Nehemiah 12:44-47

Only the *descendants of Aaron could serve as priests. So the phrase ‘the *descendants of Aaron’ means the priests.

Although the people were having a happy time they had to think about the future of the nation. They had promised to give one tenth (1/10th) of their crops for the priests and the *Levites. Then the priests and the *Levites could serve God and they could take care of the *temple all the time. The people had promised that they would not neglect the house of God (Nehemiah 10:32-39).

Now the people made arrangements for the *tithes. They appointed people to collect the *tithes and to put them in special rooms in the *temple. These men would look after these special rooms. The people gave their *tithes because God’s law ordered them to do so. But they also gave these gifts to the priests and to the *Levites. They did this because they were pleased with the work of the priests and the *Levites. They also gave gifts to the other men who served. They gave gifts to the singers and to those who guarded the gates of the city and the *temple.

Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Levites ~ the people of one of the 12 families of Israel; they acted as assistants to the priests in the temple.
Israel ~ the entire nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two. The northern part became a separate country, called Israel. Then, the inhabitants were called Israelites.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
Israelites ~ the people from the country called Israel. But the word is sometimes used to mean the people who came from the country called Judah too.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
exile ~ a period when people cannot live in their own country. This period may be for many years.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
ancestors ~ people from the same family in previous centuries.
descendant ~ a future member of a family.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God by the Jews. They gave such a gift when they asked God to forgive their sins. The gift was often an animal or a bird. Sometimes people offered sacrifices to thank God for something.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
trumpet ~ an instrument to make music or to sound an alarm.
tower ~ a tall, strong building.
tithe ~ one tenth (1/10th or 10%25). The law said that the people must give a 10th of the harvest of oil, grain and wine to God. This 10th part was called a ‘tithe’.
Israelites ~ the people from the country called Israel. But the word is sometimes used to mean the people who came from the country called Judah too.
Israel ~ the entire nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two. The northern part became a separate country, called Israel. Then, the inhabitants were called Israelites.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.