1Upon reading the law Israel is separated from the mixed multitude. 4Eliashib having in Nehemiah's absence prepared a chamber in the temple for Tobiah, Nehemiah on his return is offended, and causeth the chambers to be cleansed. 10He reformeth certain abuses concerning tithes, 15the violation of the sabbath, 23and the marriages with foreign wives.
1ON1 that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was founda written, that the 2Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the 3congregation of God for ever;
1 Some understand this to have been done after Nehemiah was come back the second time from king Artaxerxes to Jerusalem. See verses 4 and 6.
a Deut. 23:3, 4, 5.
2 Or, Ammonites and Moabites. Hebr. Ammonite and Moabite.
3 See Deut. 23 on verse 1.
2Because they met not the children of Israel with 4bread and with water, butb hired Balaam against 5them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
4 That is, with meat and drink.
b Num. 22:5; Joshua 24:9.
5 Understand Israel, that is, the people of Israel.
3Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all 6the mixed multitude.
6 That is, all those who were of foreign, idolatrous, pagan nations, and not of Israel. Compare Neh. 9:2.
4¶And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the 7chamber of the house of our God, was 8allied unto Tobiah:
7 That is, chambers. See verse 9; Ezra 8:29.
8 That is, he joined himself unto him by friendship, or made affinity with him, nevertheless he was a bitter enemy to the people of God. See Neh. 6:1, 14, 17, 19, and compare below verse 28.
5And he had prepared for 9him a 10great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, 11which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the 12offerings of the priests.
9 Tobiah.
10 Breaking down the walls of certain chambers, he had made of them a great spacious chamber for Tobiah, to put in his household stuff. See verse 8.
11 Hebr. the command or commandment of the Levites, etc., that is, concerning which God had commanded that they would be given to the Levites, etc.; or, the commanded or ordained portion of the Levites, etc. See Num. 18:24.
12 That is, that which they were to give unto the priests, namely, the tithes of the tithes of the Levites, etc. See Num. 18:8, 26.
6But in 13all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the 14two and thirtieth year of 15Artaxerxes king of 16Babylon came I unto the king, and 17after certain days 18obtained I leave of the king:
13 Nehemiah wants to say, that in a short space of time, while he was absent, all fell to decay again.
14 When I had been twelve years at Jerusalem with the king’s consent.
15 See Ezra 6 on verse 14.
16 Which was now under the Persian monarchy.
17 That is, after a while, or (as others) after a full year was expired, which is sometimes understood by days.
18 Or, leave was obtained for me. The Hebrew word properly signifies: I was required, summoned or sent for. It may be that Nehemiah, fearing himself to ask leave again, caused the same to be asked by others, and that thereupon the king sent for him, and gave him leave. Without a doubt some godly Jews did let Nehemiah know of the decayed state of God’s people and earnestly required his coming unto them, etc.
7And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the 19courts of the house of God.
19 As Neh. 8:17.
8And it 20grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth 21all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
20 Hebr. it was very evil unto me; that is, (as the Scripture elsewhere speaks) it was very evil in mine eyes, that is, it vexed or grieved me sore.
21 Hebr. all the vessels or all the furniture of the house of Tobiah.
9Then I 22commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
22 Hebr. I said; see 2 Chron. 29:24, 27; Job 9:7; Esther 9:25, and compare Gen. 1:3; Jonah 2:10, with the annotations. Or, I said that they should cleanse the chambers. Also verse 19.
10¶And I perceived that the 23portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the 24work, were fled every one to his field.
23 That is, the maintenance, which they were bound to give and allow them according to the law of God; and whereunto the people had engaged themselves by solemn oath, Neh. 10:37.
24 Namely, of the Lord, that is, the usual service of God.
11Then 25contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I 26gathered them together, and set them 27in their place.
25 That is, I reproved them, scolded them sharply; also verses 17, 25.
26 From the places whither they were fled and scattered.
27 To observe again or wait upon the worship of God, as they had done formerly.
12Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the 28treasuries.
28 That is, storehouses. See verse 5.
13And I made treasurers 29over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and 30next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted 31faithful, and 32their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
29 As Neh. 12:44; 1 Chron. 26:20, etc.; 2 Chron. 31:12, etc.
30 That is, for their service or help.
31 Compare Neh. 7:2.
32 Hebr. it was upon them; that is, it was their duty, their charge.
1433Remember me, O my God, 34concerning this, and wipe not out my 35good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the 36offices thereof.
33 Compare Gen. 8 on verse 1; Heb. 6:10. Below verses 21, 31, and see Neh. 5 on verse 19.
34 Or, in this.
35 As 2 Chron. 32 on verse 32; 2 Chron. 35 on verse 26.
36 Taking care that the service of God in the temple might be well observed and performed by every one, according to his office. See Num. 3 on verse 7.
15¶In those days saw I in Judah some 37treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and 38all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I 39testified 40against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
37 Wine and oil presses.
38 That is, all kinds of burden.
39 Professing before the Lord, that I would suffer it no longer.
40 As verse 21.
16There dwelt 41men of Tyre also 42therein, which brought fish, and 43all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
41 Who were born in the famous city of Tyre. See Joshua 19 on verse 29.
42 Inside Jerusalem.
43 That is, all kinds of.
17Then I contended with the 44nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profanec the sabbath day?
44 Hebr. white ones. See Neh. 2 on verse 16.
c Exod. 20:8; Lev. 19:30.
18Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this 45evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye 46bring more 47wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
45 All these plagues and punishments.
46 Hebr. add fierce wrath.
47 Of the Lord.
19And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be 48dark before the sabbath, I 49commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
48 Or, were overshadowed; that is, towards the evening, when the sun began to set.
49 Hebr. said; as verse 9.
20So the merchants and sellers of 50all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
50 Or, all wares. That is, all kind of.
21Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
22And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the 51gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the 52greatness of thy 53mercy.
51 Understand of the temple, observing all that was requisite for the sanctification of the Sabbath, without doing anything else on the Sabbath, and in particular, looking and taking care that no unclean persons might come into the temple. See Num. 3:7; 2 Chron. 23:19.
52 Or, multitude.
53 Or, lovingkindness.
23¶In those days also saw I Jews that had 54married wives of 55Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
54 That is, had permitted those foreign wives to live with them (see Ezra 10 on verse 2), notwithstanding the reformation lately made by Ezra, Ezra 9 and 10, and their own vow (Neh. 10:30) sealed and confirmed with an oath. Also verse 27.
55 That is, pagan wives of all kind of foreign nations. Ashdod was a city and region of the Philistines. See 1 Sam. 5:1, 2, etc.
24And their children spake 56half in the speech of Ashdod, and 57could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of 58each people.
56 Other, half of their children, or, a part, etc.
57 Hebr. they discerned not or distinguished not.
58 Hebr. of people and people; that is, of the one and the other people, every one as he had learned of his mother, having thus a degenerated language with a degenerated religion.
25And I contended with them, and 59cursed them, and 60smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, 61Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.62
59 Out of zeal unto justice, declaring, that, as perjured covenant breakers, they had brought a curse upon themselves, and had deserved to be banned or cut off from the people of God.
60 For a public punishment and disgrace. Compare Deut. 25:2; 2 Sam. 10:4.
61 This oath, which he pronounces before them, they were to take it upon themselves, that, being by this means stirred up, they might not hereafter fall into the same abomination again.
62 An abrupt kind of speech, which was frequently used in swearing an oath, wherein must be understood, then thou shalt be cursed, or, then let God punish thee. See Gen. 14 on verse 23.
26Didd not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yete among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandishf women cause to sin.
d 1 Kings 11:4.
e 1 Kings 3:13; 2 Chron. 1:12.
f foreign
2763Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in 64marrying strange wives?
63 That is, should we then suffer you to commit the like, who are much more subject to be seduced, than that great and wise king Solomon was, who was beloved of God?
64 See on verse 23.
28And 65one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to 66Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
65Josephus writes that this was Manasseh, the brother of the high priest Jaddua or Jaddus, of whom see Neh. 12 on verse 11.
66 See Neh. 2 on verse 10; 4:1; 6:1, etc.
2967Remember them, O my God, because they have 68defiled the priesthood, and the 69covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
67 As Neh. 6:14.
68 Committing such vile abominations as are mentioned above.
69 Understand the special and stricter covenant which God had made with Aaron and his seed, together with the Levites concerning their holy functions.
30Thus cleansed I them from 70all strangers, and appointed the 71wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
70 Hebr. every stranger; in the singular number. Understand the pagan wives, children, with the adhering pollution of paganism.
71 As verse 14.
31And for the wood 72offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. 73Remember me, O my God, for good.
72 See Neh. 10:34.
73 Compare verses 14, 22; Neh. 5 on verse 19.