Nehemiah 13 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13:1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster¹ on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

Remember me, O my God, for good.

Footnotes

[1] 13:18 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context

Commentary

The Book of Nehemiah presents some key spiritual lessons;

the constant need for personal discipline and repentance;
sanctification is an ongoing process;
men and women tend to fall into sin.

This chapter also indicates Nehemiah's own spiritual strengths;

in v7-8, he challenged the provision made for Tobiah;
in v10-11, he challenged the neglect of the Levites;
in v15-18, he challenged their abuse of the Sabbath day;
in v23-25, he challenged the issue of mixed marriages.

v1-2: This chapter is something of a postscript. In previous chapters, Nehemiah deals with the urgent matters. He now turns to regular day-to-day issues. The dedication of the wall of Jerusalem in chapter 12 meant his role in resolving a great crisis was completed.

The Book of Moses was read in public. See also 9.2, Deut 23.3-6. In particular, the curse upon the Ammonites and Moabites, for they had refused to provide food and water for the Israelites. They were to be excluded from the congregation. In a similar way, the Christian and the unbeliever can never be "in fellowship"; the initiative to separate belongs to the Christian.

v3: The response to the word of God was immediate and decisive.

v4-9: "Before this", some 12 years after the end of chapter 1. It may be that the events of v1-9 happened before the celebration at the completion of the wall (12.27-47).

Eliashib was in an important position (12.10), but was allied with Tobiah, and Sanballat (v28). See also 6.17-18, where others in Judah were allied with the enemies of the people. We do not know Eliashib's motives, but we do know that he was wrong. Nehemiah responded with decisive action (compare John 2.14-17), and replaced the bad with good (Eph 4.22-24).

v10-13: The Levites had been neglected, and the portions assigned to them had not been given to them, so they had returned to work. Nehemiah assigned duties to specific individuals, so that the Levites would be properly provided for.

The OT gives a number of instances where important matters had been neglected. Joash had to repair the temple (2 Chr 23.5-6); Hezekiah (2 Chr 30.5) and Josiah (2 Chr 35.18) both reinstituted the celebration of the Passover. Neglect is a great risk - Heb 2.1-3. Beware of drifting.

v14: "Remember me", not 'reward me'; Nehemiah had sought to act faithfully; he looked to God to give His blessing, see also v22. We are confident that God has great blessing for those who walk in obedience to Him.

v15: The Jews were guilty of breaking the fourth commandment. Their growing prosperity had attracted merchants to Jerusalem.

The Sabbath day was a special sign of the Jewish people, Jer 17.21-23; to treat it as the same as the other days was clear disobedience.

v16-17: The men of Tyre might be excused, since they were Gentiles, but not the nobles of Judah.

v18: A lesson from history. The neglect of the Sabbath was one factor leading to the disasters that God had brought on the people of Israel.

v19-22: A margin around the Sabbath, as also around the tabernacle and temple. The gates of the city were shut before the Sabbath, and opened after it. The Sabbath day was set apart by God to be enjoyed by man, by worship and rest.

Some of the servants were posted at the gates to stop others entering the city. The disobedience of some resulted in greater sacrifice from others. By the overall aim was clear; that God's people be holy.

v23: A repeated problem, that of mixed marriages; see 10.30; Ezra 9.1-4; 10.18-44.

v24: The testimony was marred and mixed; no longer a purity of speech, since the people of God became like the Gentiles, in speaking their language. There was no interest in spiritual conversation, since they could not understand, and did not use, the language of Judah.

v25: The command of God was clear, and their disobedience was not disputed.

v26: Another lesson from history. Even Solomon, one of the greatest of all the kings fell because of the influence of Gentile women.

v27: To disobey this command is to be "unfaithful to our God". All sin is primarily a rebellion against God.

v28: Eliashib had been allied with Tobiah, and now his grandson was allied with Sanballat.

v29: This family had been the family of the High Priest, and therefore had great influence and responsibility in Judah. By their actions, they had defiled the priesthood.

v30-31: The Levites were purified; we do need to get wrong things out of our lives.