Commentaryjournal NEHEMIAH 12

Home , Eliashib (High Priest), Jedaiah, Johanan (High Priest), Joiada, Joiakim (High Priest), Seraiah

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020

CommentaryJournal NEHEMIAH 12 ...... 12:1–7 With the Judahite-Benjaminite settlement of their point of departure, one may well imagine Nehemiah Jerusalem...... and the region now documented, the account surveyingwithsomesatisfactiontheprogressthathadbeen offers a supplementary list of clerical personnel extending made since he passed through the very same gate to ...... across multiple generations. The list is headed by those inspect the ruined walls in the dead of night on his arrival in ...... associated with the high priesthood of Jeshua (12:1, 7) Jerusalem (Neh 2). […] during the first return under Darius I, sixteen of which (in 12:40–43Proceeding on to the temple, the two companies ...... varying forms) are found in the list of signatories to the take their places to give “thanks,” with the presence of the covenant in Neh 10...... priests noted as well as the trumpets (12:41) and singers 12:8–26 […] Notes concerning the recording of the Levites (12:42). Here, as at the dedications of the temple (Ezra 6) ...... and priests (Neh 12:22–23) offer a further hint of the and the altar (Ezra 3), mention is made of both joyful consuming interest (visible in these very lists) in celebration and the offering of sacrifices (Neh 12:43). […] documenting...... who did what in the days of the return, while The amplification of such joy is accomplished not only by 12:24 recollects those responsible not just for thanksgiving means of repetition within the verse but also by mentioning (cf...... 11:17) but now also for “praise,”both of which are seen that the noise was so loud that it could be heard at a ...... to have a Davidic connection (cf. Chronicles). The distance, inviting comparison with the similar sentiment in gatekeepers, familiar from 11:19, remind the reader of just Ezra 3:13. While there, in the early days of the restoration ...... how treasured the newly rebuilt temple and its precincts we see both rejoicing and regret; here in Neh 12, at the were for the returnees, while the intention of the final verse dedicationofthewall,thesoundisnotamixtureoflaughter (12:26)maywellbetoindicatethattheserviceoftheLevites...... and tears, but rather one of pure, unadulterated praise. referred to in the previous verse was associated with the 12:44–47Whilethereaderhasalreadybeeninformedofthe days...... of Joiakim and those later days in which Ezra and people’s commitment to offer the first portions (10:35–37) Nehemiaharetobefoundtogether(whenEliashibwashigh ...... and to bring them to the storerooms (10:38–39), the priest). oversight of these chambers and their contents is 12:27–30...... Given the numbers of Levites already in the mentioned as being established “on that day”—that is, the capital (on the basis of the previous chapter), the day of the dedication (12:27–43). […] Having also already ...... summoning to Jerusalem of those from towns outside detailed that the provisioning of the singers was royally ...... (12:27; cf. 11:3, 20) hints at the scale of the celebrations to mandated (11:23), a further note here describes the means come. Their distinctive contribution “rejoicing, with of such provision (also for the gatekeepers), clarifying too thanksgivings...... and with singing”—anticipated already in the the process of supplying for the needs of the clerical classes foregoing lists (11:17; 12:24)—is elaborated upon here with in terms of “hallowing or setting apart.” the...... mention of musical instruments and indeed the recruiting of additional singers from the environs of the ...... capital (12:28–29). That such preparations would include ...... the purification of the Levites and the priests (12:30) is hardly unanticipated given the mention of this same practice...... in Ezra 6:20 at the dedication of the temple. […]

...... 12:31–39 […] To facilitate the giving of “thanks,”Nehemiah forms two great companies, the first of which, composed of ...... leaders, priests, and musicians, is led by Ezra (12:36). Nehemiah by contrast (12:38) follows the other half of the people...... (also giving thanks), with the two parting company from their starting point, likely at the Valley Gate. If this was ...... -142- INTERHIGH DEVOTIONADEVOTIONS TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020

BibleCommentary Text Nehemiah 12:1-47 (CSB) in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the 1 These are the priests and Levites who went up with days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: 27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 29 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, settlements of the Netophathites, from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built settlements 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, for themselves around Jerusalem.30 After the priests and 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the These were the heads of the priests andtheir relatives in the city gates, and the wall. days of Jeshua. 31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, 8 The Levites: and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.32 Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah— Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed,33 along with he and his relatives were in charge of the songs of praise. Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and 9 Bakbukiah, Unni, and their relatives stood opposite them in Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of the services. Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph 10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim, followed36 as well as his relatives—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in Eliashib fathered Joiada, front of them.37 At the Fountain Gate they climbed the steps 11 Joiada fathered Jonathan, of the city of David on the ascent of the wall and went above and Jonathan fathered Jaddua. the house of David to the Water Gate on the east. 12 In the days of Joiakim, the heads of the priestly families were 38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I Meraiah of Seraiah, followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past Hananiah of Jeremiah, the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,39 above the 13 Meshullam of Ezra, Ephraim Gate, and by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and theTower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. Jehohanan of Amariah, 40 14Jonathan of Malluchi, They stopped at the Gate of the Guard. The two Joseph of Shebaniah, thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I 15 and half of the officials accompanying me, 41 as well as the Adna of Harim, priests: Helkai of Meraioth, 16 Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Zechariah of Iddo, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Meshullam of Ginnethon, 17 and Hananiah, with trumpets; Zichri of Abijah, 42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Piltai of Moadiah, of Miniamin, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. 18 Shammua of Bilgah, Jehonathan of Shemaiah, Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader. 43On that 19 Mattenai of Joiarib, day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children also celebrated, Uzzi of Jedaiah, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away. 20 Kallai of Sallai, Eber of Amok, 44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms 21 Hashabiah of Hilkiah, that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. and Nethanel of Jedaiah. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to 22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the the priests and Levites who were serving.45 They performed the heads of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded service of their God and the service of purification, along with while Darius the Persian ruled.23 Levi’s descendants, the family the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had heads, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Events prescribed.46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.24 The heads of the there were heads of the singers and songs of praise and Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, thanksgiving to God.47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the thanks, division by division, as David the man of God had singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for prescribed.25 This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for Aaron’s Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers descendants. who guarded the storerooms at the city gates.26 These served EZRA,NEHEMIAH,PSALMS-143- TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020

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Go Deeper ...... Questions to help us go deeper Nehemiah 12:27-30 ...... • WhatcanIlearnfromthefactthatthefirstthing ...... the Levites did was to “[purify] themselves” and then “they purified the people” before they ...... celebrated joyfully? ...... Nehemiah 12:44-47 • What does this passage say regarding how a ...... church should function? What are the “daily portions”thatIamtocontributetoGod’schurch? ......

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