Nehemiah 10:28

And the rest of the people This may be understood in two different ways: (a) according to some it denotes the mass of the laity, as distinguished from their princes and elders, like -the people" (Nehemiah 10:35), -the residue of Israel" (Nehemiah 11:20), and -Israel" (1 Chronicles 9:2); (b) according to others under this head are included the various classes of the community mentioned in the present verse, but distinct from the representative names which have occupied the previous lists. It is not another group, but stands at the head of the verse in apposition to the groups to be mentioned. -The priests" are the individual members of the great houses whose representatives had taken part -in the sealing." So also the subordinate religious orders, who are here divided into their classes of (a) Levites proper, (b) porters, (c) singers, (d) Nethinim. With the last name we should also probably associate -the servants of Solomon," Nehemiah 7:57; Ezra 2:43-54.

Nethinims R.V. Nethinim.

all they that had separated themselves See note on Ezra 6:21. By this class are probably intended Jews who had not gone into exile, but, having either in foreign lands or in Palestine been faithless to their religion, had since separated themselves from idolatry. Another explanation, which has some support from the words -from the peoples of the lands," understands by this expression -proselytes who had attached themselves to the Jewish faith."

from the people(R.V. peoples) of the lands unto the law of God The antithesis is striking. Not -from the peoples of the lands to the people of Israel," but -from the peoples of the land," who were identified with abomination and filthiness (Ezra 6:21), to -the law of God," which was the one standard of the claim to be a true Israelite.

having knowledge, and having understanding R.V. that had knowledge and understanding. See note on Nehemiah 8:2-3; i.e. all of age and intelligence to know and understand the law. Vulg. -omnes qui poterant sapere."

their brethren, their nobles i.e. the representatives of the great families who subscribed to the sealing of the Covenant. The people warmly supported them.

a curse … an oath The -curse" is the penalty which they invoked if they were faithless to the Covenant; the -oath" is the solemn obligation of a duty which they vowed to perform.

For the phrase -enter into an oath," cf. Deuteronomy 29:12 -that thou shouldest enter into the Covenant of the Lord thy God and into his oath."

to walk in God's law, &c. Compare the similar terms of the Covenant in Josiah's reign, 2 Kings 23:3.

the Lord our Lord i.e. Jahveh (Jehovah) our Lord.