Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10:1

10:1-27 These verses list the men who signed the covenant on behalf of the people (Neh_9:38 b). Nehemiah’s name heads the list (v. 1), followed by the priests (vv. 2-8), the Levites (vv. 9-13), and the leaders of the people (vv. 14-27). 10:28, 29 These two verses form a preamble to the covenant, stating that the entire population agreed to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD their Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes.10:30-38 More specifically, the Jews bound themselves to refrain from foreign marriages (v. 30), to observe the Sabbath day and the sabbatical year (v. 31), to make an annual contribution for the temple services (vv. 32, 33), to provide wood for the altar of the LORD (v. 34), and to bring the redemption money for their firstborn and the firstfruits of their crops to the temple for the support of the priests and Levitesi.e., to restore the tithes (vv. 35-39). Concern for their religious life was central in this covenant. With the exception of verses 30 and 31, the covenant deals exclusively with the maintenance of the temple and its servants. 10:39 The words “we will not neglect the house of our God” expressed the overriding concern of the postexilic Jews. Out of this genuine care for the externals of their faith would grow the corrupt pharisaical system which so violently opposed the Lord Jesus because He stressed the weightier issues of the lawobedience, mercy, etc. But in its original innocence such devotion must certainly have pleased Jehovah.