N
E H E M I A H
CHAP. XII.
In this chapter are
preserved upon record, I. The names of the chief of the priests and the
Levites that came up with Zerubbabel, ver. 1-9. II. The succession of the high
priests, ver. 10, 11. III. The names of the next generation of the other chief
priests, ver. 12-21. IV. The eminent Levites that were in Nehemiah's time,
ver. 22-26. V. The solemnity of dedicating the wall of Jerusalem, ver. 27-43. VI. The settling of the offices of the priests and Levites in
the temple, ver. 44-47.
|
The
Priests and Levites That Returned.
|
B.
C. 444.
|
|
|
1 Now these are the priests and the
Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah,
Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3
Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests
and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua. 8 Moreover the
Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which
was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. 9 Also
Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the
watches. 10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib,
and Eliashib begat Joiada, 11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and
Jonathan begat Jaddua. 12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests,
the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 Of Melicu,
Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth,
Helkai; 16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 Of
Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 And of Joiarib,
Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok,
Eber; 21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were
recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the
Persian. 23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were
written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son
of Eliashib. 24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah,
and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to
praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the
man of God, ward over against ward. 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah,
Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the
thresholds of the gates. 26 These were in the days of
Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the
governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
We have here the names, and little more than the names, of a great many
priests and Levites, that were eminent in their day among the returned Jews.
Why this register should be here inserted by Nehemiah does not appear, perhaps
to keep in remembrance those good men, that posterity might know to whom they
were beholden, under God, for the happy revival and re-establishment of their
religion among them. Thus must we contribute towards the performance of that
promise, Ps. cxii. 6, The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Let the memory of the just be blessed, be perpetuated. It is a debt we still
owe to faithful ministers to remember our guides, who have spoken to
us the word of God, Heb. xiii. 7. Perhaps it is intended to stir up their
posterity, who succeeded them in the priest's office and inherited their
dignities and preferments, to imitate their courage and fidelity. It is good
to know what our godly ancestors and predecessors were, that we may learn
thereby what we should be. We have here, 1. The names of the priests and
Levites that came up with the first out of Babylon, when Jeshua was high
priest. Jeremiah and Ezra are mentioned with the first (v. 1), but, it
is supposed, not Jeremiah the prophet nor Ezra the scribe; the fame of the one
was long before and that of the other some time after, though both of them
were priests. Of one of the Levites it is said (v. 8) that he was over
the thanksgiving, that is, he was entrusted to see that the psalms, the
thanksgiving psalms, were constantly sung in the temple in due time and
manner. The Levites kept their turns in their watches, reliving one another as
becomes brethren, fellow-labourers, and fellow-soldiers. 2. The succession of
high priests during the Persian monarchy, from Jeshua (or Jesus), who was high
priest at the time of the restoration, to Jaddua (or Jaddus), who was high
priest when Alexander the Great, after the conquest of Tyre, came to
Jerusalem, and paid great respect to this Jaddus, who met him in his
pontifical habit, and showed him the prophecy of Daniel, which foretold his
conquests. 3. The next generation of priests, who were chief men, and active
in the days of Joiakim, sons of the first set. Note, We have reason to
acknowledge God's favour to his church, and care of it, in that, as one
generation of ministers passes away, another comes. All those who are
mentioned v. 1, &c., as eminent in their generation, are again
mentioned, though with some variation in several of the names, v. 12,
&c., except two, as having sons that were likewise eminent in their
generation--a rare instance, that twenty good fathers should leave behind them
twenty good sons (for so many here are) that filled up their places. 4. The
next generation of Levites, or rather a latter generation; for those priests
who are mentioned flourished in the days of Joiakim the high priest, these
Levites in the days of Eliashib, v. 22. Perhaps then the
forementioned families of the priests began to degenerate, and the third
generation of them came short of the first two; but the work of God shall
never fail for want of instruments. Then a generation of Levites was raised
up, who were recorded chief of the fathers (v. 22), and were
eminently serviceable to the interests of the church, and their service not
the less acceptable either to God or to his people for their being Levites
only, of the lower rank of ministers. Eliashib the high priest being allied to
Tobiah (ch. xiii. 4), the other priests grew remiss; but then the
Levites appeared the more zealous, as appears by this, that those who were now
employed in expounding (ch. viii. 7) and in praying (ch. ix. 4,
5) were all Levites, not priests, regard being had to their personal
qualifications more than to their order. These Levites were some of them
singers (v. 24), to praise and give thanks, others of them
porters (v. 25), keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates,
and both according to the command of David.
|
The Dedication of the Wall.
|
B.
C. 444.
|
|
|
27 And at the dedication of the wall of
Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to
Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and
with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. 28
And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the
plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;
29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth:
for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the
people, and the gates, and the wall. 31 Then I brought up the
princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them
that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall
toward the dung gate: 32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of
the princes of Judah, 33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 And certain
of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of
Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the
son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph: 36 And his brethren, Shemaiah,
and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the
musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before
them. 37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them,
they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall,
above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward. 38
And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them,
and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the
tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; 39 And from above
the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the
tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they
stood still in the prison gate. 40 So stood the two companies
of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the
rulers with me: 41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and
Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their
overseer. 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and
rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the
children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
We have read of the building of the wall of Jerusalem with a great deal of
fear and trembling; we have here an account of the dedicating of it with a
great deal of joy and triumph. Those that sow in tears shall thus reap.
I. We must enquire what was the meaning of this dedication of the wall; we
will suppose it to include the dedication of the city too (continens pro
contento--the thing containing for the thing contained), and therefore it
was not done till the city was pretty well replenished, ch. xi. 1. It
was a solemn thanksgiving to God for his great mercy to them in the perfecting
of this undertaking, of which they were the more sensible because of the
difficulty and opposition they had met with in it. 2. They hereby devoted the
city in a peculiar manner to God and to his honour, and took possession of it
for him and in his name. All our cities, all our houses, must have holiness to
the Lord written upon them; but this city was (so as never any other was) a holy
city, the city of the great King (Ps. xlviii. 2 and Matt. v. 35):
it had been so ever since God chose it to put his name there, and as such, it
being now refitted, it was afresh dedicated to God by the builders and
inhabitants, in token of their acknowledgment that they were his tenants, and
their desire that it might still be is and that the property of it might never
be altered. Whatever is done for their safety, ease, and comfort, must be
designed for God's honour and glory. 3. They hereby put the city and its walls
under the divine protection, owning that unless the Lord kept the city
the walls were built in vain. When this city was in possession of the
Jebusites, they committed the guardianship of it to their gods, though they
were blind and lame ones, 2 Sam. v. 6. With much more reason do the people of
God commit it to his keeping who is all-wise and almighty. The superstitious
founders of cities had an eye to the lucky position of the heavens (see Mr.
Gregory's works, p. 29, &c.); but these pious founders had an eye to God
only, to his providence, and not to fortune.
II. We must observe with what solemnity it was performed, under the direction
of Nehemiah. 1. The Levites from all parts of the country were summoned to
attend. The city must be dedicated to God, and therefore his ministers must be
employed in the dedicating of it, and the surrender must pass through their
hands. When those solemn feasts were over (ch. viii. and ix.) they went
home to their respective posts, to mind their cures in the country; but now
their presence and assistance were again called for. 2. Pursuant to this
summons, there was a general rendezvous of all the Levites, v. 28, 29.
Observe in what method they proceeded. (1.) They purified themselves, v.
30. We are concerned to cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts,
when any work for God is to pass through them. They purified themselves and
then the people. Those that would be instrumental to sanctify others must
sanctify themselves, and set themselves apart for God, with purity of mind and
sincerity of intention. Then they purified the gates and the wall. Then
may we expect comfort when we are prepared to receive it. To the pure all
things are pure (Tit. i. 15); and, to those who are sanctified, houses and
tables, and all their creature comforts and enjoyments, are sanctified, 1 Tim.
iv. 4, 5. This purification was performed, it is probable, by sprinkling the water
of purifying (or of separation, as it is called, Num. xix. 9) on themselves
and the people, the walls and the gates--a type of the blood of Christ,
with which our consciences being purged from dead works, we become fit
to serve the living God (Heb. ix. 14) and to be his care. (2.) The
princes, priests, and Levites, walked round upon the wall in two companies,
with musical instruments, to signify the dedication of it all to God, the
whole circuit of it (v. 36); so that it is likely they sung psalms as
they went along, to the praise and glory of God. This procession is here
largely described. They had a rendezvous at one certain lace, where they
divided themselves into two companies. Half of the princes, with several
priests and Levites, went on the right hand, Ezra leading their van, v.
36. The other half of the princes and priests, who gave thanks likewise, went
to the left hand, Nehemiah bringing up the rear, v. 38. At length both
companies met in the temple, where they joined their thanksgivings, v.
40. The crowd of people, it is likely, walked on the ground, some within the
wall and others without, one end of this ceremony being to affect them with
the mercy they were giving thanks for, and to perpetuate the remembrance of it
among them. Processions, for such purposes, have their use. (3.) The people greatly
rejoiced, v. 43. While the princes, priests, and Levites, testified
their joy and thankfulness by great sacrifices, sound of trumpet, musical
instruments, and songs of praise, the common people testified theirs by
loud shouts, which were heard afar off, further than the more harmonious sound
of their songs and music: and these shouts, coming from a sincere and hearty
joy, are here taken notice of; for God overlooks not, but graciously accepts,
the honest zealous services of mean people, though there is in them little of
art and they are far from being fine. It is observed that the women and
children rejoiced; and their hosannas were not despised, but recorded to
their praise. All that share in public mercies ought to join in public
thanksgivings. The reason given is that God had made them rejoice with
great joy. He had given them both matter for joy and hearts to rejoice;
his providence had made them safe and easy, and then his grace made them
cheerful and thankful. The baffled opposition of their enemies, no doubt,
added to their joy and mixed triumph with it. Great mercies call for the most
solemn returns of praise, in the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst
of thee, O Jerusalem!
|
The
People's Attention to Their Duty.
|
B.
C. 444.
|
|
|
44 And at that time were some appointed over
the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and
for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the
portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the
priests and for the Levites that waited. 45 And both the singers
and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification,
according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the
singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. 47 And all
Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the
portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they
sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them
unto the children of Aaron.
We have here an account of the remaining good effects of the universal joy
that was at the dedication of the wall. When the solemnities of a thanksgiving
day leave such impressions on ministers and people as that both are more
careful and cheerful in doing their duty afterwards, then they are indeed
acceptable to God and turn to a good account. So it was here. 1. The ministers
were more careful than they had been of their work; the respect the people
paid them upon this occasion encouraged them to diligence and watchfulness, v.
45. The singers kept the ward of their God, attending in due time to
the duty of their office; the porters, too, kept the ward of the
purification, that is, they took care to preserve the purity of the temple
by denying admission to those that were ceremonially unclean. When the joy of
the Lord thus engages us to our duty, and enlarges us in it, it is then an
earnest of that joy which, in concurrence with the perfection of holiness,
will be our everlasting bliss. 2. The people were more careful than they had
been of the maintenance of their ministers. The people, at the dedication of
the wall, among other things which they made matter of their joy, rejoiced for
the priests and for the Levites that waited, v. 44. They had a
great deal of comfort in their ministers, and were glad of them. When they
observed how diligently they waited, and what pains they took in their work,
they rejoiced in them. Note, The surest way for ministers to recommend
themselves to their people, and gain an interest in their affections, is to
wait on their ministry (Rom. xii. 7), to be humble and industrious, and to
mind their business. When these did so the people thought nothing too much to
do for them, to encourage them. The law had provided then their portions
(v. 44), but what the better were they for that provision if what the
law appointed them either was not duly collected or not justly paid to them?
Now, (1.) Care is here taken for the collecting of their dues. They were
modest, and would rather lose their right than call for it themselves. The
people were many of them careless and would not bring their dues unless they
were called upon; and therefore some were appointed whose office it
should be to gather into the treasuries, out of the fields of the cities,
the portions of the law for the priests and Levites (v. 44), that
their portion might not be lost for want of being demanded. This is a piece of
good service both to ministers and people, that the one may not come short of
their maintenance nor the other of their duty. (2.) Care is taken that, being gathered
in, they might be duly paid out, v. 47. They gave the
singers and porters their daily portion, over and above what was due to them
as Levites; for we may suppose that when David and Solomon appointed them
their work (v. 45, 46), above what was required from them as Levites,
they settled a fund for their further encouragement. Let those that labour
more abundantly in the word and doctrine be counted worthy of this double
honour. As for the other Levites, the tithes, here called the holy things,
were duly set apart for them, out of which they paid the priests their tithe
according to the law. Both are said to be sanctified; when what is
contributed, either voluntarily or by law, for the support of religion and the
maintenance of the ministry, is given with an eye to God and his honour, it is
sanctified, and shall be accepted of him accordingly, and it will cause the
blessing to rest on the house and all that is in it, Ezek. xliv. 30.
Contents
|
Next
Section
