Nehemiah 11:1 TO NEHEMIAH 12:26. Extracts from Registers and Public Lists 1, 2. Measures taken to increase the number of dwellers in Jerusalem. This passage seems to take up the thread which had been dropped at Nehemiah 7:4. Nehemiah had been rendered anxious by the fewness of the inhabitants in p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now these … Jeshua_ Cf. Ezra 2:1. For the list beginning with Seraiah, see the parallel list of names in Nehemiah 10:3-9 and Nehemiah 12:12-21. The Ezra mentioned in this verse and Nehemiah 12:13 must not be confounded with -the Scribe:" he appears in Nehemiah 10:3 as Azariah. The following table... [ Continue Reading ]
_chief_ R.V. CHIEFS. _in the days of Jeshua_ Cf. Ezra 2:2; Ezra 3:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover the Levites_ This list of Levite houses which returned along with Zerubbabel consists of eight names, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Unni. In Ezra 2:40-42, the list of the Levites and singers that returned consists of Jeshua, Kadmiel, Hodaviah (?), and the... [ Continue Reading ]
_and Unni_ R.V. AND UNNO. The K'ri reads -and Unni," the C'thib -and Unno." The C'thib reading might, however, be rendered as the verb which occurs in Ezra 3:11, -And they sang one to another" (cf. Deuteronomy 21:7; Deuteronomy 27:14), with the sense of -And their brethren responded to them in chora... [ Continue Reading ]
The lists of the high-priests in 1 Chronicles 6:3-15 concluded with Jehozadak, who -went into captivity when the Lord carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar." Jehozadak's son was Jeshua (see Ezra 3:1), who returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel. The present list of the h... [ Continue Reading ]
_And in the days of Joiakim_ See note on Nehemiah 12:10. _the chief of the fathers_ R.V. HEADS OF FATHERS" HOUSES. On the list contained in these verses, see note on Nehemiah 12:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Melicu_ R.V. MALLUCHI. Marg. -Another reading is, _Melicu_". The K'thib gives Malluchi; the Q'ri Melicu. The LXX. reads Μαλούχ, the Vulgate -Milico.... [ Continue Reading ]
_of Miniamin, of Moadiah_ The representative of the house of Miniamin has been omitted.... [ Continue Reading ]
were _recorded chief of the fathers_ R.V. WERE RECORDED HEADS OF FATHERS" HOUSES. The language is obscure on account of the abruptness with which the statement is introduced. The meaning seems to be that during the four high-priesthoods mentioned, a full register of the heads of fathers" houses amon... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sons of Levi_ Here we have the heading or title of another enrolment. The expression -the sons of Levi" is to be noted, and compared with the mention of -the Levites" in Nehemiah 12:8_; Nehemiah 12:22_. The whole house of Levi is probably intended, priests and Levites together. _in the book of... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the chief of the Levites_ Once more a brief list is given of the chief Levite families. _Hashabiah_ This name occurs in Nehemiah 10:12, and Ezra 8:19, but not in Nehemiah 12:8-9. Probably the same as Hashabneiah (Nehemiah 9:5). _Sherebiah_ Cf. Nehemiah 12:8; Nehemiah 9:5; Nehemiah 10:13;... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mattaniah_ Cf. Nehemiah 12:8; Nehemiah 11:17. Mattaniah representing Asaphites. _Bakbukiah_ Cf. Nehemiah 12:9; Nehemiah 11:17, representing the Hemanites, cf. 1 Chronicles 25:4. _Obadiah_ Probably the same as Abda of the family of Jeduthun, Nehemiah 11:17. These three names are the names of sing... [ Continue Reading ]
_These_were _in the days of Joiakim_&c. As Nehemiah 12:22-23 refer to a later period than that here mentioned, this summary probably refers to the list contained in Nehemiah 12:12. Whether it also refers to 24 25 is a doubtful point. But the awkwardness of the verse in its present position, lends so... [ Continue Reading ]
_at the dedication of the wall_ It is only natural to suppose that the dedication of the walls took place at no long interval after their completion. The walls were finished on the 25th of the month Elul (Nehemiah 6:15) or September. According to 2Ma 1:18 Nehemiah on the 25th of Chislev (December) c... [ Continue Reading ]
The Dedication of the Walls In the description of this solemn event, there is a return to the use of the 1st Pers. Sing. (Nehemiah 12:31_; Nehemiah 12:38; Nehemiah 12:40_). The compiler returns to the Memoirs of Nehemiah, from which he makes extracts, while he no doubt exercises a full liberty of a... [ Continue Reading ]
_the plain country_ R.V. THE PLAIN. Marg. -Or, _circuit_". The word here used, -the kikkar," is technically applied to the Jordan valley, e.g. Genesis 13:10-12; Gen 19:17; 2 Samuel 18:23. Here, however, as in Nehemiah 3:22, it seems very doubtful whether this application is at all possible at a time... [ Continue Reading ]
_from the house of Gilgal_ R.V. FROM BETH-GILGAL. Possibly to be identified with the Gilgal of 2 Kings 2:1; 2 Kings 4:38, and if so it was about 14 miles N. of Jerusalem. _Geba_ Cf. Nehemiah 11:31. _Azmaveth_ See note on Ezra 2:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
_purified themselves_ Cf. Ezra 6:20. The description of the sacrifices offered by Hezekiah on the occasion of a national purification should be compared, 2 Chronicles 29:20-24. _the people … the gates … the walls_ i.e. the people were purified in order that they might engage in the solemn dedicatio... [ Continue Reading ]
Nehemiah's description of the dedication of the walls Two processions headed by the priests and Levites started from near the Valley or Jaffa Gate, and proceeded, the one by the northern, the other by the southern wall, together accomplishing the complete circuit, and meeting one another in the ope... [ Continue Reading ]
_the princes of Judah_ i.e. all the nobles of the nation. _upon the wall_ Much turns upon the meaning of the preposition here used. The words in the Hebrew, -from above, with respect to the wall" have been considered by some to mean -beyond, at a little distance from the wall;" by others -over agai... [ Continue Reading ]
_and after them_ i.e. behind this procession of singers and musicians came the company consisting of one-half of the princes, headed by Hoshaiah, of whose official position we are not told.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Azariah, Ezra_ From a comparison of Nehemiah 12:1; Nehemiah 12:13 with Nehemiah 10:2, we might suppose that these were the names of the same priestly house. _Meshullam_ Cf. Nehemiah 10:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Judah, and Benjamin_ The occurrence of the two names together favours the view that the two tribes contributed to each wing of the procession one half of their numbers. Cf. Ezra 1:5; Ezra 4:1; Ezra 10:9. Others, however, prefer to think that they are names of certain princes. _Shemaiah_ Cf. Nehemi... [ Continue Reading ]
certain _of the priests" sons with trumpets_ Apparently a special company following the heads of the priestly houses, and preceding the conclusion of the procession which consisted of the trained musicians. Their names have apparently for brevity's sake been omitted; they were undoubtedly recorded l... [ Continue Reading ]
_Azarael … Nethaneel_ R.V. AZAREL … NETHANEL. These two names recall -Nethaniah and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph," in 1 Chronicles 25:2. _David the man of God_ Cf. Nehemiah 12:24. _Ezra … before them_ The mention of Ezra's name here seems to indicate that he held in respect of the -right hand" pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_at_(R.V. BY) _the fountain gate_ For the position of this gate, see note on Nehemiah 3:15. _which_was _over against them_ R.V. AND STRAIGHT BEFORE THEM. Apparently at this point, instead of following the wall round the spurs of the Ophel, the procession went straight on up the steps ascending the... [ Continue Reading ]
_over against_them] R.V. TO MEET THEM. The line of march of the other procession was by the northern wall. By an ingenious conjecture, Reuss, altering the Hebrew word (to meet them) by the addition of one consonant, proposes to read -on the left hand," balancing the words in Nehemiah 12:31. _and I... [ Continue Reading ]
_from above_ R.V. ABOVE. _the gate of Ephraim_ This gate is not mentioned in chap. 3. It was situated probably at about the centre of the northern wall, and was so called because through it passed the main road to Ephraim. _above the old gate_ R.V. BY THE OLD GATE. Cf. Nehemiah 3:6. _above_(R.V.... [ Continue Reading ]
_rulers_ R.V. marg. -Or, _deputies_". In Nehemiah 12:31, -the princes." _and I, and the half of the rulers with me_ We have here rather fuller details of Nehemiah's company to correspond with the description of the other in Nehemiah 12:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the priests_ These seven names correspond to the -certain of the priests" sons with trumpets" in Nehemiah 12:35, where the names have dropped out.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Maaseiah_ The divisions or courses of the Levitical musicians, eight in number, corresponding to what we find in Nehemiah 12:35. _the singers sang loud_ Lit. -caused to hear," cf. 1 Chronicles 15:19. The LXX. ἠκούσθησαν. Vulg. -clare cecinerunt." _Jezrahiah_their _overseer_ Jezrahiah as leade... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also that day_ R.V. AND … THAT DAY. _great sacrifices_ Cf. Ezra 6:17. _God had made them rejoice_, &c. 2 Chronicles 20:27, -for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies." _the wives also_ R.V. AND THE WOMEN ALSO. The women and children who were present on the occasion of national gat... [ Continue Reading ]
_at that time_ R.V. ON THAT DAY. This is not an allusion to the day of rejoicing in the previous verse (-that day" Nehemiah 12:43), but a general definition of time which the Compiler uses again in Nehemiah 8:1. It is only a little less indefinite than -in those days," Nehemiah 13:15; Nehemiah 13:23... [ Continue Reading ]
_And both the singers and the porters kept_ R.V. AND THEY KEPT … AND SO DID THE SINGERS AND THE PORTERS. The verse, according to the rendering of the R.V. states first that the priests and Levites performed the due ceremonial obligations, and then that the same strict conformity to rule was practise... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the days of David and Asaph of old_ This combination of names may be illustrated by other examples in the writings of the Chronicler (2 Chronicles 29:30; 2 Chronicles 35:15). The LXX. omits the copula between the names, ἐν ἡμέραις Δαυὶδ Ἀσὰφ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς πρῶτος τῶν ᾀδόντων. This may represent the... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah_ The mention of Nehemiah in the 3rd person along with Zerubbabel is an almost convincing proof that the sentence was not from the hand of Nehemiah; but that it was written (probably by the Chronicler) at a considerable interval of time since Ne... [ Continue Reading ]