, Bertheau, and others, take עשּׂר and העשׂיר in these sentences as signifying to collect tithe. We prefer the latter view, as giving a more suitable sense. For the remark that the Levites must give back the tenth (Nehemiah 10:38) does not present so appropriate a motive for the demand that the tithes should be paid, as that the tithes are due to the Levites. Still less does the addition, in our agricultural towns, suit the sentence: the Levites must give back the tithe to the priests. Again, the fact that it is not said till Nehemiah 10:39 that the Levites have to give the tenth of the tenth to the priests, speaks still more against this view. A priest is to be present when the Levites take the tenth, so that the share of the priests may not be lessened. On “the tenth of the tenth,” comp. Numbers 18:26. Hezekiah had provided store-chambers in the temple, in which to deposit the tithes, 2 Chronicles 31:11.
Nehemiah 10:39
Nehemiah 10:39 is confirmatory of the preceding clause: the Levites were to bring the tithe of the tithes for the priests into the chambers of the temple; for thither are both the children of Israel and the Levites, to bring all heave-offerings of corn, new wine, and oil: for there are the holy vessels for the service of the altar (comp. Numbers 4:15), and the priests that minister, and the doorkeepers and the singers, for whose maintenance these gifts provide. “And we will not forsake the house of our God,” i.e., we will take care that the service of God's house shall be provided for; comp. Nehemiah 13:11-14.