N
E H E M I A H
CHAP. X.
We
have in this chapter a particular account of the covenant which in the close
of the foregoing chapter was resolved upon; they struck while the iron was
not, and immediately put that good resolve in execution, when they were in a
good frame, lest, if it should be delayed, it might be dropped. Here we have,
I. The names of those that set their hands and seals to it, ver. 1-27. II. An
account of those who signified their consent and concurrence, ver. 28, 29.
III. The covenant itself, and the articles of it in general, that they would
"keep God's commandments" (ver. 29); in particular, that they would
not marry with the heathen (ver. 30), nor profane the sabbath, nor be rigorous
with their debtors (ver. 31), and that they would carefully pay their
church-dues, for the maintenance of the temple service, which they promise
faithfully to adhere to, ver. 32-39.
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The Sealing of the Covenant.
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B.
C. 444.
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1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah,
the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 2 Seraiah,
Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. 9 And
the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad,
Kadmiel; 10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita,
Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur,
Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The
chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 15
Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17
Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19
Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub, 24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 28 And the rest of the people, the
priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they
that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of
God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge,
and having understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren, their
nobles, and entered into a curse, and into 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 judgments and his statutes; 30 And that
we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their
daughters for our sons: 31 And if the people of the land
bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would
not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we
would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
When Israel was first brought into covenant with God it was done by sacrifice
and the sprinkling of blood, Exod. xxiv. But here it was done by the more
natural and common way of sealing and subscribing the written articles of the
covenant, which bound them to no more than was already their duty. Now here we
have,
I. The names of those public persons who, as the representatives and heads of
the congregation, set their hands and seals to this covenant, because it would
have been an endless piece of work for every particular person to do it; and,
if these leading men did their part in pursuance of this covenant, their
example would have a good influence upon all the people. Now observe, 1.
Nehemiah, who was the governor, signed first, to show his forwardness in this
work and to set others a good example, v. 1. Those that are above
others in dignity and power should go before them in the way of God. 2. Next
to him subscribed twenty-two priests, among whom I wonder we do not find Ezra,
who was an active man in the solemnity (ch. viii. 2) which was but the
first day of the same month, and therefore we cannot think he was absent; but
he, having before done his part as a scribe, now left it to others to do
theirs. 3. Next to the priests, seventeen Levites subscribed this covenant,
among whom we find all or most of those who were the mouth of the congregation
in prayer, ch. ix. 4, 5. This showed that they themselves were affected
with what they had said, and would not bind those burdens on others which they
themselves declined to touch. Those that lead in prayer should lead in every
other good work. 4. Next to the Levites, forty-four of the chief of the people
gave it under their hands for themselves and all the rest, chiefly those whom
they had influence upon, that they would keep God's commandments. Their names
are left upon record here, to their honour, as men that were forward and
active in reviving and endeavouring to perpetuate religion in their country.
The memory of such shall be blessed. It is observable that most of those who
were mentioned, ch. vii. 8, &c., as heads of houses or clans, are
here mentioned among the first of the chief of the people that subscribed,
whoever was the present head bearing the name of him that was head when they
came out of Babylon, and these were fittest to subscribe for all those of
their father's house. Here are Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani (v.
14), Azgad, Bebai, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth,
and some others in the following verses, that are all found in that catalogue.
Those that have interest must use it for God.
II. The concurrence of the rest of the people with them, and the rest of the
priests and Levites, who signified their consent to what their chiefs did.
With them joined, 1. Their wives and children; for they had transgressed, and
they must reform. Every one that had knowledge and understanding must covenant
with God. As soon as young people grow up to be capable of distinguishing
between good and evil, and of acting intelligently, they ought to make it
their own act and deed to join themselves to the Lord. 2. The
proselytes of other nations, all that had separated themselves from the
people of the lands, their gods and their worship, unto the law of God,
and the observance of that law. See what conversion it; it is separating
ourselves from the course and custom of this world, and devoting ourselves to
the conduce of the word of God. And, as there is one law, so there is one
covenant, one baptism, for the stranger and for him that is born in the land.
Observe how the concurrence of the people is expressed, v. 29. (1.) They
clave to their brethren one and all. Here those whom the court blessed the
country blessed too! The commonalty agreed with their nobles in this good
work. Great men never look so great as when they encourage religion, and are
examples of it; and they would by that, as much as any thing, secure an
interest in the most valuable of their inferiors. Let but the nobles cordially
espouse religious causes, and perhaps they will find people cleave to them
therein closer than they can imagine. Observe, Their nobles are called their brethren;
for, in the things of God, rich and poor, high and low, meet together. (2.)
They entered into a curse and an oath. As the nobles confirmed the
covenant with their hands and seals, so the people with a curse and an oath,
solemnly appealing to God concerning their sincerity, and imprecating his just
revenge if they dealt deceitfully. Every oath has in it a conditional curse
upon the soul, which makes it a strong bond upon the soul; for our own
tongues, if false and lying tongues, will fall, and fall heavily, upon
ourselves.
III. The general purport of this covenant. They laid upon themselves no other
burden than this necessary thing, which they were already obliged to by all
other engagements of duty, interest, and gratitude--to walk in God's law,
and to do all his commandments, v. 29. Thus David swore that he
would keep God's righteous judgments, Ps. cxix. 106. Our own covenant
binds us to this, if not more strongly, yet more sensibly, than we were before
bound, and therefore we must not think it needless thus to bind ourselves.
Observe, When we bind ourselves to do the commandments of God we bind
ourselves to do all his commandments, and therein to have an eye to him
as the Lord and our Lord.
IV. Some of the particular articles of this covenant, such as were adapted to
their present temptations. 1. That they would not intermarry with the heathen,
v. 30. Many of them had been guilty of this, Ezra ix. 1. In our
covenants with God we should engage particularly against those sins that we
have been most frequently overtaken in and damaged by. Those that resolve to keep
the commandments of God must say to evil doers, Depart, Ps. cxix. 115. 2.
That they would keep no markets on the sabbath day, or any other day of which
the law had said, You shall do no work therein. They would not only not
sell goods themselves for gain on that day, but they would not encourage the
heathen to sell on that day by buying of them, no not victuals, under pretence
of necessity; but would buy in their provisions for their families the day
before, v. 31. Note, Those that covenant to keep all God's commandments
must particularly covenant to keep sabbaths well; for the profanation of them
is an inlet to other instances of profaneness. The sabbath is a market day for
our souls, but not for our bodies. 3. That they would not be severe in
exacting their debts, but would observe the seventh year as a year of release,
according to the law, v. 31. In this matter they had been faulty (ch.
v.), and here therefore they promise to reform. This was the acceptable fast,
to undo the heavy burden, and to let the oppressed go free, Isa.
lviii. 6. It was in the close of the day of expiation that the jubilee trumpet
sounded. It was for the neglect of observing the seventh year as a year of
rest for the land that God had made it enjoy its sabbaths seventy years (Lev.
xxvi. 35), and therefore they covenanted to observe that law. Those are
stubborn children indeed that will not amend the fault for which they have
been particularly corrected.
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The Renewal of Sacred Rites.
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B.
C. 444.
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32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge
ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house
of our God; 33 For the showbread, and for the continual meat
offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new
moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin
offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the
house of our God. 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: 35 And to bring the
firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year
by year, unto the house of the LORD:
36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written
in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the
house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our
God: 37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our
dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of
oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes
of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in
all the cities of our tillage. 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. 39 For the children of Israel and the
children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and
the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and
the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not
forsake the house of our God.
Having covenanted against the sins they had been guilty of, they proceed in
obliging themselves to revive and observe the duties they had neglected. We
must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well.
I. It was resolved, in general, that the temple service should be carefully
kept up, that the work of the house of their God should be done in its season,
according to the law, v. 33. Let not any people expect the blessing of
God unless they make conscience of observing his ordinances and keeping up the
public worship of him. Then it is likely to go well with our houses when care
is taken that the work of God's house go on well. It was likewise resolved
that they would never forsake the house of their God (v. 39), as
they and their fathers had done, would not forsake it for the house of any
other god, or for the high places, as idolaters did, nor forsake it for their
farms and merchandises, as those did that were atheistical and profane. Those
that forsake the worship of God forsake God.
II. It was resolved, in pursuance of this, that they would liberally maintain
the temple service, and not starve it. The priests were ready to do their part
in all the work of God's house, if the people would do theirs, which was to
find them with materials to work upon. Now here it was agreed and concluded,
1. That a stock should be raised for the furnishing of God's table and altar
plentifully. Formerly there were treasures in the house of the Lord for this
purpose, but these were gone, and there was no settled fund to supply the want
of them. It was a constant charge to provide show-bread for the table, two
lambs for the daily offerings, four for the sabbaths, and more, and more
costly, sacrifices for other festivals, occasional sin-offerings, and
meat-offerings, and drink-offerings for them all. They had no rich king to
provide these, as Hezekiah did; the priests could not afford to provide them,
their maintenance was so small; the people therefore agreed to contribute
yearly, every one of them, the third part of a shekel, about ten pence a-piece
for the bearing of this expense. When every one will act, and every one will
give, though but little, towards a good work, the whole amount will be
considerable. The tirshatha did not impose this tax, but the people made it an
ordinance for themselves, and charged themselves with it, v. 32, 33. 2.
That particular care should be taken to provide wood for the altar, to keep
the fire always burning upon it, and wherewith to boil the peace-offerings.
All of them, priests and Levites as well as people, agreed to bring in their
quota, and cast lots in what order they should bring it in, which family first
and which next, that there might be a constant supply, and not a scarcity at
one time and an overplus at another, v. 34. Thus they provided the fire
and the wood, as well as the lambs for the burnt-offerings. 3. That all those
things which the divine law had appointed for the maintenance of the priests
and Levites should be duly paid in, for their encouragement to mind their
business, and that they might not be under any temptation to neglect it for
the making of necessary provision for their families. Then the work of the
house of God is likely to go on when those that serve at the altar live, and
live comfortably, upon the altar. First-fruits and tenths were then the
principal branches of the ministers' revenues; and they here resolved, (1.) To
bring in the first-fruits justly, the first-fruits of their ground and trees
(Exod. xxiii. 19; Lev. xix. 23), the first-born of their children (even the
money wherewith they were to be redeemed) and of their cattle, Exod. xiii. 2,
11, 12 (this was given to the priests, Num. xviii. 15, 16), also the
first-fruits of their dough (Num. xv. 21), concerning which there is a
particular order given in the prophecy concerning the second temple, Ezek.
xliv. 30. (2.) To bring in their tenths likewise, which were due to the
Levites (v. 37), and a tenth out of those tenths to the priest, v.
38. This was the law (Num. xviii. 21-28); but these dues had been withheld, in
consequence of which God, by the prophet, charges them with robbing him
(Mal. iii. 8, 9), at the same time encouraging them to be more just to him and
his receivers, with a promise that, if they brought the tithes into the
store-house, he would pour out blessings upon them, v. 10.
This therefore they resolved to do, that there might be meat in God's house,
and plenty in the store-chambers of the temple, where the vessels of the
sanctuary were, v. 39. "We will do it (say they) in all the
cities of our tillage," v. 37. In all the cities of our
servitude, so the LXX., for they were servants in their own land, ch.
ix. 36. But (as Mr. Poole well observes), though they paid great taxes to the
kings of Persia, and had much hardship put upon them, they would not make that
an excuse for not paying their tithes, but would render to God the things that
were his, as well as to Cæsar the things that were his. We must do what we
can in works of piety and charity notwithstanding the taxes we pay to the
government, and cheerfully perform our duty to God in our servitude, which
will be the surest way to ease and liberty in God's due time.
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