Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 12

Verse 1

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

These are the priests - according to 5:7, "the chief of the priests," the heads of the 24 courses into which the priesthood were divided (1 Chronicles 24:1-20). Only four of the courses returned from the captivity (Nehemiah 7:39-42; Ezra 2:36-39). But these were divided by Zerubbabel, or Jeshua, into the original number of 24. Only 22 are enumerated here, and no more than 20 in Nehemiah 12:12-21. The discrepancy is owing to the extremely probable circumstance that two of the 24 courses had become extinct in Babylon; for none belonging to them are reported as having returned (Nehemiah 12:2-5). Hattush and Maadiah may be omitted in the account of those persons' families (Nehemiah 12:12), because these had no sons.

Shealtiel - or Salathiel.

Ezra. This was a different person from the pious and patriotic leader. If he were the same person, he must now Ezra. This was a different person from the pious and patriotic leader. If he were the same person, he must now have reached a very patriarchal age; and this longevity was doubtless owing to his eminent piety and temperance, which are greatly conducive to the prolongation of life, but, above all, to the special blessing of God, who had preserved and strengthened him for the accomplishment of the important work he was called to undertake in that critical period of the Church's history.

Verses 2-3

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 4

Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

Abijah - one of the ancestors of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5).

Verses 5-8

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 9

Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches. Their brethren, were over against them in the watches - i:e., according to some, their stations-the place where they stood when officiating - "ward over against ward" (Nehemiah 12:24); or, according to others, in alternate watches, in course of rotation.

Verse 10

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

Jeshua begat Joiakim ... This enumeration was of great importance, not only as establishing their individual purity of descent, but because the chronology of the Jews was henceforth to be reckoned, not as formerly by the reigns of their kings, but by the successions of their high priests.

Verse 11

And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

Jaddua. It is an opinion entertained by many commentators that this person was the high priest whose dignified appearance, solemn manner, and splendid costume, overawed and interested so strongly the proud mind of Alexander the Great; and if he were not this person, as some object that this Jaddua was not in office until a considerable period after the death of Nehemiah, it might probably be his father, called by the same name.

Verse 12

And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

In the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers - i:e., as there had been priests in the days of Jeshua, so in the time of Joiakim, the son and successor of Jeshua, the sons of those persons filled the priestly office in room of their fathers, some of whom were still alive, though many were dead.

Verses 13-22

Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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.

The sons of Levi ... were written in the book of the Chronicles - i:e, the public registers in which the genealogies were kept with great regularity and exactness.

Verse 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.

With their brethren over against them - i:e., in separate choirs, to sing in alternate responses (see the note at Exodus 15:20).

Ward over against ward - (see the note at 1 Chronicles 26:16).

Verses 25-26

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. This ceremony of consecrating the wall and gates of the city was an act of piety on the part of Nehemiah, not merely to thank God in a general way for having been enabled to bring the building to a happy completion, but on the special ground of that city being the place which He had chosen, and its containing the temple, which was hallowed by the manifestation of His presence, and anew set apart for His service. It was on these accounts that Jerusalem was called the holy city; and by this public and solemn act of religious observance, after a long period of neglect and desecration, it was, as it were, restored to its rightful proprietor.

The dedication consisted in a solemn ceremonial, in which the leading authorities, accompanied by the Levitical singers, summoned from all parts of the country, and by a vast concourse of people, marched in imposing procession round the city walls, and, pausing at intervals to engage in united praises, prayer, and sacrifices, supplicated the continued presence, favour, and blessing on the "holy city." 'The assembly convened near the Jaffa Gate, where the procession commences. Then (Nehemiah 12:31) I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall (near the valley gate), and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the Dung Gate (through Bethzo). And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah. And (Nehemiah 12:37) at the Fountain Gate, which was over against them, they (descending by the tower of Siloam on the interior and then re-ascending) 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 (by the staircase of the rampart, having descended to dedicate the fountain structures). And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them (both parties having started from the junction of the first and second walls), 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 (beyond the corner gate). And from above the Gate of Ephraim, and above the Old Gate (and the Gate of Benjamin), and above the Fish Gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the Sheep Gate; and they stood still an the prison gate (or High Gate at the east end of the bridge). So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and half of the rulers with me (having thus performed the circuit of the investing walls), arrived in the courts of the temple' (Barclay's 'City of the Great King').

Verses 28-42

And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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.

The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. The events of the day, viewed in connection with the now repaired and beautified state of the city, raised the popular feeling to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and the fame of their rejoicings was spread far and near.

Verse 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.

Portions of the law - i:e., prescribed by the law.

For Judah rejoiced for the priests and ... Levites that waited. The cause of this general satisfaction was either the full restoration of the temple service and the re-organized provision for the permanent support of the ministry, or it was the pious character and eminent gifts of the guardians of religion.

Verse 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.

The singers and the porters kept ... the ward of the purification - i:e., took care that no unclean person was allowed to enter within the precincts of the sacred building. This was the official duty of the porters (2 Chronicles 23:19), with whom, owing to the pressure of circumstances, it was deemed expedient that the singers should be associated as assistants.

Verse 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.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 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.

All Israel ... sanctified holy things unto the Levites ... The people, selecting the tithes and first-fruits, devoted them to the use of the Levites, to whom their belonged by appointment of the law. The Levites acted in the same way with the tithes due from them to the priests. Thus, all classes of the people displayed a conscientious fidelity in paying the dues to the temple, and the servants of God who were appointed to minister in it.