Nehemiah 10:34

_AND WE CAST THE LOTS AMONG THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES, AND THE PEOPLE, FOR THE WOOD OFFERING, TO BRING IT INTO THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD, AFTER THE HOUSES OF OUR FATHERS, AT TIMES APPOINTED YEAR BY YEAR, TO BURN UPON THE ALTAR OF THE LORD OUR GOD, AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW:_ We cast the lots ... for the wood offering. The carrying of the wood had formerly been the work of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty was assigned as stated in the text. The practice afterward rose into great importance; and Josephus speaks ('Wars,' 2:, 17, sec. 6) of Xylophoria, or certain stated and solemn times at which the people brought up wood to the temple....

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....

Verse 34. _CAST THE LOTS -FOR THE WOOD-OFFERING_] There does not appear to have been any _wood-offering_ under the law. It was the business of the _Nethinim_ to procure this; and hence they were called _hewers of wood_ and _drawers of water_ to the congregation. But it is very likely that after the captivity few Nethinim were found; for as such, who were the descendants of the Gibeonites, were considered only as slaves among the Israelites, they would doubtless find it _as much_, if not _more_, their _interest_ to abide in the land of their captivity, than to return with their former masters. As there was not enough of such persons to provide wood for the fires of the temple, the people now cast lots, not _who_ should furnish the wood, but what class or district should furnish it at a particular time of the year, so that there might be a constant supply. One district furnished it for on...

No special provision was made by the Law, by David, or by Solomon, for the supply of wood necessary to keep fire ever burning upon the altar. Nehemiah established a system by which the duty of supplying the wood was laid as a burden in turn on the various clans or families, which were regarded as constituting the nation. The lot was used to determine the order in which the several families should perform the duty. A special day (the 14th of the fifth month, according to Josephus) was appointed for the bringing in of the supply; and this day was after a time regarded as a high festival, and called “the feast of the wood-offering.”...

EXPOSITION THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO SEALED, AND THE TERMS OF THE COVENANT (Nehemiah 10:1.). The covenant which the Levites had recommended, probably at the suggestion of Nehemiah and Ezra, whose hand may perhaps be traced in the long address of the preceding chapter (verses 6-38), was at once accepted by the heads of the nation in Church and State, and was "sealed to" by Nehemiah, by his secretary, by the heads of the priestly and Levitical families, each sealing for his house, by the heads of various lay families or communities, and by a certain number of individual laymen, sealing (as it would seem) for themselves only. The rest of the people, those who did not actually s

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Those who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:1)_ 2. The obligations of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:28) Nehemiah 10:1. The last verse of the preceding chapter mentions a covenant. “And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal unto it.” In this chapter we find the names of the heads of the different houses who sealed the covenant, which means they put their signature to it. According to talmudical tradition these signers constituted “the Great Synagogue.” Originally it consisted of 120 members, but later only 70 belonged to it. Its covenants were as follows: _ (1) Not to marry heathen women;_...

NEHEMIAH 9:38 TO NEHEMIAH 10:39. THE COVENANT. This section is probably originally from Ezra's memoirs, though it has been considerably worked over, presumably not by the Chronicler, since he writes in the third person. It is, in the main, written in the first person plural, and may in its present form have come from some loyal follower of Ezra or Nehemiah who writes as representing one of the people. The special points of the covenant are the undertaking not to marry foreigners, to observe the Sabbath more strictly, to remit debts in the seventh year, to pay a third of a shekel to the Temple, to supply wood for burning the sacrifices, to offer all the first-fruits, and to give tithes; with all this _cf._ ch. 13....

THE WOOD OFFERING. Hebrew the offering of wood. Figure of speech _Hypallage._ App-6. Not prescribed by the law. Josephus calls it _Xylophory,_ or wood-bearing.. feast kept on the 22nd of Ab, and at other times. BURN. Hebrew. _ba'ar,_ to consume. Not _yazath_ (as in Nehemiah 1:3; Nehemiah 2:17); or _saraph_ (as in Nehemiah 4:2. App-43.) WRITTEN IN THE LAW. See note on Exodus 17:14, and App-47....

_And we cast the lots_ R.V. AND WE CAST LOTS. The use of the article in the Heb. does not here call attention to the use of any peculiarly sacred -lots," but generally to the means employed for ascertaining the Divine will. For decision by the casting of lots, cf. the choosing of the goat on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:8-10), the distribution of the Promised Land (Joshua 14:2; Joshua 18:10), the selection of the first king (1 Samuel 10:19), the distribution of offices among the 24 priestly houses (1Ch 24:5; 1 Chronicles 25:8

_WHAT DID THE PEOPLE PROMISE TO GIVE -- NEHEMIAH 10:32-39:_ The people make promises and ordinances that they would provide funds needed to do the work in the Temple. They determined to give a certain amount per person each year to accomplish this goal. This was a voluntary decision of the people to support the Temple work. They would be sure that the wood was provided to burn the sacrifices. These Jews also agreed to obey the laws of God regarding giving Him the firstfruits of the harvest and the firstborn of the people and animals. The gifts would be brought to the Temple and stored until they were needed. This store of good was to insure that the service to God in the Temple would not be neglected. Let us learn to uses whatever we have to the glory of God and to help build up his kingdom. If we give back to God anything less than what He deserves it is to rob Him. ...