Nehemiah 10

1 Those who set their seal are Nehemi'ah the governor, the son of Hacali'ah, Zedeki'ah,

2 Serai'ah, Azari'ah, Jeremiah,

3 Pashhur, Amari'ah, Malchi'jah,

4 Hattush, Shebani'ah, Malluch,

5 Harim, Mer'emoth, Obadi'ah,

6 Daniel, Gin'nethon, Baruch,

7 Meshul'lam, Abi'jah, Mi'jamin,

8 Ma-azi'ah, Bil'gai, Shemai'ah; these are the priests.

9 And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azani'ah, Bin'nui of the sons of Hen'adad, Kad'mi-el;

10 and their brethren, Shebani'ah, Hodi'ah, Keli'ta, Pelai'ah, Hanan,

11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabi'ah,

12 Zaccur, Sherebi'ah, Shebani'ah,

13 Hodi'ah, Bani, Beni'nu.

14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pa'hath-mo'ab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Be'bai,

16 Adoni'jah, Bigva'i, Adin,

17 Ater, Hezeki'ah, Azzur,

18 Hodi'ah, Hashum, Be'zai,

19 Hariph, An'athoth, Ne'bai,

20 Mag'piash, Meshul'lam, Hezir,

21 Meshez'abel, Zadok, Jad'du-a,

22 Pelati'ah, Hanan, Anai'ah,

23 Hoshe'a, Hanani'ah, Hasshub,

24 Hallo'hesh, Pi'lha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashab'nah, Ma-asei'ah,

26 Ahi'ah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluch, Harim, Ba'anah.

28 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding,

29 join with their brethren, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's law which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his ordinances and his statutes.

30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons;

31 and if the peoples of the land bring in wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or on a holy day; and we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

32 We also lay upon ourselves the obligation to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:

33 for the showbread, the continual cereal offering, the continual burnt offering, the sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

34 We have likewise cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law.

35 We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the LORD;

36 also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks;

37 and to bring the first of our coarse meal, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns.

38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes; and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers, to the storehouse.

39 For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.

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.

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.