Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Nehemiah 12

Introduction

1  The priests and the Levites which came up with Zerubbabel.
10  The succession of high priests.
22  Certain chief Levites.
27  The solemnity of the dedication of the walls.
44  The offices of priests and Levites appointed in the temple.

Verse 1

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
the priests
7:7, Ezra 2:1,2
Zerubbabel
1 Chronicles 3:17-19, Ezra 3:8, 4:2, 5:2, Haggai 1:1,12,14, 2:2,21-23, Zechariah 4:6-10, Matthew 1:12,13
Zorobabel
Salathiel. Jeshua.
10, Zechariah 3:1-9, 6:11
Joshua
Seraiah.
12-21, 10:2-8, Ezra 2:2

Verse 2

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
Malluch
Melicu

Verse 3

Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Shechaniah
Shebaniah
Rehum.
Harim
Meremoth.
Meraioth

Verse 4

Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
Ginnetho
Instead of Ginnetho, many MSS., and Vulgate have Ginnethon.
Ginnethon
Abijah.
Luke 1:5
Abia

Verse 5

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
Miamin
Miniamin
Maadiah. The variation between Moadiah, and Maadiah, merely arises from the elision of [Vâv] wav; the LXX., however, in ver. 17, have [Maasai.]
Moadiah

Verse 6

Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Joiarib
11:10, 1 Chronicles 9:10
Jehoiarib

Verse 7

Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
Sallu
The variation of Sallu, and Sallai, is simply caused by the mutation of [Vâv] wav and [Yôwd] yood.
Sallai
the chief. "The chief of the priests" seem to have been the heads of the courses established by David.
1 Chronicles 24:18
of Jeshua
1, Ezra 3:2, Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 3:1

Verse 8

Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
Jeshua
7:48, 9:4, 10:9-13
Mattaniah
11:17,22
the thanksgiving
that is, The psalms of thanksgiving.
24, 1 Chronicles 9:33

Verse 9

Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
over against
Psalms 134:1-3

Verse 10

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
Jeshua
26, 1 Chronicles 6:3-15
Eliashib
3:1, 13:4,7,28

Verse 11

And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
Jonathan
Jaddua is supposed to be Jaddus the high priest, who went in his pontifical robes to meet Alexander the Great, when advancing to destroy Jerusalem; who was so struck with his appearance, that he forbore all hostilities, and granted many privileges to the Jews. According to Eusebius, he was high priest from A.M. 3665 to 3982.

Verse 12

And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
the chief
22, 1 Chronicles 9:33,34, 15:12, 24:6-31
Seraiah

Verse 14

Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
Melicu
Malluch
Shebaniah. Two MSS., and Vulgate in ver. 3, have Shebaniah; and here many MSS. have Shechaniah.
Shechaniah

Verse 15

Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
Harim
Rehum
Meraioth.
Meremoth

Verse 16

Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
Iddo
Ginnethon
Ginnetho

Verse 17

Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
Miniamin
The LXX., and Vulgate have here [Miamin] Miamin.
Miamin
Moadiah.
Maadiah

Verse 18

Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
Shemaiah

Verse 20

Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
Sallai
Sallu

Verse 22

The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
Eliashib
10,11
recorded
12,13

Verse 23

The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
the book
1 Chronicles 9:14-44

Verse 24

And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.
Hashabiah
8, 8:7, 9:4, 10:9-13
according
1 Chronicles 23:1-32, 25:1-26
the man
Deuteronomy 33:1, Joshua 14:6, 1 Kings 17:24, 2 Chronicles 8:14, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:17
ward
9, Ezra 3:10,11

Verse 25

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
Mattaniah
8,9, 11:17-19, 1 Chronicles 9:14-17
keeping
1 Chronicles 23:32, 26:12, Isaiah 21:8
thresholds
or, treasuries, or assemblies.

Verse 26

These were 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.
Joiakim
Nehemiah
8:9, Ezra 7:6,11

Verse 27

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
A. M. 3559. B.C. 445. the dedication. Jerusalem was the holy city, and the wall was built under the immediate superintendence and blessing of Jehovah: it was therefore proper that it should be dedicated to that God who was there worshipped by solemn praises, prayers, and sacrifices. The dedication seems to have consisted in processions of the most eminent persons around the walls, with thanksgivings to God, who had enabled them to bring the work to so happy a conclusion; and, no doubt, to all this were added a particular consecration of the city to God, and the most earnest invocation that He would take it under His guardianship, and defend it and its inhabitants against their enemies
Deuteronomy 20:5, Psalms 30:1; *title
out
11:20, 1 Chronicles 15:4,12, 25:6, 26:31, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 29:4-11,30, Ezra 8:15-20
gladness
8:17, Deuteronomy 16:11, 2 Samuel 6:12, 2 Chronicles 29:30, Ezra 6:16, Psalms 98:4-6, 100:1,2, Philippians 4:4
thanksgivings
1 Chronicles 13:8, 15:16,28, 16:5,42, 23:5, 25:1-6, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:6, Ezra 3:10,11, Psalms 81:1-4, 92:1-3, 149:3, 150:2-5, Revelation 5:8

Verse 28

And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;
plain
6:2
Netophathi
1 Chronicles 2:54, 9:16

Verse 29

Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
the house
Or, Beth-Gilgal, a village erected where the Israelites encamped after they had crossed the Jordan.
Deuteronomy 11:30, Joshua 5:9, 10:43
Geba
11:31, Joshua 21:17, 1 Chronicles 6:60
Azmaveth
Ezra 2:24

Verse 30

And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
themselves
Genesis 35:2, Exodus 19:10,15, Numbers 19:2-20, 2 Chronicles 29:5,34, Ezra 6:21, Job 1:5, Hebrews 5:1,3

Verse 31

Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
the princes
1 Chronicles 13:1, 28:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2
two great
38,40
dung gate
2:13, 3:13,14

Verse 33

And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
Azariah
10:2-7

Verse 35

And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, 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:
with trumpets
Numbers 10:2-10, Joshua 6:4, 2 Chronicles 5:12, 13:12
Zechariah
11:17, 1 Chronicles 6:39-43, 25:2, 26:10,11

Verse 36

And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
musical instruments
24, 1 Chronicles 23:5, 2 Chronicles 8:14, Amos 6:5
Ezra
Ezra 7:1, 8:1

Verse 37

And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.
the fountain gate
2:14, 3:15,16
the stairs
Jerusalem was built on very uneven ground, some hills being enclosed within the walls, there was a necessity, therefore, for steps, by which to ascend and descend; probably similar to what is seen in the city of Bristol.
3:15, 2 Samuel 5:7-9
water gate
3:26, 8:1,3,16

Verse 38

And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;
other
tower
3:11
broad
3:8

Verse 39

And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.
the gate of Ephraim
8:16, 2 Kings 14:13
the old
3:6
the fish gate
3:3, Zephaniah 1:10
the tower
3:1, Jeremiah 31:38
the sheep
3:32, John 5:2
the prison
3:25,31; *Heb:; Jeremiah 32:2

Verse 40

So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
31,32, Psalms 42:4, 47:6-9, 134:1-3

Verse 41

And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
with trumpets

Verse 42

And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
sang loud
Heb. made their voice to be heard.
Psalms 81:1, 95:1, 98:4-9, 100:1,2, Isaiah 12:5,6
overseer
11:14

Verse 43

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
offered
Numbers 10:10, Deuteronomy 12:11,12, 1 Chronicles 29:21,22, 2 Chronicles 7:5-7,10, 29:35,36, Psalms 27:6
God
2 Chronicles 20:27, Job 34:29, Psalms 28:7, 30:11,12, 92:4, Isaiah 61:3, 66:10-14, Jeremiah 33:11, John 16:22
the wives also
Exodus 15:20,21, 2 Chronicles 20:13, Psalms 148:11-13, Jeremiah 31:13, Matthew 21:9,15, Ephesians 5:19, James 5:13
the joy
1 Samuel 4:5, Ezra 3:13

Verse 44

And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
some
10:37-39, 13:5,12,13, 2 Chronicles 13:11,12, 31:11-13
chambers
1 Chronicles 9:26, 26:21-26
of the law
that is, appointed by the law. Judah rejoiced. Heb. the joy of Judah. Levites.
Numbers 3:10, 8:24,25, 1 Chronicles 23:28, 2 Chronicles 5:11,12, Proverbs 8:34, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 12:7
waited
Heb. stood.

Verse 45

And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
the singers
1 Chronicles 25:1-26
the ward
That is, they suffered no unclean person to enter the temple.
1 Chronicles 23:28, 2 Chronicles 23:6

Verse 46

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
and Asaph
1 Chronicles 25:1-31, 2 Chronicles 29:30, Psalms 73:1; *title; Psalms 83:1; *title

Verse 47

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.
Zerubbabel
1,12,26
gave
10:35-39, 13:10-12, 2 Chronicles 31:5,6, Malachi 3:8-10, Galatians 6:6
and they
That is, the people separated, or set apart, the tenth of the produce of their lands for the use of the Levites; and the Levites separated the tenth of their tithes for the priests.
Numbers 18:21-29
sanctified
that is, set apart.

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