Nehemiah 12

Ne 12:1-9.

PRIESTS AND

LEVITES

WHO

CAME

UP WITH

ZERUBBABEL.

1. these are the priests--according to

Ne 12:7,

"the chief of the priests," the heads of the twenty-four courses into

which the priesthood was divided

(1Ch 24:1-20).

Only four of the courses returned from the captivity

(Ne 7:39-42;

Ezr 2:36-39).

But these were divided by Zerubbabel, or Jeshua, into the original

number of twenty-four. Twenty-two only are enumerated here, and no more

than twenty in

Ne 12:12-21.

The discrepancy is due to the extremely probable circumstance that two

of the twenty-four courses had become extinct in Babylon; for none

belonging to them are reported as having returned

(Ne 12:2-5).

Hattush and Maadiah may be omitted in the account of those persons'

families

(Ne 12:12),

for these had no sons.

Shealtiel--or Salathiel.

Ezra--This was most likely a different person from the pious and

patriotic leader. If he were the same person, he would now have reached

a very patriarchal age--and this longevity would doubtless be due to

his eminent piety and temperance, which are greatly conducive to the

prolongation of life, but, above all, to the special blessing of God,

who had preserved and strengthened him for the accomplishment of the

important work he was called upon to undertake in that critical period

of the Church's history.

4. Abijah--one of the ancestors of John the Baptist

(Lu 1:5).

9. their brethren, were over against them in the watches--that is,

according to some, their stations--the places where they stood when

officiating--"ward over against ward"

(Ne 12:24);

or, according to others, in alternate watches, in course of

rotation.

Ne 12:10-47.

SUCCESSION OF THE

HIGH

PRIESTS.

10. Jeshua begat Joiakim, &c.--This enumeration was of great

importance, not only as establishing their individual purity of

descent, but because the chronology of the Jews was henceforth to be

reckoned, not as formerly by the reigns of their kings, but by the

successions of their high priests.

11. Jaddua--It is an opinion entertained by many commentators that

this person was the high priest whose dignified appearance, solemn

manner, and splendid costume overawed and interested so strongly the

proud mind of Alexander the Great; and if he were not this person (as

some object that this Jaddua was not in office till a considerable

period after the death of Nehemiah), it might probably be his father,

called by the same name.

12. in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers--As

there had been priests in the days of Jeshua, so in the time of

Joiakim, the son and successor of Jeshua, the sons of those persons

filled the priestly office in the place of their fathers, some of whom

were still alive, though many were dead.

23. The sons of Levi . . . were written in the book of the

chronicles--that is, the public registers in which the genealogies

were kept with great regularity and exactness.

27-43. at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem--This ceremony

of consecrating the wall and gates of the city was an act of piety on

the part of Nehemiah, not merely to thank God in a general way for

having been enabled to bring the building to a happy completion, but

especially because that city was the place which He had chosen. It also

contained the temple which was hallowed by the manifestation of His

presence, and anew set apart to His service. It was on these accounts

that Jerusalem was called "the holy city," and by this public and

solemn act of religious observance, after a long period of neglect and

desecration, it was, as it were, restored to its rightful proprietor.

The dedication consisted in a solemn ceremonial, in which the leading

authorities, accompanied by the Levitical singers, summoned from all

parts of the country, and by a vast concourse of people, marched in

imposing procession round the city walls, and, pausing at intervals to

engage in united praises, prayer, and sacrifices, supplicated the

continued presence, favor, and blessing on "the holy city." "The

assembly convened near Jaffa Gate, where the procession commences.

Then

(Ne 12:31)

I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall (near the Valley

Gate), and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks,

whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall towards the dung gate

(through Bethzo). And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the

princes of Judah. And

(Ne 12:37)

at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they (descending

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 (by the

staircase of the rampart, having descended to dedicate the fountain

structures). And the other company of them that gave thanks went

over against them (both parties having started from the junction of

the first and second walls), 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 (beyond the corner gate). And from above the gate

of Ephraim, and above the old gate (and the gate of Benjamin),

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

(or high gate, at the east end of the bridge). So stood the two

companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and half

of the rulers with me (having thus performed the circuit of the

investing walls), and arrived in the courts of the temple" [BARCLAY, City of the Great King].

43. the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off--The events of the

day, viewed in connection with the now repaired and beautified state of

the city, raised the popular feeling to the highest pitch of

enthusiasm, and the fame of their rejoicings was spread far and near.

44. portions of the law--that is, "prescribed by the law."

for Judah rejoiced for the priests and . . . Levites that waited--The

cause of this general satisfaction was either the full restoration of

the temple service and the reorganized provision for the permanent

support of the ministry, or it was the pious character and eminent

gifts of the guardians of religion.

45. the singers and the porters kept . . . the ward of the

purification--that is, took care that no unclean person was

allowed to enter within the precincts of the sacred building. This was

the official duty of the porters

(2Ch 23:19),

with whom, owing to the pressure of circumstances, it was deemed

expedient that the singers should be associated as assistants.

47. all Israel . . . sanctified holy things unto the

Levites,--&c. The people, selecting the tithes and first-fruits,

devoted them to the use of the Levites, to whom they belonged by

appointment of the law. The Levites acted in the same way with the

tithes due from them to the priests. Thus all classes of the people

displayed a conscientious fidelity in paying the dues to the temple and

the servants of God who were appointed to minister in it.