Nechemyah 13:4

4 And before this, Elyashiv the Kohen, having the oversight of the storeroom of the Beis Eloheinu, was allied unto Toviyah;

Nechemyah 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 13:4

And before this
Before the above law was read, and observed and acted upon:

Eliashib the priest;
whom some take to be a common priest; so Bishop Usher ^F1; but he seems rather to be the high priest, by comparing it with ( Nehemiah 13:28 ) ,

having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God;
which has led some to the notion of his being a common priest; but chamber may be put for chambers, and those for the whole house or temple, which the high priest had the greatest concern in, and oversight of:

was allied to Tobiah;
the servant and Ammonite, an inveterate enemy of the Jews, ( Nehemiah 2:10 Nehemiah 2:20 ) , having married a daughter of Shecaniah, and his son a daughter of Meshullam, who were both priests, and so as it seems related to Eliashib, ( Nehemiah 6:18 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 200.

Nechemyah 13:4 In-Context

2 Because they met not the Bnei Yisroel with lechem and with mayim, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them; howbeit Eloheinu turned the kelalah into a brocha.

3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the Torah, that they separated from Yisroel all the foreign descent.

4 And before this, Elyashiv the Kohen, having the oversight of the storeroom of the Beis Eloheinu, was allied unto Toviyah;

5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the minchah, the levonah, and the vessels, and the ma’aser of the grain, the tirosh, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levi’im, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the terumat hakohanim.

6 But in all this time was not I at Yerushalayim; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta Melech Bavel came I unto HaMelech, and after certain days obtained I leave of HaMelech;