Nehemiah 12: 1 – 47
Ancestor Chart
12 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their brethren in the days of Jeshua. 8 Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties. 10 Jeshua begot Joiakim, Joiakim begot Eliashib, Eliashib begot Joiada, 11 Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua. 12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of the fathers’ houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; the son of Minjamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel. 22 During the reign of Darius the Persian, a record was also kept of the Levites and priests who had been heads of their fathers’ houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua. 23 The sons of Levi, the heads of the fathers’ houses until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, were written in the book of the chronicles. 24 And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David the man of God. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storerooms of the gates. 26 These lived in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe. 27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. 30 Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. 31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate. 32 After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets—Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as the Water Gate eastward. 38 The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison. 40 So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director. 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
Have you ever seen an ‘Organizational Chart’? It is used for businesses. You start off with the President of the Company centered in a box at the top of the page. Then you see listed all the departments heads listed as they branch downward from the President. Then under each department head you see listed all the vital or important people who specialize in expertise.
I have used this same principle in counseling procedures. By doing this with couples I can let them see who they take after and amazingly help them understand why they behave the way they do.
You can accomplish this in most extents by going back just a few generations. I ask a couple if they take after their mom or dad. If they answer, ‘neither’ then I ask if they remember their grandparents and what they were like. In most cases they take after one of their grandparents. In a lot of studies, you hear how certain traits skip a generation.
Today we are going to cover the record keeping of the various generations of important Israelites. As we go through see if you can pick up certain traits of each group.
The importance of the genuinely appointed Priests and Levites to the new Israel and to the new Jerusalem as the holy city is now emphasized by providing details concerning their connection with the return, and their subsequent development. It is being emphasized that God had made provision for the continuation of orthodox worship in ‘the holy city’, including the maintenance of the High Priesthood. The passage may be divided up into:
. The chiefs of the priests who went up with Zerubbabel, whose genealogies had been verified.
. The Levites who went up with Zerubbabel.
. The maintenance of the High Priestly line.
. Subsequent chiefs of priests in the time of the high priest Joiakim.
. Brief note regarding when the records of priests and Levites were made.
. The chiefs of the Levites in the days of Joiakim the high priest, who was contemporary with Nehemiah and Ezra.
The list is divided into two parts, the names of chiefs of the priests, and the names of the (leading) Levites. These were the priests and Levites whose genealogies had been demonstrated.
12 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
The chapter starts off emphasizing that among the returnees were a substantial number of priests and Levites. Thus the worship of the new Israel is seen to have been established on a sound foundation, being in the hands of those authorized by God. As happens so often Zerubbabel, and Joshua the High Priest, are named together, and there may be the underlying thought that the foundation of the new Israel was to be seen as established on the houses of David (Zerubbabel was a ‘son of David’) and Aaron (Joshua/Jeshua was a ‘son of Aaron’).
Next, we are given the names of the chiefs of the priests and their brothers who returned from exile with Zerubbabel ‘in the days of Jesuha (the High Priest)’. It is being made clear that the priests of the new Israel are firmly vouched for as being of genuine descent.
The names of ‘the chiefs of the priests and their brothers’ are now given:
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
It is stated specifically that those named here lived in the days of Jeshua the High Priest
We are now given the names of the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel. These are all recognized Levite names, clearly passed on from one generation to another, which means that we have to be careful in the Book of Nehemiah about identifying who is who. But the important point here is that there were genuine Levites of true descent, available to carry on the work of God in the new nation in accordance with God’s ordinance.
8 Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren.
These chief Levites returned with Zerubbabel.
So in all cases the later repetition of these names simply emphasises the custom of passing on the family name from grandfather to grandson, and a possible tendency for the beginners of the new Israel to take the names of their leading ancestors in recognition of that new beginning. What is underlined is that these were genuine, true-born Levites, which is the purpose of the whole passage.
9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties.
Additional to the six leading Levites mentioned were Bakbukiah and Unno, described as ‘their brothers’, that is, fellow Levites. These two were important, but not as important as the six. They stood out more because of the positions they held than directly because of ancestry. The Bakbukiah of 11.17 was probably the direct descendant of the Bakbukiah mentioned here.
Central to the success of the new Israel, and the establishment of the holy city as holy, was the succession of High Priests. Jeshua (Joshua), along with large numbers of priests, had already been able to demonstrate his genealogy, as 7.64 assumes. As the son of Jozadak (Ezra 3.2), or Jehozadak, his genealogy is given in 1 Chronicles 6.1-15, and was therefore clearly available. The succession from Jeshua is therefore now outlined, although it is not stated that they all actually acted as High Priests (we have to consider those who might have been excluded by some disability but who might have passed on heirship to their sons).
10 Jeshua begot Joiakim, Joiakim begot Eliashib, Eliashib begot Joiada, 11 Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua.
Joshua arrived with Zerubbabel in around 538 BC, and was still High Priest in 520 BC, whilst Eliashib was High Priest in the days of Ezra/Nehemiah in and around 445 BC. If the genealogy is complete (which may not be so for genealogies regularly omitted names) this would indicate a long tenure for Joiakim (although we do not know when Jeshua died). This is not, however, impossible, and is supported by the fact that his tenure is related to the days of Ezra and Nehemiah in 12.26.
Following Jeshua Joiakim was High Priest, and he is the one who is important for what immediately follows (verses 12-22. also verse 24-26). He was then followed by Eliashib who was High Priest when the walls were rebuilt (Nehemiah 3.1). Eliashib was a grandfather by the time of Nehemiah’s second visit, and at that stage had an adult grandson (13.28). He was succeeded by Joiada, one of whose sons married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite (13.28). This indicates that Joiada’s eldest son Jonathan was apparently a mature adult whilst Sanballat the Horonite, the contemporary of Nehemiah (2.10, 19), was still alive.
We now have listed priest who were head of father’s houses at some point during the High Priesthood of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua. This is the next generation from those above, something that is indicated by introducing them in terms of their ancestry. It is probable, but not necessary, that the naming is of father and eldest son. However, strictly speaking, only descent is indicated. The slight differences between the names of the ‘fathers’ given here, and those given in verses 1-7 merely indicate that Hebrew names were flexible. They are not necessarily due to copying errors, but rather indicate that the two lists have different primary sources, those sources having been obtained from the records office. Had one been copied from the other we would have expected the names to be the same, nor would we have anticipated the introduction of Hattush in verses 1-7. But it is noteworthy that once again the last six names are introduced by ‘and’ (for which see explanation above on verses 1-7), which confirms a distinction between the first named and the last six.
12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of the fathers’ houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; the son of Minjamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
The unusual ‘of Miniamin, of Mohdiah, Piltai’ in 12.17b (we would expect a name after Miniamin) may either indicate that the name of the ‘son’ of Miniamin has dropped out, or that the names of the sons of both Miniamin and Moadiah was Paltai, or that Miniamin died without an heir and Moadiah being related to him, produced an heir for him through the law of levirate marriage, who was named Paltai. On the information given the number of courses at this stage was twenty, a reduction on the previous twenty-two. But if men died without male seed that could have occurred. Once more then the verse makes clear that the Jerusalem priesthood is of genuine descent. It is an interesting possibility that Zechariah the son of Iddo in verse 16a is a reference to the prophet Zechariah.
It is now pointed out by our Holy Spirit that the information concerning the chiefs of the Levites in the time of Joiakim, necessary to complete the full picture, was obtained from subsequent records. This would serve to confirm that the previous information supplied was obtained from contemporary records.
22 During the reign of Darius the Persian, a record was also kept of the Levites and priests who had been heads of their fathers’ houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua.
This rather complex statement be explaining that in order to complete the pattern ‘priests/Levites of the first generation, priests/Levites of the subsequent generation’, resort had to be made to records which were not contemporary for details concerning the Levites, although such contemporary records were available for the priests. The writer is thus honest enough to inform us that, unlike the previous information, the details concerning these Levites in the days of Joiakim (verse 26) were not obtained from contemporary records, but from records made in subsequent generations, namely in the time of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua, whilst the records concerning the priests were made in the days of Darius the Persian.
To deal with the last first. The description ‘the Persian’ is comparatively rare, and Darius the Persian is probably called such here to distinguish him from Darius the Mede (Daniel 5.31).
23 The sons of Levi, the heads of the fathers’ houses until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, were written in the book of the chronicles.
This would appear to be confirming that the information concerning the Levites now to be described was obtained from records made up to the time of Johanan, the son of Eliashib, which may mean up until the time of his High Priesthood.
The names of the chiefs of the Levites in the days of Joiakim are now given.
24 And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David the man of God.
This may be their given names, or they may have taken their ancestral names in view of the new beginning. The names of the leading chiefs of the Levites who signed the covenant (or their ancestral names) were ‘Jeshua, the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel’ (10.9), who were possibly third generation. They were the leading Levite chiefs in the time of Nehemiah. This verse may therefore be seen as indicating that, of the three chiefs mentioned here in the time of Joiakim, Hashabiah was Jeshua’s son, Sherebiah was Binnui’s son, and, as stated, Jeshua was Kadmiel’s son. ‘Sherebiah, Judah and Mattaniah who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers’ were now seen in terms of ‘their brothers over against them’ who ‘praise and give thanks’.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storerooms of the gates. 26 These lived in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
Note the assumption that Ezra and Nehemiah operated alongside each other.
The peoples mentioned in the passage from 12.12 onwards, played their part in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, in other words in the next generation after the return. This coincided with the arrival of Ezra and Nehemiah, although by that time they would be old, and the third generation would be coming through as depicted in the signing of the covenant. There is no real substance in the argument that ‘in the days of Nehemiah’ signifies that Nehemiah was dead. It is simply a reminder that the days of Joiakim (who was dead), coincided with the days of Nehemiah. The writer, whether Nehemiah or someone else, is simply repeating the pattern.
The scripture has thus demonstrated that, from the return onwards, Israel has been served by a genuine priesthood, whose genealogy was known, which operated in accordance with the Law of Moses, something especially brought out in chapter 7 where those who could prove their genealogy were the ones who alone could conduct the worship of the Temple.
The prophecies concerning Jerusalem as ‘the holy city’ had in mind the upcoming age, and its consequent purification (Isaiah 52.1; Daniel 9.24), and there can be little doubt, in view of the hopes expressed in the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, that this age must have been in mind as Jerusalem was so triumphantly re-established. Thus Nehemiah ends his book with a description of the purification of Jerusalem, both religiously and practically. This would be seen as necessary, for in that age the city was to be holy and wholly ‘clean’ (Isaiah 52.1).
We should note how much of what is described here is a direct enforcing of the provisions of the ‘sure agreement’ of 10.29-39 which stresses separation from foreign influence especially in respect to marriage (10.30); observance of the Sabbath (10.31); supply of the wood offering (10.34); the bringing in of the first fruits (10.35-37); and the gathering of the tithes (10.37b-39).
Having established the newly walled Jerusalem as ‘the holy city’ (11.1), properly inhabited by a people who were fully faithful to YHWH (chapter 11), and having demonstrated the proper succession of a genuine priesthood in accord with the Law of Moses, who would keep the city ‘holy’ (12.1-26), the passage now describes the purifications and celebrations which took place at the dedication of the wall, thereby underlining the holiness of Jerusalem. This was something in which the Levites would have a prominent part as leaders of worship and singing. This was one reason why it had been necessary to demonstrate that, as well as the priests, the Levites operating in Judah, and especially in Jerusalem, were genuine descendants of Levi. Only such could truly celebrate YHWH’s doings.
The in-depth purifications (verse 30) were an essential part of the ceremony. The vision of Jerusalem as the ‘holy city’, clothed in beautiful garments and totally separated to God, as described in Isaiah 52.1, demanded such purifications. Jerusalem was being prepared like a bride for her husband (Isaiah 49.18). She was to be His purified messenger to the world (Isaiah 52.9-12).
The emphasis at the beginning of the passage on the calling together of all the Levites from all around Judah brings out that the celebratory nature of the events is being emphasized. The prime emphasis is to be on joy and gladness, thanksgiving and singing. The aim was to make the celebrations a time of ‘gladness -- thanksgivings -- singing’ (verse 27).
27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.
The occasion of the celebrations was the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. This probably therefore came well before the events described in chapter 11 (the largescale repopulation of Jerusalem), and may well even have led up to them. This timing explains why the Levites were still on the whole widely scattered around Judah. They were ‘sought out of all their places’ and brought to Jerusalem for the celebrations precisely because the dedication was to be a joyous occasion centered around vocal worship, and this was one of the ministries of the Levites. It was to be a time of expressing gladness and thanksgiving by musical means. As this was to be in the form of processions it brings out that all the musical instruments described were hand held.
28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.
So the singers gathered themselves together both from the area circling around Jerusalem, and from places round about. The villages of the Netophathites consisted of the settlements around Netophah, generally thought to have been about 3 miles south-east of Bethlehem and thus south of Jerusalem. Beth-gilgal may well have been the well-known Gilgal near Jericho, and therefore east of Jerusalem. Geba and Azmaveth were Benjamite cities a few miles north east of Jerusalem. So they came from all quarters, for the singers had established themselves in villages around Jerusalem, in view of the necessity to provide for themselves.
The presence of the priests is assumed. For unlike the Levites, who were dependent on the then non-existent tithes (13.10), the priests would have been continually provided for from their appointed share in the offerings and sacrifices. All would be involved because now a great purification exercise was necessary. This was to be the holy city.
30 Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
So the Levites having gathered from their towns and villages, the priests and Levites purified themselves. It might have included such means as offering sacrifices and offerings; bathing themselves ceremonially; being sprinkled with the water of purification (water containing the ashes of a heifer - Numbers 19); washing their clothes; and abstaining from sexual activity.
They then proceeded to purify the people by offerings and sacrifices and the wall and gates of the city. This latter was confirmation that the city was now seen in a new light. Their hope was that the kingdom of God was now present among them (Psalm 22.27-28). They believed that a purified Jerusalem would be the beginning of great things as YHWH acted on their behalf. So, they were putting on its beautiful garments, with the intention of its remaining pure (Isaiah 52.1). This is the emphasis of this section. The purification of the people would have followed a similar pattern to that of the purifying of priests and Levites, although not being as intensive.
Then, all being purified, there began the great ceremony of praise and thanksgiving. In a sense Jerusalem was reborn.
Nehemiah now divided the representatives of Judah into two great companies who together would give thanks as they circumnavigated the wall, one company going one way and the other the other. We cannot be sure whether they walked on top of the wall, or whether they walked alongside the wall. But while the details may not be fully clear the ceremony followed an established pattern:
1) First in each case went a company of those who gave thanks (verse 31, 38). These may well have been composed of the singers and musicians who had been gathered together as previously described in verses 27-29.
2) These were then followed, in the one case by Hoshaiah (verse 32), and in the other by Nehemiah (verses 38, 40). Hoshaiah was clearly a man of great importance, a leader of the Jews, possibly deputy to Nehemiah.
3) Hoshaiah was then followed by half the ‘princes’ of Judah (verse 32), and Nehemiah by the other half (verse 40). By the princes of Judah are meant, not the leaders of that tribe, but the aristocrats of greater Judah, including Benjamin. They included the aristocrats and clan leaders of the whole community of the new Israel.
4) These were then followed in each case by seven prominent named priests, possibly accompanied by other priests, who blew the trumpets (verses 33-35a, 41).
5) After them came the leading named Chief Musicians, Zechariah (verse 35b) and possibly Jezrahiah (verse 42), who in each case were accompanied by eight leading Levitical musicians singing loudly (verses 36, 42).
It is almost certain that the processions commenced from the Valley Gate, through which Nehemiah had previously gone to examine the walls of Jerusalem (2.13). This was in the West wall and was roughly equidistant from the East gate of the Temple which would be the final destination, both when going around the wall clockwise and when going round anticlockwise. This is confirmed by the fact that the first procession then proceeded towards the Dung Gate which was at the southern end of Jerusalem, while the other procession moved towards the tower of the furnaces, and the broad wall (verse 38), which were northwards of the Valley Gate.
Such giving of praise to YHWH as they walked around the wall of Jerusalem was not unique to this occasion. Psalm 48.12-14 may be seen as suggesting that such processions regularly took place on some festal occasions;
‘Walk about Zion, and go round about her, count her towers, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the following generation, for this God is our God for ever and ever, He will be our guide even unto death.’
It will be noted that the purpose for doing this in the Psalmist’s case was so that they might be aware of what God had done for them in order that they might proclaim His glory to others. They were surrounding Jerusalem with praise, thereby calling down God’s blessing on it.
31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate.
Nehemiah now returns to the first person singular as he continues the story of the completion of the wall with a description of this final act of dedication.
Here he describes how he gathered ‘the princes of Judah’ to the wall in order to commence the celebration. This refers not only to the aristocrats of the tribe of Judah, but to all leaders of the nation in wider Judah, including Benjamin.
Gathered with the aristocrats were the singers and musicians who had been summoned, and the whole were divided into two groups each of which would march in the opposite direction to the other, one anticlockwise, the other clockwise, giving thanks musically as they marched. One of the groups thus initially marched southwards in the direction of the Dung Gate. It would appear that the singers and musicians led the way, praising God as they went, and that these were followed by Hoshaiah and half the aristocrats of Judah. These included seven leading priests (including Ezra) who blew their priestly trumpets (an instrument exclusive to the priests). It would have been a stirring and moving sight. The other group, following a similar pattern, went northwards towards the tower of the furnaces and the broad wall.
32 After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah,
Hoshaiah was clearly one of the chief leaders of Judah, and possibly deputy to Nehemiah himself. Following him was the group consisting of half the aristocrats of ‘Judah’. But it is a nice touch that, while we learn later that Ezra led the procession (verse 36), no doubt as an official appointee of the King of Persia, here we are informed that the aristocrats were led by a high official of Judah
33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets—Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,
And along with them marched seven leading priests, together with other priests. Following the aristocrats and the priests came the chiefs of the singers and musicians, nine in number. These bore the kind of musical instruments prophetically validated by David, as a ‘man of God’, for worship. This included Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, whose ancestry traced back to Asaph, the leading musician in David’s day, together with eight other named leading Levites.
Leading the procession, and the aristocrats and chief priests, but probably following the leading singers, came Ezra the Scribe, no doubt due to his official position as an appointee of the King of Persia. Whilst Azariah was superior in the priestly hierarchy he was lower than Ezra in political status.
Having reached the Dung Gate, this procession rounded the southernmost point of Jerusalem and then proceeded northwards up the eastern side of the wall, coming first to the fountain gate, and then to the stairs of the city of David (3.15). Marching onwards they came to the part of the wall by the one-time palace of David, and then to the water gate.
The other procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) followed by Nehemiah himself, leading the other half of the aristocrats, seven named leading priests and nine named leading Levites, exactly paralleling the first procession. This went northwards from the Valley Gate, following the west wall and then turning along the northern wall, until it reached the Sheep Gate from whence it would proceed to the Temple.
The fact that the company led by Nehemiah is given less prominence tends to confirm that we have here an extract from Nehemiah’s own record. Anyone else would surely have given him greater prominence.
38 The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison.
The second procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) who were followed by Nehemiah and ‘half the people’ (i.e. the aristocrats including priests and Levites). These proceeded northward from the Valley Gate, past the Tower of the Furnaces (Ovens), reaching the Broad Wall. Then onwards past the Gate of Ephraim. Reaching the north-west corner they turned eastwards, and passed along the north wall by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Hammeah, until they reached the Sheep Gate. They then proceeded to the gate of the guard. This was probably within the city giving entrance to ‘the court of the guard’ so well known as the place where Jeremiah was restrained (Jeremiah 38.13, 28). It was probably here that they awaited, and met up with, the first procession (they ‘stood still’ there), before proceeding to the Temple.
40 So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me;
The two companies were now united together for the purpose of giving thanks in the house of God. This was towards the end of a long day of continual worship. And there, in and around the outer court of the Temple, they worshipped YHWH because of all that He had done for them, and all that they believed that He was going to do for them. It would have been a time of great expectancy. And why should it not have been so? Jerusalem was now purified and defensible. It was ‘the holy city’, the city through which YHWH would do great things.
In the lead (although behind the choir) was Nehemiah, and he was followed by half the aristocrats, leading priests and leading Levites.
41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
The seven leading priests in this procession are named. Of these only Maaseiah (Maaziah) and Miniamin (Mijamin) are recorded as signing the covenant, although others may have done so under the family name. The blowing of trumpets was the prerogative of the priests.
42 also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director.
Together with them were nine leading Levites, the eight named in this verse and Jezrahiah who oversaw them in the same way as Zechariah had overseen those in the other procession (verse 35).
If ‘the singers’ were the eight prominent Levites, then Jezrahiah was their leader and made up a ninth, tying in with the nine leading Levites in the other group headed by Zechariah the son of Jonathan (verses 35-36).
The processions on or about the wall having been completed the people gathered in the Temple area and offered large numbers of sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. These would then, of course, have been partaken of, and there would be a great feast as all the people, men, women and children joined in the rejoicing and celebrations. They had a new sense of Jerusalem as the holy city, and of the presence of YHWH acting on their behalf.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
These sacrifices would inevitably include burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, but in the main they were probably sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving of which all could partake, and it is clear that there were a great many of them. Indeed, this was necessary in order to provide meat for the feast. But they would be offered with joyful hearts and a real sense of gratitude to God.
So great were the crowds, and so loud the praise from such a great multitude, that ‘the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off’.
Equally of importance with the celebrations over the completion of the wall, were the arrangements made to ensure that Jerusalem continued to be the holy city, set apart to YHWH, purified from all that religiously defiled, and fulfilling its function as the YHWH’s earthy dwelling place, and as the store-city of all that specifically belonged to YHWH (that which had been set apart for Him and given to Him in accordance with the Law). To the mundane mind the building of the wall of Jerusalem had made it a defensible city suitable to be the capital of Judah, and thus an achievement, but to the religious mind what the wall indicated was a new beginning of Jerusalem as ‘the holy city’ which was the center of true Yahwism.
In recognition of the new status of Jerusalem, and as a continuation of their expressions of thanksgiving towards God, a new impetus was given to the gathering of offerings and tithes for the priests and Levites. This is not to be just an idea that was tacked on. It was central to the expectancy of the renewal of the Kingdom. It was vitally important that in the holy city, where YHWH reigned in splendor. Those set apart to God’s holy purposes and service should be fully provided for in accordance with the Law of Moses, so that they could give their full time to His service. And we should note that significantly there is here a deliberate reference back to the times of David, thereby emphasizing that this was all to be seen as an important part of the reconstitution of the Davidic Kingdom, with David’s city at its head.
This emphasis on the tithes and offerings as an important evidence of loyalty to God, and as a precursor to future blessing from God, is heavily underlined in the nearly contemporary prophecy of Malachi, which may even have been written at this time. There the prophet, in expectation of great things to come, calls on God’s people to renew their loyalty to God and pay Him His dues. Indeed he makes clear that without this there could be no glorious future (Malachi 3.7-12). One of the signs of God’s evident working is that His people become generous with their material things, all of which belong to God. Thus this establishment of tithes and offerings was all a part of the expression of their loyalty, and an ensuring of the ministry of the priests and Levites chosen by God for that purpose, thus ensuring the continual holiness of the city and its eschatological future.
44 And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered.
It was because of the initial religious purifying of Jerusalem that men were appointed (by the people of Judah) to oversee the Temple treasury, and to watch over the gathering of the heave-offerings, the first fruits and the tithes. The idea is that what was God’s should be gathered efficiently and should be kept holy. For men to be over the treasury and the store-chambers was not new.
‘To gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed--.’ It is apparent from this that they were given the responsibility of gathering in the tithes in a systematic manner, for these were the portions appointed by the Law for the priests and Levites. We have no indication anywhere of how systematically his had been done in the past, but at times when tithing was practised it must have required a great deal of expended time for the Levites to gather in the tithes from every farm, and ensure that they received the correct proportion, and as 10.38 indicates this was overseen by the priests. Thus, it was a regular procedure. But now this was done happily because the whole of Judah was rejoicing in their God-chosen representatives before YHWH. There was renewed hope for the future, and the contribution of the Levites was seen as being of great importance.
Thus one of the first fruits of the revival was a renewed activity of setting apart of the chambers in the Temple for their holy purpose. But sadly, as spirituality waned, and when Nehemiah’s eagle eye was not present, those very chambers would be taken over and utilised for another, quite unholy purpose (13.4-5), something which a returning Nehemiah had to remedy. The purity of Jerusalem had to be maintained, and it was this that Nehemiah saw as his main accomplishment (13.30-31).
The heave-offerings, the first fruits and the tithes were the portions appointed by the Law for the maintenance of the God-chosen priests and Levites. It was as a direct result of these that they were able to carry on their full-time ministry, and they were essential for that purpose. That is why they were so important in maintaining the holiness of the holy city.
The ‘heave-offerings’ were that part of the offerings which was ‘heaved’ or ‘waved’ before YHWH as His portion, and thus available only to be partaken of by the priests. The ‘first fruits’ were that portion of produce set apart as YHWH’s in recognition that they held the land from Him. That too was partaken of by the priests. ‘The tithes’ were one tenth of all produce (both of animals and of grain) which was to be set apart, both for the Levites, and for the poor, with a tenth of a tenth being made
45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and Solomon his son.
The ‘they’ here possibly refers to those appointed over the store-chambers, who would of course be priests and Levites, or it may refer to the priests and Levites generally. They gladly kept God’s charge, faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities in order to fulfil God’s Law, including His charge concerning offerings and sacrifices and other methods of purification, and His charge concerning the singers and gatekeepers in accordance with the requirements laid down by David, and his son Solomon. This is especially significant in that, once Nehemiah was absent at the court of the Persian king, the people failed to completely fulfil this responsibility (13.10), and had to be called into line. In 1 Chronicles 23.28 the ‘purifying of holy things’ was seen very much as an important part of the service of ‘the sons of Levi’.
46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Here the writer stresses that there were indeed in David’s day, and in the days of Asaph his choirmaster, a chief of singers and ‘a song or praise and thanksgiving’ that is there was a choir that sang praises to God. There being a ‘song of praise’ after mention of a chief singer, is demonstrative of this latter fact. The song of praise would arise from his choir. The double emphasis on David suggests that very much in mind was the fact that they were continuing with the ministry of the kingdom. Now that Jerusalem was once more the holy city they were hoping for a new David to arise, to lift God’s people to new heights.
47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also [v]consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.
He then stresses that from the very moment of the return from captivity to the present time, even if only spasmodically when a leader with force arose (in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah), the due portions were given to the singers/musicians and the gatekeepers, in accordance with their requirements, and tithes were set apart for the Levites, who in their turn set aside a tenth of the tithes for the priests.
