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Nehemiah
Chapter Thirteen
New King James Version
(NKJV)
Nehemiah 13:1.
On
that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in
it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the
assembly of God,
YLT 1On that day there was read
in the book of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it hath been found written
in it that an Ammonite and Moabite doth not come into the assembly of God --
unto the age,
On that day,....
Not when the wall of the
city was dedicated, nor quickly after; for it cannot be thought that people
should be so corrupted so soon as this chapter shows; but when Nehemiah had
governed them twelve years, and had been at Babylon, and was returned again, as
appears from Nehemiah 13:6,
compared with Nehemiah 2:1,
they read in the
book of Moses in the audience of the people;
for from the time of the
reading of the law by Ezra, Nehemiah 8:1 it
became a custom to read the law publicly:
and therein was
found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the
congregation of the Lord;
that is, be admitted to
marry with any of the people of Israel; See Gill on Deuteronomy 23:3.
Nehemiah 13:2. 2 because
they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam
against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.
YLT 2because they have not come
before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them
Balaam to revile them, and our God turneth the reviling into a blessing.
Nehemiah 13:3. 3 So
it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed
multitude from Israel.
YLT 3And it cometh to pass, at
their hearing the law, that they separate all the mixed people from Israel.
Now it came to
pass, when they had heard the law,....
Or the law concerning the
Ammonite and the Moabite, and which included other nations also, and forbad
marriage with them:
that they
separated from Israel all the mixed multitude;
all of these, and other
nations, they had contracted affinity with.
Nehemiah 13:4.
4 Now before this, Eliashib
the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was
allied with Tobiah.
YLT 4And before this Eliashib
the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, [is] a relation of
Tobiah,
And before this,....
Before the above law was
read, and observed and acted upon:
Eliashib the
priest;
whom some take to be a
common priest; so Bishop UsherF1Annal. Vet. Test. p. 200. ; but he
seems rather to be the high priest, by comparing it with Nehemiah 13:28,
having the
oversight of the chamber of the house of our God;
which has led some to the
notion of his being a common priest; but chamber may be put for chambers, and
those for the whole house or temple, which the high priest had the greatest
concern in, and oversight of:
was allied to
Tobiah;
the servant and Ammonite,
an inveterate enemy of the Jews, Nehemiah 2:10,
having married a daughter of Shecaniah, and his son a daughter of Meshullam,
who were both priests, and so as it seems related to Eliashib, Nehemiah 6:18.
Nehemiah 13:5.
5 And he had prepared for
him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the
frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which
were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers,
and the offerings for the priests.
YLT 5and he maketh for him a
great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the
frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine, and the
oil -- the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers
-- and the heave-offering of the priests.
And he had
prepared for him a great chamber,....
In the temple, by throwing
together several chambers, as Piscator observes:
where aforetime
they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes
of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the
Levites, and to the singers, and the porters, and the offerings of the priests;
see Nehemiah 10:37.
Nehemiah 13:6.
6 But during all this I was
not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I
had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the
king,
YLT 6And during all this I was
not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes king of
Babylon did I come unto the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the
king,
But in all this
time was not I at Jerusalem,....
Nehemiah, who was absent
all the while these things were done by Eliashib, or otherwise they would not
have been suffered:
for in the
thirty second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, came I unto the king from
Jerusalem;
after he had governed
there twelve years, to whom he came to give an account of affairs there; this
was not Xerxes, as someF2Apud Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 8.
2. have thought, for he reigned but twenty one years; but Darius Hystaspis, who
reigned thirty six years, according to Ptolemy's canon, and with which
HerodotusF3Polymnia, sive, l. 7. c. 1. agrees; he is called king of
Babylon, because that, with the whole empire, was in the hands of the king of
Persia, as it had been from the times of Cyrus:
and after
certain days obtained I leave of the king;
to return to Jerusalem
again; not after five years, as Dr. PrideauxF4Connect. par. 1. p.
397. thinks; for it is not likely that Nehemiah would stay so long ere he asked
leave of the king to return to Jerusalem, which was so much his care, and on
whose prosperity his heart was so much set; rather at most it was but a full
year he stayed ere he got leave to return, as Vatablus and Piscator interpret
it; in which sense the phrase of certain days is used in Leviticus 25:29,
and in other places quoted by the last mentioned interpreter.
Nehemiah 13:7.
7 and I came to Jerusalem
and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room
for him in the courts of the house of God.
YLT 7and I come in to Jerusalem,
and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib hath done for Tobiah, to make
to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,
And I came to
Jerusalem,....
Through the king's leave,
and with a commission from him:
and understood
of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah;
was informed of the
mal-administration of his office:
in preparing
him a chamber in the courts of the house of God;
whereby it was profaned
and polluted.
Nehemiah 13:8.
8 And it grieved me
bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.
YLT 8and it is very displeasing
to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah without, out of the
chamber,
And it grieved
me sore,....
That such a sacred place
should be converted to common use, and to that of an Heathen, and of an enemy
to the Jews and their religion:
therefore I
cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber;
as being chief magistrate,
and acting by commission under the king of Persia, and to regulate everything
amiss, according to the Jewish laws, as well as those of the king, his power
being, no doubt, as large as Ezra's, Ezra 7:25, by
"household stuff" is meant what is movable in the house, as chairs,
tables, vessels for dressing, caring, drinking, &c. there are various
opinions about this with the ancientsF5Vid. Alex. ab Alex. Genial.
Dier. l. 1. c. 19. .
Nehemiah 13:9.
9 Then I commanded them to
cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of
God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
YLT 9and I speak, and they
cleanse the chambers, and I bring back thither the vessels of the house of God
with the present and the frankincense.
Then I
commanded, and they cleansed the chambers,....
By which it appears there
were more than one, or that several were thrown into one; which was done not
only by washing them, but as this was a ceremonial uncleanness, contracted by
the habitation of an Heathen in them, their purification might be by the water
of separation, Numbers 19:9
and thither
brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the
frankincense;
replaced them where they
were before.
Nehemiah 13:10.
10 I also realized that the
portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the
Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field.
YLT 10And I know that the
portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each to his field --
the Levites and the singers, doing the work.
And I perceived
that the portion of the Levites had not been given them,....
The tithes, being removed
to some other place, might be converted to another use; or the people, seeing
what was done by Eliashib, neglected to bring them in, as judging they would
not be properly disposed of; and besides, the Levites had deserted their
station upon this:
for the Levites
and the singers that did the work were fled everyone to his field;
to look after their
country farms, or to get their living by agriculture, since there was no care
taken of them at Jerusalem; see Nehemiah 12:28.
Nehemiah 13:11. 11 So
I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And
I gathered them together and set them in their place.
YLT 11And I strive with the
prefects, and say, `Wherefore hath the house of God been forsaken?' and I
gather them, and set them on their station;
Then I
contended with the rulers;....
The ecclesiastical rulers,
the priests that were appointed over those chambers, Nehemiah 12:44, he
expostulated with them warmly, and chode them severely for their conduct:
and said, why
is the house of God forsaken?
no care being taken of the
maintenance of the ministers of it, contrary to the promise made Nehemiah 10:37,
and l gathered
them together;
the Levites and singers that
were dispersed in the countries round about:
and set them in
their place;
in the temple, and in the
course of their ministry there.
Nehemiah 13:12.
12 Then all Judah brought the
tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.
YLT 12and all Judah have brought
in the tithe of the corn, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to the
treasuries.
Then brought
all Judah the tithe of corn, and the new wine, and the oil, into the
treasuries.
When they saw a
reformation made, and things were going in their proper channel, and a right
use would be made of their tithes, these given to proper persons, who were now
reinstated in their office.
Nehemiah 13:13.
13 And I appointed as
treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and
of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur,
the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was
to distribute to their brethren.
YLT 13And I appoint treasurers
over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of
the Levites; and by their hand [is] Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for
stedfast they have been reckoned, and on them [it is] to give a portion to
their brethren.
And I made
treasurers over the treasuries,....
New ones, since the others
appointed were either dead or unfaithful to their trust, Nehemiah 12:44,
Shelemiah the
priest, and Zadok the scribe;
who also was a priest, as
Ezra was both priest and scribe; one that besides his office as a priest was
expert in the law, and capable of instructing others:
and of the
Levites, Pedaiah, and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of
Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful;
had a good report of all
that knew them, for men of fidelity and uprightness, and so fit for such a
trust:
and their
office was to distribute unto their brethren;
to deliver to them their
share in the tithes, first fruits, &c.
Nehemiah 13:14.
14 Remember me, O my God,
concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the
house of my God, and for its services!
YLT 14Be mindful of me, O my God,
for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of
my God, and for its charges.
Remember me, O
my God, concerning this,....
Not in a way of strict
justice, as if he thought he merited anything at the hand of God for what he
had done; but in a way of grace and mercy, that he would graciously accept
thereof, as done for the honour of his name, and overlook all failings and
infirmities therein, see Nehemiah 13:22
and wipe not
out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices
thereof;
for the support of the
worship of God in the temple, and for the regulating of the wards and courses
in it, both priests and Levites, and for the maintenance of them; which being
done from a right principle, love to God, and with a right view, the glory of
his name, might be truly reckoned good works: and which he desires might not be
wiped or blotted out of the book of his remembrance, see Hosea 6:10.
Nehemiah 13:15.
15 In those days I saw people
in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and
loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which
they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about
the day on which they were selling provisions.
YLT 15In those days I have seen
in Judah those treading wine-vats on sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and
lading on the asses, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, yea,
they are bringing in to Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, and I testify in the day
of their selling provision.
In those days
saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath,....
Which was not a work of
necessity, and so did not drive away the sabbath, as the Jews express
themselves, but might have been deferred to another day:
and bringing in
sheaves;
of wheat, it being the
time of wheat harvest:
and lading
asses;
with goods to be carried
from place to place, and sold on that day; this was contrary to the express
law, for the ass was to rest, Deuteronomy 5:14,
as also wine,
grapes, and figs:
it being the time of
ingathering the fruits of the earth:
and all manner
of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day;
besides those borne on
asses, others were carried on men's shoulders; this was contrary to the law of
the sabbath, which required that both men and beasts should have rest:
and I testified
against them in the day wherein they sold victuals;
that is, the sabbath day;
and if it was not lawful to sell food, then not anything else; so far from it,
that according to the Jewish canonsF6Maimon. Hilchot Sabbat, c. 24.
sect. 1, 2. , such that were in partnership might not discourse together of what
they should sell or buy on the morrow, the day after the sabbath; and so far
from gathering and carrying grapes and figs, that a man might not go into his
gardens and fields to see what were wanting, or how the fruits were: now
Nehemiah admonished the Jews of these evils they committed, and testified
against them as breakers of the law, and called heaven and earth to testify
against them, should they go on to violate it.
Nehemiah 13:16.
16 Men of Tyre dwelt there
also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the
Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
YLT 16And the Tyrians have dwelt
in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on sabbath to the sons of
Judah and in Jerusalem.
There dwelt men
of Tyre also therein, which brought fish,....
From Tyre and Zidon, and
the parts adjacent: these they brought from Joppa, and from thence to
Jerusalem, and had houses or lodgings near the fish gate or fish market, where
they sold them:
and all manner
of ware;
or merchandise, which,
being a trading city, they had from all nations:
and sold on the
sabbath day unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem;
or even in Jerusalem, the
holy city, where stood the temple, and where the worship of God was kept, and
where the magistrates lived, who should have been terrors to evildoers: indeed,
the law of the sabbath was not binding on these Tyrians, but then they tempted
the Jews to break it, by bringing their ware to sell.
Nehemiah 13:17.
17 Then I contended with the
nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do,
by which you profane the Sabbath day?
YLT 17And I strive with the
freemen of Judah, and say to them, `What [is] this evil thing that ye are
doing, and polluting the sabbath-day?
Then I
contended with the nobles,....
The rulers of the city,
the civil magistrates, sharply reproved them for their neglect of duty:
and said unto
them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
by suffering servile works
to be done in it, and things sold on it.
Nehemiah 13:18.
18 Did not your fathers do
thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet
you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
YLT 18Thus did not your fathers
do? and our God bringeth in on us all this evil, and on this city, and ye are
adding fierceness on Israel, to pollute the sabbath.'
Did not your
fathers thus,....
Profane the sabbath in
like manner:
and did not our
God bring all this evil upon us, and upon our city?
suffered them to be
carried captive into a strange land, and their city destroyed for their sins,
and for this of sabbath breaking among the rest, see Jeremiah 17:21,
yet ye bring
more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath;
additional judgments to
those that had been already upon them for the same evil with others.
Nehemiah 13:19.
19 So it was, at the gates of
Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the
gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the
Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that
no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.
YLT 19And it cometh to pass, when
the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the sabbath, that I speak, and the
doors are shut, and I say, that they do not open them till after the sabbath;
and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there doth not come in a
burden on the sabbath-day.
And it came to
pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath,....
Or "were shaded"F7צללו "obumbratae", Pagninus, Montanus;
"obumbrarentur", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Rambachius;
"incidentibus umbris", Tigurine version. ; that is, as Jarchi
interprets it, when the shadows of the eve of the sabbath were stretched out
upon the gates; the sabbath did not begin till sun setting, and the stars
appeared; but before that, as the sun was declining, the shadows through the
houses in Jerusalem, and mountains about it, spread themselves over the gates:
and when it was near dusk, and as soon as it was so,
I commanded
that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till
after the sabbath;
until sun setting the next
day:
and some of my
servants set I at the gates, that there should be burden brought in on the
sabbath day;
the porters being not to
be trusted, being liable to be bribed and corrupted, which he knew his servants
were not; and therefore, since it might be necessary on a few occasions to open
the gates to let some persons in and out, and especially such who dwelt near,
and came to worship, he placed his servants there, to take care that none were
admitted that had any burdens upon them.
Nehemiah 13:20.
20 Now the merchants and
sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
YLT 20And they lodge -- the
merchants and sellers of all ware -- at the outside of Jerusalem, once or
twice,
For the
merchants and sellers of all kind of ware,....
The Tyrians particularly, Nehemiah 13:16
lodged without Jerusalem once or twice; one sabbath day or two, not being able
to get into the city, such strict watch and care being taken to keep the gates
shut; this they did, hoping the Jews would come out to them and buy their
goods, though they were not admitted to bring them within the city.
Nehemiah 13:21. 21 Then
I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall?
If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they
came no more on the Sabbath.
YLT 21and I testify against them,
and say unto them, `Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye
repeat [it], a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in
on the sabbath.
Then I
testified against them,....
Against their continuance
there, and threatened them, and called heaven and earth to witness what he
would do to them, if they did not depart:
why lodge ye
about the wall?
of the city, waiting an
opportunity to get in, and tempting the Jews to come out and buy their ware:
if ye do so
again, I will lay hands on you;
beat them, or slay them,
at least imprison them:
from that time
forth came they no more on the sabbath;
finding there was no
likelihood of getting into the city, and that they were liable to be taken up
and punished.
Nehemiah 13:22.
22 And I commanded the
Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard
the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning
this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
YLT 22And I say to the Levites,
that they be cleansed, and, coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the
sabbath-day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according
to the abundance of Thy kindness.
And I commanded
the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,....
From all ceremonial
uncleanness, that they might be fit in a ceremonial sense to perform the duties
of the office on the sabbath day:
and that they
should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day;
not the gates of the city,
his servants were placed there, nor was this the work of the Levites, and much
less did this require a particular purification to fit for it; but the gates of
the temple, that no impure person might enter there; and on that day it
required the greater diligence, because of the number of people that came to
worship:
remember me, O
my God, concerning this also;
with respect to his care
to have the sabbath kept holy, as well as his concern for the honour of the
house of God, and the maintenance of his ministers, Nehemiah 13:14,
and spare me
according to the greatness of thy mercy;
he desired to be dealt
with, not according to any merits of his own, but according to the abundant
mercy of God; that he would kindly and graciously vouchsafe to accept any good
that he had done for his mercy sake, and forgive whatever was amiss in him.
Nehemiah 13:23.
23 In those days I also saw
Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
YLT 23Also, in those days, I have
seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.
In those days
also I saw Jews that married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab.
Ashdod, or Azotus, as it
is called in Acts 8:40, was one
of the five cities of the Philistines; which, though none of the seven nations
with whom marriage was forbid, yet it was very unfit and improper to marry with
them, Judges 14:3. This
place was a mart of the ArabiansF8Mela de Situ Orbis, l. 1. c. 10. ,
where they sold their goods, to which the Jews might resort, and thereby be
ensnared into such marriages; and which with the Ammonites and Moabites were
unlawful, Nehemiah 13:1.
Nehemiah 13:24.
24 And half of their children
spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but
spoke according to the language of one or the other people.
YLT 24And of their sons, half are
speaking Ashdoditish -- and are not knowing to speak Jewish -- and according to
the language of people and people.
And their
children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod,....
Which they learned of
their mothers, so that it was a mixed language they spoke, partly Jewish and
partly Philistine; but some refer this not to their speech, but to the number
of their children; that half of them, which Jarchi interprets many of them,
spoke in the language of Ashdod, even as many as were most with their mothers,
and chiefly brought up by them:
and could not
speak in the Jews' language;
not at all, or so much as
to be understood well, which inclines to the last sense:
but according
to the language of each people;
their mothers were of,
whether of Ashdod, or of Ammon, or of Moab.
Nehemiah 13:25.
25 So I contended with them
and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them
swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their
sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.
YLT 25And I strive with them, and
declare them vile, and smite certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and
cause them to swear by God, `Ye do not give your daughters to their sons, nor
do ye take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.
And I contended
with them,....
Argued with them,
faithfully admonished them, and sharply reproved them:
and cursed them;
assuring them that the
curse of God would come upon them, unless they repented. Aben Ezra interprets
it of excommunicating them, either with "Cherem" or
"Niddui", which were two sorts of excommunication among the Jews; but
it is a question whether as yet those were used by them:
and smote
certain of them;
ordered them to be beaten
with rods or scourges, as transgressors of the law:
and plucked off
their hair;
or ordered it to be
plucked off by the executioner that smote them; which sort of punishment, as it
was painful, it was disgraceful and ignominious, see Isaiah 1:6,
and made them
swear by God, saying, ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor
take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves;
not intermarry with them;
this they had sworn to before, Nehemiah 10:29.
Nehemiah 13:26.
26 Did not Solomon king of
Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him,
who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless
pagan women caused even him to sin.
YLT 26`By these did not Solomon
king of Israel sin? and among the many nations there was no king like him, and
beloved by his God he was, and God maketh him king over all Israel -- even him
did the strange women cause to sin.
Did not Solomon
king of Israel sin by these things?....
By marrying strange wives,
by whom he was drawn into idolatry, 1 Kings 11:3,
yet among many
nations was there no king like him;
as not for grandeur and
riches, so not for wisdom, and yet was ensnared by his idolatrous wives:
who was beloved
of God;
alluding to his name
Jedidiah, which signifies beloved of the Lord, 2 Samuel 12:24
and God made
him king over all Israel;
which was a proof of his
love to him, and so he was under the greater obligation to serve him, and him
only, and yet his heart, through his wives, was turned after other gods:
even him did
outlandish women cause to sin;
and if so great and wise a
man was enticed by them to idolatry, much more may you, and therefore it was
very dangerous to marry with them.
Nehemiah 13:27.
27 Should we then hear of
your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan
women?”
YLT 27And to you do we hearken to
do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?'
Shall we then
hearken unto you to do all this great evil,....
To suffer it to be done,
and connive at it, and not punish for it:
to transgress
against our God;
his law, his mind, and
will:
in marrying
strange wives?
forbidden by him, Deuteronomy 7:1.
Nehemiah 13:28.
28 And one of the sons
of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of
Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.
YLT 28And [one] of the sons of
Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, [is] son-in-law to Sanballat the
Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.
And one of the
sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest,....
A grandson of the high
priest; for the high priest here is Eliashib, according to our version, and not
Joiada his son, according to Dr. PrideauxF9Connect. par. 1. p. 412.
; the person designed, JosephusF11Antiqu. l. 11. c. 8. sect. 2,4.
makes to be Manasseh, the brother of Jaddua the high priest: was
son in law to
Sanballat the Horonite;
married a daughter of his,
who was the avowed enemy of the Jewish nation; and for whom, according to the
same writer, Sanballat obtained leave of Alexander to build a temple on Mount
Gerizim; but this is to protract the age of Nehemiah and Sanballat to too great
a length; besides, Eliashib seems to have been now high priest, and not even
his son Joiada, and much less Jaddua, a grandson of Joiada:
therefore I
chased him from me;
drove him from his court,
suffered him not to minister at the altar; banished him from the city, as
Jarchi, and even from the land of Judea.
Nehemiah 13:29.
29 Remember them, O my God,
because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and
the Levites.
YLT 29Be mindful of them, O my
God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood,
and of the Levites.
Remember them,
O my God,....
The priests, and punish
them: because they have defiled the priesthood; by marrying strange wives, and
rendering themselves unfit to officiate in it:
and the
covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites;
made with Levi, Aaron, and
Phinehas, see Numbers 24:11, of
the corruption of which, complaint is made, Malachi 2:4.
Nehemiah 13:30.
30 Thus I cleansed them of
everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each
to his service,
YLT 30And I have cleansed them
from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in his
work,
Thus cleansed I
them from all strangers,....
Both people and priests
from strange wives, obliging them to put them away, or flee their country:
and appointing
the wards of the priests and the Levites, everyone in his business:
to do the work of their
office in their courses and turns.
Nehemiah 13:31. 31 and
to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember
me, O my God, for good!
YLT 31and for the wood-offering
at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.
And for the
wood offering, at times appointed,....
Of which see Nehemiah 10:34.
Levites were appointed to receive the wood that was brought at the times and by
the persons fixed, and lay it up in its proper place, and carry it to the altar
when wanted:
and for the
first fruits;
to receive and take care
of them, and distribute them to the persons to whom they belonged:
remember me, O
my God, for good;
to bless him with all good
things, temporal and spiritual, to keep him faithful, to make him useful in
church and state, and protect him from all his enemies: or rather this may
respect what goes before, that as to the wood offering and the firstfruits,
that God would graciously remember him as to them, since the one was as
necessary to the altar as the other was to those that minister at it.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》