_A.M. 3468. B.C. 536._ The chief of the priests and Levites that came up with Zerubbabel, Nehemiah 12:1. The succession of the chief priests, Nehemiah 12:10. The eminent Levites, Nehemiah 12:22. The wall dedicated, Nehemiah 12:27. The offices of the priests and Levites settled, Nehemiah 12:44.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now these are the priests_ The chief of the priests; the heads of those twenty-four courses which David appointed by divine direction, 1 Chronicles 24. And whereas there were twenty-four, and here but twenty- two, and Nehemiah 12:12, &c., only twenty, the reason of this difference may be because tw... [ Continue Reading ]
_Malluch_ In the repetition of this and some other names hereafter, Nehemiah 12:14, &c., there are some small variations, which are very frequent in the Hebrew language.... [ Continue Reading ]
_These were the chief of the priests_ The heads of the courses of the priests instituted by David, which were restored after their return from captivity, though as yet they were not so many as they had been before: see Ezra 6:18. _And of their brethren_ That is, of the priests, who were their brethr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover the Levites, which were over the thanksgiving_ Appointed to see that the psalms of thanksgiving were continually sung in the temple, in due time and manner. _Also, their brethren were over against them in the watches_ That is, in the places where they were appointed to stand, and wait, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jeshua begat Joiakim_ In these two verses is an account of the succession of the high-priests, from the return of the captivity till the time when they began to bear the greatest sway in the Jewish nation. For the Jaddua mentioned at the end of Nehemiah 12:11, is commonly thought to be that Jad... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the days of Joiakim were priests_ As the writer had mentioned those who were the chief of the priests in the days of Jeshua, so now he mentions the sons of every one of them who officiated in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, either as assistants to their fathers, or succeeding them when th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persians_ “This verse,” observes Dr. Dodd, after Le Clerc, “wherein mention is made of Darius Codomanus, and the high-priest Jaddua, affords us proof that Nehemiah did not put the finishing hand to this book. For Nehemiah, to be able to speak of Darius,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Written in the book of the Chronicles_ That is, in the public annals or registers, in which the genealogies of the several families were recorded by the Jews with great exactness, as all persons agree. _Ward over against ward_ Or, _by turns_, one coming in when another went out, to attend in their... [ Continue Reading ]
_At the dedication of the wall_ Of the city itself, which is here dedicated to God, and to his honour and service, not only upon a general account, by which we ought to devote ourselves, and all that is ours, to God; but upon a more special ground, because this was a place which God himself had chos... [ Continue Reading ]
_The singers had built them villages_, &c. That they might be near at hand for the service of God and of his house. _The priests and the Levites purified themselves_ By sprinkling the water of purification upon them, by which the tabernacle and sacred utensils were purified; (Numbers 8:7;) by solemn... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then I brought up the princes_ And half of the people with them, as it is expressed afterward, Nehemiah 12:38. _Upon the wall_ For the wall was broad and strong, and so built that men might conveniently walk upon it, as at this day it is in many cities. _Whereof one went on the right hand_ Toward t... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the stairs of the city of David_ By which they went up to the hill of Zion and the city of David. _The other company that gave thanks went over against them_ Namely, on the other side of the city, northward and eastward. _Even unto the broad wall_ Which they had made thicker and stronger than th... [ Continue Reading ]
_They stood still in the prison-gate_ Waiting, as also their brethren did, that they might go together in due order into God's house, there to perfect the solemnity. _So stood the two companies_, &c. That is, they met together at the temple, and gave thanks in the courts of it. _And I and the half o... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God had made them rejoice with great joy_ By restoring the holy city to such a secure condition, that they could praise the Lord there without disturbance or fear. _And the children rejoiced_ And their hosannas were not despised, but are recorded to their praise. All that share in public mercie... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the offerings_ Such as they had lately engaged themselves to give, or other voluntary or prescribed offerings. _To gather out of the fields the portions of the law_ That is, the aforesaid first-fruits and tithes, and other things, which God, by his law, appointed for them. _For Judah rejoiced f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God_ That ward or charge which God had prescribed them. _And_, in particular, _the charge of purification_, of taking care that no unclean person or thing should enter into the house or courts of the Lord. Or, the meaning may be, the singers s... [ Continue Reading ]
_For in the days of David_, &c. This verse gives the reason why the Levites and the singers performed their duty so accurately; because, from the time of David, who constituted their orders and offices, there were overseers appointed, who presided over them, and were careful both to instruct them in... [ Continue Reading ]
_They sanctified holy things unto the Levites_ They set apart the first-fruits and tithes from their own share, and devoted them to the use of the Levites. And so did the Levites by the tithe of tithes. Thus they all conscientiously paid their dues, and did not profane those things which God had san... [ Continue Reading ]