THE NAMES OF THE LEADERS OF FAMILIES WHO SEALED THE SURE AGREEMENT (NEHEMIAH 10:1). Nehemiah 10:1 ‘Now those who sealed were:' Literally ‘on the seal were --.' The names are now given of the family heads who sealed the agreement. As we would expect the name of the Governor came first. Nehemiah 1... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTLY FAMILIES (NEHEMIAH 10:2). Following the governor were named the priestly families, who would clearly be important in anything involving an agreement with God. It was they who represented Israel before God. One problem we have in comparing these names with those used elsewhere is firstl... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NAMES OF THE LEADING LEVITES WHO SEALED THE AGREEMENT (NEHEMIAH 10:9). Nehemiah 10:9 ‘And the Levites:' Next come the names of the leading Levites. But they were much more involved with the people than the priests (as chapter 9 has made clear). Thus their heading comes prior to their names.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHIEFS OF THE PEOPLE (NEHEMIAH 10:14). Nehemiah 10:14 ‘The chiefs of the people:' Nehemiah 10:14 ‘ Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,' 10:15 ‘Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,' 10:16 ‘Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,' 10:17 ‘Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,' 10:18 ‘Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,' 10:19 ‘Hariph, Anathoth,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REMAINDER OF THE PEOPLE, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES, THE TEMPLE SERVANTS, NEW CONVERTS TO YAHWISM, AND THE CHILDREN AT AN AGE OF UNDERSTANDING, ALL ENTER INTO THE SOLEMN AGREEMENT (NEHEMIAH 10:28 A). So serious was the intent that the whole of the people solemnly subscribed... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT (NEHEMIAH 10:29). Throughout the books of Ezra and Nehemiah certain particular contemporary issues stand out. These include the taking of idolatrous foreign wives (Nehemiah 13:23; Ezra 9-10), the failure to strictly observe the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15), and the exaction... [ Continue Reading ]
REGULATION IN RESPECT OF VARIOUS OFFERINGS (NEHEMIAH 10:35). We do not know how far these offerings had been neglected. There is no reason for arguing that they had hitherto been unknown. Even granted that the Law had not been read out, some memory of them would have survived. But when they were li... [ Continue Reading ]