Nehemiah Chapters 11,12,13 Commentary

Nehemiah Chapters 11-13

Chapter 11 Nehemiah 11:1-12:26 is a list of Judean residents. 11:1-24 is a list of the Jews who lived in Jerusalem, 11:25-36 describes occupants in the villages of Judah and Benjamin. Chapter 12:1-26 is a list of priests and Levites.

“Comparatively few people lived in Jerusalem because of the rubble in the city (7:4). Now that the walls and gates were repaired, the city was ready to be occupied by more people” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 692).

11:1-2 Along with the Jewish leaders, one-tenth of the Israelites were to reside in Jerusalem, here called the Holy City. They were chosen by lots.

Those who volunteered were either the ones chosen by lots who gladly moved to the city, or were additional men. All the men who volunteered to be part of this lottery were blessed by the people. “The willingness of many to uproot their families to repopulate Jerusalem is another indication of the eagerness to see the community of God’s people restored to its former glory” (Smith p. 748).

“Nehemiah again records the names of various individuals and families which figured prominently in the postexilic resettlement. These lists serve (1) to give honor to whom honor is due; (2) to trace the roots of the community to the past; and (3) to stress that the community was organized to carry out its calling to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Smith p. 748). In every age God has needed people who were willing to make personal sacrifices for the good the God’s purposes. Let us not resent these sacrifices, rather, let us consider it an honor to be willing to sacrifice for God (Acts 5:41).

11:3-19 The register of those who came to live in Jerusalem included sons of Judah (468), sons of Benjamin (928), priests (822), Levites (284), gatekeepers (172), and others. “The population of Jerusalem was well organized. Various overseers are mentioned (9,14,22). Some of the citizens are called mighty men of valor (v. 14); others are called able men

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(v. 6). These expressions in Hebrew are ambiguous. They can refer to either men of wealth or men of military skill” (Smith p. 748).

11:6 The term “able men”, literally means “men of valor”. “These were originally valiant, free men whose later descendants became wealthy and served in the armed forces” (Gaebelein p. 745). 11:18 The relatively small number of Levites (284) compared to the priests (1,192—the total of 822, 242, and 128 in vv. 12-13), is revealing, as in Ezra 2:40.

11:20-24 King David had regulated the services of the Levites, including the singers (1 Chronicles 25). In verse 23 we find that the Persian king had authorized (and probably subsidized) the choirs which performed at stated times in the temple. The interests of the Jews were represented in the royal court by Pethahiah of Judah (23-24). “All this reminds the reader that the Jews were not politically free but were subject to the Persian king. According to Ezra 6:14, however, the Persian king was subject to God” (Breneman p. 259).

11:25-36 Most of these cities are also mentioned in the list recorded in Joshua chapter 15. The limits of the Judean settlement after the return from Babylon has also been confirmed by archaeological evidence.

11:25 “Kiriath Arba”, is another name for the city of Hebron, an important city twenty miles south of Jerusalem. 11:27 Beersheba, was about 30 miles south of Hebron, and this city represented the southernmost limit of the Promised Land (Judges 20:1). 11:28 “Ziklag” is the celebrated town which was given to King David by Achish, king of Gath (1 Samuel 27:6). 11:30 “Lachish”, was a great Judean city midway between Jerusalem and Gaza. The “valley of Hinnom”, is the valley SW of Jerusalem. The direct distance from Jerusalem to Beersheba is forty miles.

Chapter 12 12:1-7 “Jeshua” was the high priest about 560-490 B.C. These verses present the family names of the priests at the time of the first return, verses 8-9 is a list of the Levites who arrived at the same time.

“It may seem tedious to us to find so many lists of genealogies and names of various places in Ezra and Nehemiah, but it reminds us again that God’s work is done by individuals. Even though it is a community activity, each person in the community is important and must be given responsibility and must be an integral part of the community’s activities” (Breneman p. 260).

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“Continuity is again a major interest here. Unexciting as the first half of the chapter is, it has a point to make by its refusal to threat bygone generations as of no further interest. And if history-writing inevitably distorts reality by its concentration on outstanding people and on the forces of change, here is something to redress the balance” (Kidner p. 121).

12:8-9 Ezra 2:40 mentions the Levite families at the first return but includes only those of Jeshua and Kadmiel; the list here includes several other families. The term “service divisions”, applies to the rotation of the priestly families’ service in the temple. David had divided the priests into 24 divisions (1 Chron. 24:7-19).

12:10-11 Here is the lineage of the High Priestly family. We know that Jeshua was high priest at the time of the first return from exile and during the time of Haggai and Zechariah. Eliashib was high priest in the time of Nehemiah. 12:12-22 Joiakim was the high priest who followed Jeshua.

This second generation of priests contained twenty heads of families.

12:22-26 These verses contain a list of the heads of the Levitical families.

12:22 “Darius the Persian” is a unique expression. It appears that Nehemiah used this designation to distinguish Darius II from Darius the Mede mentioned in the book of Daniel. The Darius mentioned in this text reigned from 423-404 B.C., during whose reign Nehemiah probably died.

The last name on the list is Jaddua. According to Josephus (Ant. 11.8.4,5), the name of the high priest who received Alexander the Great (332 B.C.) was Jaddua. “The Elephantine Papyri indicates that a Johanan was high priest in 410 B.C., in the reign of Darius II” (Breneman p. 262).

12:23 The “book of Chronicles” in this verse may have been the official temple chronicle containing various lists and records. 12:24 Concerning the divisions that David had prescribed, see (1 Chronicles 16:4; 23:27-31; 2 Chronicles 8:14). 12:26 This is one of the clear references which proves that Nehemiah and Ezra were contemporaries and that they were in Jerusalem at the same time.

12:27-47 The completion of the wall of Jerusalem was cause for a time of dedication and celebration. “Not only were outstanding leaders necessary for God’s work in the community; the singers, gatekeepers, and Levites were all indispensable. In God’s work each believer is important.

In a time when self-centeredness seems to dominate Western life-styles, the Word of God calls us to work and live together as a community, to be dependent upon one another, and to help one another in achieving the task God has set before us” (Breneman p. 263).

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12:27-29 The Netophathites were from Netophah, a town near Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:54). “Gilgal was near Jericho; Geba and Azmaveth were NE of Jerusalem in the Benjamite area” (Breneman pp.

264-265).

12:30-36 Ezra is present at this dedication. Note also the emphasis on being purified. There is an emphasis on holiness here. “The leaders of God’s people must be sensitive to things that defile them. They must constantly be cleansed in order to be holy instruments in God’s hand.

Holiness is one of the central themes of the Bible and something that God calls us to (2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:14; 2 Peter 3:11)” (Breneman p. 265).

12:37-40 Notice the specific details in such sections of Scripture. Rather than viewing such passages as tedious or boring, all of these specific locations and specific names of individuals, proves that this event really happened in a real place and with real people. “Nehemiah was careful to give the leaders their proper place and responsibilities….The walls were wide enough for the processions referred to. According to Kenyon’s excavations, Nehemiah’s wall was nearly nine feet wide…The first group, Ezra’s procession, went to the south (‘to the right’) and followed the wall in a counterclockwise direction. The second part of the procession started off to the north and followed the wall in a clockwise direction (38)” (Breneman p. 266). Compare with Psalm 48. 12:43 What joy happens when we are obedient to the will of God. When we place God first, when we sacrifice for His cause, and when we have the right attitude (“a mind to work and serve Him”), the result is great joy.

12:44-47 Various officials were appointed that day to oversee the collection of temple contributions. The purification rituals of the law of Moses were performed as were the musical arrangements dating back to the days of David and Solomon. Notice verse 44, “for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served”. The people had been willingly paying the financial support to the priests and Levites, for they rejoiced that such men existed and were willing to serve God faithfully. In addition, they rejoiced that men were available who instead of wanting to please the people, desired to please God and implement His instructions concerning worship.

For 12 years Nehemiah served as governor of Judah, from Artaxerxes’ 20 th year to his 32nd year (5:14; 13:6), that is, from 444-432 B.C. During this time, his accomplishments include rebuilding and dedicating the wall, getting the people to agree to keep the Law, and organizing the work of the priests and Levites in the temple. When 12 years were up Nehemiah

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returned to Persia. How long he remained in this position is not known.

Perhaps it was two years or more. While he was gone some rather startling changes took place in Judah, changes involving serious violations of the Mosaic Law. When Nehemiah once again returned to Judah (perhaps around 430 or later), he faced a task that in some respects must have been even more difficult than rebuilding the wall.

The pattern that we repeatedly see throughout the Bible is that people, even God’s professed people, do not remain faithful to God for long. We see this all through the Old Testament and we find many warnings about it in the New Testament (Acts 20:28ff; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1ff). Sadly, the track record for the human race is one of continual apostasy from God. In the book of Nehemiah, we learn the same lesson found in the book of Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and the prophets.

When strong leadership is absent, even the professed people of God tend to fall away from the faith. This is one reason why we need strong elders, deacons, teachers, and preachers who insist that sound doctrine is taught without compromise. Without such diligence, congregations do not remain faithful for long. History has proven this point time and time again.

Chapter 13 13:1-3 The expression “on that day” refers not to 12:44, but to the time when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to be governor again, as indicated in 13:4-7. Especially note verse 4, “Now prior to this”. The portion of the Law that was read is Deuteronomy 23:3-5. Note, this is some 1000 years after the Law was given to Israel, yet the Law was still binding in this time and culture. The Ammonites and Moabites had attempted to curse Israel through the prophecies of Balaam (Numbers 22-24). However, God had turned their curses into blessings and as a result, Ammonites and Moabites were to be excluded from the Israelite community. In light of the fact that Ruth was a Moabite, and she was accepted into the community, the necessary inference is that Ammonites and Moabites who repented and accepted the true God were always welcome.

Yet we also learn that for the most part, most Ammonites and Moabites were like their forefathers. Each person is responsible for his or her own decisions, but history and the Bible show that the decisions people make will often affect the lives of their children, and indeed many future generations.

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13:3 When faith is present, obedience isn’t a problem. When people are really impressed with the fact that Scripture is the Word of God, that it is the Law of God, then obedience is quick and full.

13:4 Nehemiah’s archenemy, Tobiah, had ardent supporters in Jerusalem (6:17-19). Eliashib, the high priest, being related to Tobiah by marriage, actually had prepared for Tobiah a room in one of the temple chambers where contributions from the people had been previously stored. “What audacity to empty a sacred chamber of that which was dedicated to God to create a warehouse for the personal possessions of any person, not to mention an enemy. From the temple, the very nerve-center of Jerusalem, Tobiah could wield his ungodly influence upon all the affairs of the Jewish people” (Smith p. 753). “It was doubtless a special satisfaction to see his personal belongings take precedence over the very frankincense for God and the tithes for His ministers” (Kidner p. 129).

1. One single compromise can open the doors for error to enter.

2. Those who lead God’s people must realize the importance of the example they set. One selfish move, one compromise, can send the wrong signal.

3. There is always the temptation to place family before God (Luke 14:26ff).

4. Eliashib, like Aaron centuries before, caved in.

13:6 In the absence of strong and sound leaders---error will make its move. One of the most dangerous times in the life of any congregation is when it loses its eldership. 13:7 Nehemiah is like Joseph and other great leaders, in that the first thing you do is call something by its right name, i.e., “evil”, unlike religious leaders such as Eliashib, who could see all sides of a matter, including the side of support. Nehemiah stormed in as violently as, one day, his Master (Jesus) would. “Throughout this chapter he stands out from his contemporaries by his refusal to allow for a moment that holiness is negotiable or that custom alone can hallow anything” (Kidner p. 129).

13:8-9 “Nehemiah’s reaction seems strong. We also should be concerned about things that dishonor God, and be willing to take definite actions, and we also need to distinguish between peacemaking and compromising with evil” (Breneman p. 270). God has never been very “diplomatic”, when it comes to dealing with evil and doctrinal compromises (1 Corinthians 5).

It is tempting to say, “Well there are always two sides to any story”. Some stories may have two sides, but some do not. This story with Tobiah had only one side. In this chapter also note, how one spiritual compromise

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tends to breed an atmosphere where others happen also. Doctrinal compromise is never just about one particular issue, rather, it is a mindset that may for the moment be preoccupied with one issue, but will soon take in others as well, for the same laxity that existed concerning Tobiah, is seen in failing to support the Levites and abusing the Sabbath Day. 13:10-14 Carefully note that the spiritual and doctrinal laxity that permitted Tobiah to live in one of the temple chambers, created a climate in which the Levites were not being paid for their services. Laxity in one area led to decline and stagnation in others. In verse 13, we find that part of the work of continuing spiritual growth is that of putting men of integrity in leadership positions.

13:14 There are times when the only person to whom a preacher or elder can turn to is God. There are times when you are all alone in your determination to see that sound doctrine is preached and practiced.

Throughout this life, you will face many voices which call out for compromise. “Nehemiah’s private self is completely the same as his public one: single-minded, utterly frank, and godly through and through.

If we cavil at his plea to be remembered, he could pronounce us too sophisticated; and the Gospels would support him. It springs from love, not self-love, as his tireless zeal for God has testified. To hear God’s ‘Welldone’ is the most innocent and most cleansing of ambitions” (Kidner p.

130).

The Grapes of Wrath 13:15-22 The abuse of the Sabbath was another problem. Nehemiah dealt with all these problems decisively. Note, there wasn’t any debate or study, the issue was clear and no compromise was tolerated. If Nehemiah has said, “Well, we will have to study this issue”, this would have given error only a greater foothold in the community. Some Jews were treating the Sabbath as an ordinary work day. Farmers were treading the grapes in the winepress; others were hauling wine, grapes, and figs into the city to put on sale. Foreign merchants were also allowed to peddle their wares in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Nehemiah pointed out to them that this was the same sin that got their ancestors in trouble with God.

Mixed Marriages 13:23-29 Ezra had dealt with the same problem of intermarriage some thirty years before. Note—old errors always come back, diligence and Bible study are essentials.

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13:24 Nehemiah saw clearly that such marriages were corrupting the second generation as well as the first. The confusion of language in the children signaled for these families the erosion of their Israelite identity— hence for all practical purposes their relationship with God. In addition, the heathen mothers in such marriages were not converting to Judaism, rather, they were leading their children into their pagan ways and practices. It is so tempting to justify worldly associations by saying, “Well, I am trying to have an influence on them”. But the true reality is often reflected in this verse. When we compromise with evil—evil always has more of an influence on us than we have on it.

13:25 If we are shocked by Nehemiah’s actions, then we ourselves have become complacent and numbed to the long range consequences of sin. The necessary inference is that such marriages had to end (Ezra 10:1844), and Nehemiah made the people promise that they wouldn’t allow any more of such marriages to happen (25). 13:26-27 Here is some book, chapter, and verse preaching. To make his point, Nehemiah appealed to biblical examples where men such as Solomon had disobeyed the same commands as Nehemiah’s contemporaries, and what the consequences had been. Have we learned the lessons of the past?

13:28 The family of the high priest had been caught up in this apostasy as well. “We can learn many practical lessons in Christian leadership from Nehemiah. Nehemiah reminds us that the tolerance of evil leads to spiritual stagnation, which leads to indifference on doctrinal matters; the final result is moral and spiritual degeneration” (Breneman p. 275).

Nehemiah drove the guilty grandson away, because such a marriage disqualified him from even being a high-priest (Leviticus 21:14). By chasing the husband away from Jerusalem, Nehemiah successfully dislodged Sanballat and the influence of his daughter from the highpriesthood. 13:30-31 The wood mentioned in this verse was for the sacrifices offered in the temple complex.

Conclusion: As I reflect upon the life of Nehemiah and why he was successful I am left with the following impressions:   

A leader needs to be a man of constant prayer.

The challenges or obstacles will vary and will never cease as long as one lives.

There can be no room for compromise when God’s truth is on the line.

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

You will never get 100% cooperation or involvement from those professing to be God’s people.

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