Nehemiah 10:32

32 "We will be accountable for carrying out the commands for serving in the house of our God. Each of us will give an eighth of an ounce of silver every year.

Nehemiah 10:32 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 10:32

Also we made ordinance, for us
Laws among themselves, binding them to that which the laws of God did not:

to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel, for the
service of the house of our God;
the particulars of which follow in the next verse; for the defraying of which there used to be a treasury in the temple; but now there was none, and therefore they took this method to assess themselves; and being poor, instead of the half shekel, which in some cases was required, they only charged themselves with the third part of one; though Aben Ezra thinks this was added to the half shekel, and was paid over and above that; according to Brerewood ^F1, it was of the value of ten pence of our money: Waserus ^F2 has given us the figure of one of these coins, with this inscription, a "third" part of a shekel of Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 1.
F2 De Antiqu. Num. Heb. l. 2.

Nehemiah 10:32 In-Context

30 The priests, Levites and people said, "We promise not to give our daughters to be married to men from the nations that are around us. And we promise not to let their daughters get married to our sons.

31 "The people around us will bring goods and grain to sell on the Sabbath day. But we won't buy anything from them on the Sabbath. In fact, we won't buy anything from them on any holy day. Every seventh year we won't farm the land. And we'll forgive people what they owe us.

32 "We will be accountable for carrying out the commands for serving in the house of our God. Each of us will give an eighth of an ounce of silver every year.

33 It will pay for the holy bread that is placed on the table in the temple. It will pay for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings. It will pay for the offerings on the Sabbath days. It will pay for the offerings at the New Moon Feasts and appointed feasts. It will pay for the holy offerings. It will be used for sin offerings to pay for the sin of Israel. It will also pay for everything else that needs to be done at the house of our God.

34 "We are the priests, Levites and people. We have cast lots to decide when each of our families should bring a gift of wood to the house of our God. They will bring it at certain appointed times every year. The wood will be burned on the altar of the LORD our God. That's what the Law requires.