Nehemiah 10:38

_AND THE PRIEST THE SON OF AARON SHALL BE WITH THE LEVITES, WHEN THE LEVITES TAKE TITHES: AND THE LEVITES SHALL BRING UP THE TITHE OF THE TITHES UNTO THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD, TO THE CHAMBERS, INTO THE TREASURE HOUSE._ The priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes. This was a prudential arrangement. The presence of a dignified priest would ensure the peaceful delivery of the tithes-at least his superintendence and influence would tend to prevent the commission of any wrong in the transaction, by the people deceiving the Levites, or the Levites defrauding the priests. THE TITHE OF THE TITHES - i:e., the Levites having received a tenth of all land produce, were required to give a tenth of this to the priests. The Levites were charged, with the additional obligation to carry the tithes when received, and deposit them in the temple stores, for the use of...

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 38. _TITHE OF THE TITHES_] The tithes of all the produce of the fields were brought to the Levites; out of these a _tenth_ part was given to the priests. This is what is called the _tithe_ _of the tithes_. The law for this is found, Numbers 18:26....

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....

INTO. attached to....

_the priest the son of Aaron_ This is not the high-priest; but in every -city of their tillage" one of priestly descent was to superintend the paying in of the tithe which had been collected by the Levites, so that the interests of the priesthood should not suffer. _the tithe of the tithes_ This was paid by the Levites to the priests, according to Numbers 18:25-28. The law of -tithe" in Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Deuteronomy 26:12-15 differs very widely from that in Numbers, except in the point that it was to be derived from the produce of the soil. The characteristic features of the Deuteronomic law of tithe are (1) the annual social feast ...

_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. ...

4. The people also arranged support for the Levites, who in turn would support the priests. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 10:34-39 34 Likewise we cast lots for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites, and the people in order that they might bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers-' households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the law; 35 and in order that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the LORD annually, 36 and bring to the house of our God the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, and the first-born of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God. 37 We will also bring the first of our dough, our contrib