28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nathinim, and every one who drew off from the nations of the land to the law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, every one who had knowledge and understanding,

29 were urgent with their brethren, and bound them under a curse, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in the law of God, which was given by the hand of Moses, the servant of God; to keep and to do all the commandments of the Lord, and his judgments, and his ordinances;

30 and that we will not, give our daughters to the people of the land, nor will we take their daughters to our sons.

31 And the people of the land who bring wares and all merchandise to sell on the sabbath-day, we not buy of them on the sabbath or on the holy day: and we will leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

32 And we will impose ordinances upon ourselves, to levy on ourselves the third part of a didrachm yearly for the service of the house of our God;

33 the shewbread, and the continual meat-offering, and for the continual whole-burnt-offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moon, for the feast, and for the holy things, and the sin-offerings, to make atonement for Israel, and for the works of the house of our God.

34 And we cast lots for the office of wood-bearing, the priests, and the Levites, and the people, to bring into the house of our God, according to the house of our families, at certain set times, year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:

35 and to bring the first-fruits of our land, and the first-fruits of the fruit of every tree, year by year, into the house of the Lord:

36 the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the first-born of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, for the priests that minister in the house of our God.

37 And the first-fruits of our corn, and the fruit of every tree, of wine, and of oil, will we bring to the priests to the treasury of the house of God; and a tithe of our land to the Levites: for the Levites themselves shall receive tithes in all the cities of the land we cultivate.

38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites in the tithe of the Levite: and the Levites shall bring up the tenth part of tithe to the house of our God, into the treasuries of the house of God.

39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring into the treasuries the first-fruits of the corn, and wine, and oil; and there the holy vessels, and the priests, and the ministers, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

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Nehemiah 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The covenant, Those who signed it. (1-31) Their engagement to sacred rites. (32-39)

Verses 1-31 Conversion is separating from the course and custom of this world, devoting ourselves to the conduct directed by the word of God. When we bind ourselves to do the commandments of God, it is to do all his commandments, and to look to him as the Lord, and our Lord.

Verses 32-39 Having covenanted against the sins of which they had been guilty, they obliged themselves to observe the duties they had neglected. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well. Let not any people expect the blessing of God, unless they keep up public worship. It is likely to go well with our houses, when care is taken that the work of God's house goes on well. When every one helps, and every one gives, though but little, toward a good work, the whole will come to be a large sum. We must do what we can in works of piety and charity; and whatever state we are placed in, cheerfully perform our duty to God, which will be the surest way to ease and liberty. As the ordinances of God are the appointed means of support to our souls, the believer will not grudge the expense; yet most people leave their souls to starve.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 10

In this chapter we have the names of the persons that signed and sealed the covenant mentioned in the last chapter, Ne 10:1-27, and the things they agreed unto and promised to perform; in general to observe the law of God, in particular not to marry with the people of the land, to keep the sabbaths weekly and yearly, to pay annually the third part of the shekel for the service of the temple, to bring into it the wood offerings, first fruits, firstborn, and tithes, Ne 10:28-39.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible