36 Also the firstborn H1060 of our sons, H1121 and of our cattle, H929 as it is written H3789 in the law, H8451 and the firstlings H1062 of our herds H1241 and of our flocks, H6629 to bring H935 to the house H1004 of our God, H430 unto the priests H3548 that minister H8334 in the house H1004 of our God: H430
Only the firstling H1060 of the beasts, H929 which should be the LORD'S H3068 firstling, H1069 no man H376 shall sanctify H6942 it; whether it be ox, H7794 or sheep: H7716 it is the LORD'S. H3068 And if it be of an unclean H2931 beast, H929 then he shall redeem H6299 it according to thine estimation, H6187 and shall add H3254 a fifth H2549 part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, H1350 then it shall be sold H4376 according to thy estimation. H6187
That thou shalt set apart H5674 unto the LORD H3068 all that openeth H6363 the matrix, H7358 and every firstling H6363 that cometh H7698 of a beast H929 which thou hast; the males H2145 shall be the LORD'S. H3068 And every firstling H6363 of an ass H2543 thou shalt redeem H6299 with a lamb; H7716 and if thou wilt not redeem H6299 it, then thou shalt break his neck: H6202 and all the firstborn H1060 of man H120 among thy children H1121 shalt thou redeem. H6299 And it shall be when thy son H1121 asketh H7592 thee in time to come, H4279 saying, H559 What is this? that thou shalt say H559 unto him, By strength H2392 of hand H3027 the LORD H3068 brought us out H3318 from Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage: H5650 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh H6547 would hardly H7185 let us go, H7971 that the LORD H3068 slew H2026 all the firstborn H1060 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 both the firstborn H1060 of man, H120 and the firstborn H1060 of beast: H929 therefore I sacrifice H2076 to the LORD H3068 all that openeth H6363 the matrix, H7358 being males; H2145 but all the firstborn H1060 of my children H1121 I redeem. H6299
This shall be thine of the most H6944 holy things, H6944 reserved from the fire: H784 every oblation H7133 of theirs, every meat offering H4503 of theirs, and every sin offering H2403 of theirs, and every trespass offering H817 of theirs, which they shall render H7725 unto me, shall be most H6944 holy H6944 for thee and for thy sons. H1121 In the most H6944 holy H6944 place shalt thou eat H398 it; every male H2145 shall eat H398 it: it shall be holy H6944 unto thee. And this is thine; the heave offering H8641 of their gift, H4976 with all the wave offerings H8573 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 I have given H5414 them unto thee, and to thy sons H1121 and to thy daughters H1323 with thee, by a statute H2706 for ever: H5769 every one that is clean H2889 in thy house H1004 shall eat H398 of it. All the best H2459 of the oil, H3323 and all the best H2459 of the wine, H8492 and of the wheat, H1715 the firstfruits H7225 of them which they shall offer H5414 unto the LORD, H3068 them have I given H5414 thee. And whatsoever is first ripe H1061 in the land, H776 which they shall bring H935 unto the LORD, H3068 shall be thine; every one that is clean H2889 in thine house H1004 shall eat H398 of it. Every thing devoted H2764 in Israel H3478 shall be thine. Every thing that openeth H6363 the matrix H7358 in all flesh, H1320 which they bring H7126 unto the LORD, H3068 whether it be of men H120 or beasts, H929 shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn H1060 of man H120 shalt thou surely H6299 redeem, H6299 and the firstling H1060 of unclean H2931 beasts H929 shalt thou redeem. H6299 And those that are to be redeemed H6299 from a month H2320 old H1121 shalt thou redeem, H6299 according to thine estimation, H6187 for the money H3701 of five H2568 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 which is twenty H6242 gerahs. H1626 But the firstling H1060 of a cow, H7794 or the firstling H1060 of a sheep, H3775 or the firstling H1060 of a goat, H5795 thou shalt not redeem; H6299 they are holy: H6944 thou shalt sprinkle H2236 their blood H1818 upon the altar, H4196 and shalt burn H6999 their fat H2459 for an offering made by fire, H801 for a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068 And the flesh H1320 of them shall be thine, as the wave H8573 breast H2373 and as the right H3225 shoulder H7785 are thine. All the heave offerings H8641 of the holy things, H6944 which the children H1121 of Israel H3478 offer H7311 unto the LORD, H3068 have I given H5414 thee, and thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 with thee, by a statute H2706 for ever: H5769 it is a covenant H1285 of salt H4417 for ever H5769 before H6440 the LORD H3068 unto thee and to thy seed H2233 with thee.
Or G2228 I G1473 only G3441 and G2532 Barnabas, G921 have G2192 not G3756 we G2192 power G1849 to forbear G3361 working? G2038 Who G5101 goeth a warfare G4754 any time at G4218 his own G2398 charges? G3800 who G5101 planteth G5452 a vineyard, G290 and G2532 eateth G2068 not G3756 of G1537 the fruit G2590 thereof? G846 or G2228 who G5101 feedeth G4165 a flock, G4167 and G2532 eateth G2068 not G3756 of G1537 the milk G1051 of the flock? G4167 Say I G2980 these things G5023 as G3361 G2596 a man? G444 or G2228 saith G3004 not G3780 the law G3551 the same G5023 also? G2532 For G1063 it is written G1125 in G1722 the law G3551 of Moses, G3475 Thou shalt G5392 not G3756 muzzle G5392 the mouth of the ox G1016 that treadeth out the corn. G248 G3361 Doth G3199 God G2316 take care G3199 for oxen? G1016 Or G2228 saith he G3004 it altogether G3843 for G1223 our G2248 sakes? G1223 For G1223 our G2248 sakes, G1223 no doubt, G1063 this is written: G1125 that G3754 he that ploweth G722 should G3784 plow G722 in G1909 hope; G1680 and G2532 that he that thresheth G248 in hope G1680 should be partaker G3348 of G1909 his G846 hope. G1680 If G1487 we G2249 have sown G4687 unto you G5213 spiritual things, G4152 is it a great thing G3173 if G1487 we G2249 shall reap G2325 your G5216 carnal things? G4559 If G1487 others G243 be partakers G3348 of this power G1849 over you, G5216 are not G3756 we G2249 rather? G3123 Nevertheless G235 we have G5530 not G3756 used G5530 this G5026 power; G1849 but G235 suffer G4722 all things, G3956 lest G3363 we should G1325 G5100 hinder G1464 the gospel G2098 of Christ. G5547 Do ye G1492 not G3756 know G1492 that G3754 they which minister G2038 about holy things G2413 live G2068 of the things of G1537 the temple? G2411 and they which wait G4332 at the altar G2379 are partakers G4829 with the altar? G2379 Even G2532 so G3779 hath G1299 the Lord G2962 ordained G1299 that they which preach G2605 the gospel G2098 should live G2198 of G1537 the gospel. G2098
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 10
Commentary on Nehemiah 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ne 10:1-27. The Names of Those Who Sealed the Covenant.
1. Nehemiah, the Tirshatha—His name was placed first in the roll on account of his high official rank, as deputy of the Persian monarch. All classes were included in the subscription; but the people were represented by their elders (Ne 10:14), as it would have been impossible for every one in the country to have been admitted to the sealing.
Ne 10:28. The Rest of the People Bound Themselves to Observe It.
Those who were not present at the sealing ratified the covenant by giving their assent, either in words or by lifting up their hands, and bound themselves, by a solemn oath, to walk in God's law, imprecating a curse upon themselves in the event of their violating it.
Ne 10:29-39. Points of the Covenant.
29-37. to observe and do all the commandments, &c.—This national covenant, besides containing a solemn pledge of obedience to the divine law generally, specified their engagement to some particular duties, which the character and exigency of the times stamped with great urgency and importance, and which may be summed up under the following heads: that they abstain from contracting matrimonial alliances with the heathen; that they would rigidly observe the sabbath; that they would let the land enjoy rest and remit debts every seventh year; that they would contribute to the maintenance of the temple service, the necessary expenses of which had formerly been defrayed out of the treasury of the temple (1Ch 26:20), and when it was drained, given out from the king's privy purse (2Ch 31:3); and that they would make an orderly payment of the priests' dues. A minute and particular enumeration of the first-fruits was made, that all might be made fully aware of their obligations, and that none might excuse themselves on pretext of ignorance from withholding taxes which the poverty of many, and the irreligion of others, had made them exceedingly prone to evade.
32. the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God—The law required every individual above twenty years of age to pay half a shekel to the sanctuary. But in consequence of the general poverty of the people, occasioned by war and captivity, this tribute was reduced to a third part of a shekel.
34. we cast the lots … for the wood offering—The carrying of the wood had formerly been the work of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty was assigned as stated in the text. The practice afterwards rose into great importance, and Josephus speaks [The Wars of the Jews, 2.17, sect. 6] of the Xylophoria, or certain stated and solemn times at which the people brought up wood to the temple.
38. the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes—This was a prudential arrangement. The presence of a dignified priest would ensure the peaceful delivery of the tithes; at least his superintendence and influence would tend to prevent the commission of any wrong in the transaction, by the people deceiving the Levites, or the Levites defrauding the priests.
the tithe of the tithes—The Levites, having received a tenth of all land produce, were required to give a tenth of this to the priests. The Levites were charged with the additional obligation to carry the tithes when received, and deposit them in the temple stores, for the use of the priests.
39. and we will not forsake the house of our God—This solemn pledge was repeated at the close of the covenant as an expression of the intense zeal by which the people at this time were animated for the glory and the worship of God. Under the pungent feelings of sorrow and repentance for their national sins, of which apostasy from the service of the true God was the chief, and under the yet fresh and painful remembrance of their protracted captivity, they vowed, and (feeling the impulse of ardent devotion as well as of gratitude for their restoration) flattered themselves they would never forget their vow, to be the Lord's.