Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:1-26

Details Concerning The Priests And Levites Who Returned With Zerubbabel, And Those Who Subsequently Developed (Nehemiah 12:1-26). The importance of the genuinely appointed Priests and Levites to the new Israel and to the new Jerusalem as the holy city is now emphasised by providing details concerning their connection with the return, and their subsequent development. It is being emphasised that God had made provision for the continuation of orthodox worship in ‘the holy city’, including the maintenance of the High Priesthood. The passage may be divided up into:· The chiefs of the priests who went up with Zerubbabel, whose genealogies had been verified (Nehemiah 12:1-7; compare Nehemiah 7:64).· The Levites who went up with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:8-9).· The maintenance of the High Priestly line (Nehemiah 12:10-11).· Subsequent chiefs of priests in the time of the high priest Joiakim (Nehemiah 12:12-21), thus down to the time of Nehemiah.· Brief note regarding when the records of priests and Levites were made (Nehemiah 12:22-23).The chiefs of the Levites in the days of Joiakim the high priest, who was contemporary with Nehemiah and Ezra (Nehemiah 12:24-26).

Nehemiah 12:10-11

The Genealogy Of Jeshua The High Priest Who Went Up With Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:10-11). Central to the success of the new Israel, and the establishment of the holy city as holy, was the succession of High Priests. Jeshua (Joshua), along with large numbers of priests, had already been able to demonstrate his genealogy, as Nehemiah 7:64 assumes. As the son of Jozadak (Ezra 3:2), or Jehozadak, his genealogy is given in 1 Chronicles 6:1-15, and was therefore clearly available. The succession from Jeshua is therefore now outlined, although it is not stated that they all actually acted as High Priests (we have to consider those who might have been excluded by some disability but who might have passed on heirship to their sons).Nehemiah 12:10-11‘And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib Joiada, and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.’Joshua arrived with Zerubbabel in around 538 BC, and was still High Priest in 520 BC, whilst Eliashib was High Priest in the days of Ezra/Nehemiah in and around 445 BC. If the genealogy is complete (which may not be so for genealogies regularly omitted names) this would indicate a long tenure for Joiakim (although we do not know when Jeshua died). This is not, however, impossible, and is supported by the fact that his tenure is related to the days of Ezra and Nehemiah in Nehemiah 12:26.Following Jeshua Joiakim was High Priest, and he is the one who is important for what immediately follows (Nehemiah 12:12-22.

See also Nehemiah 12:24-26). He was then followed by Eliashib who was High Priest when the walls were rebuilt (Nehemiah 3:1).

Eliashib was a grandfather by the time of Nehemiah’s second visit, and at that stage had an adult grandson (Nehemiah 13:28). He was succeeded by Joiada, one of whose sons married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite (Nehemiah 13:28). This indicates that Joiada’s eldest son Jonathan was apparently a mature adult whilst Sanballat the Horonite, the contemporary of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19), was still alive.If the genealogy is complete Jonathan begat a son Jaddua, who would presumably have been born by the time of the listing, and could thus have been known to an ageing Nehemiah as the heir-apparent to the High Priesthood. It is not stated that he was High Priest at the time of writing (or indeed that he ever became High Priest). Thus it is not impossible that this genealogy was recorded by Nehemiah. Alternately, if Nehemiah was the author of the whole book, the words ‘and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua’ may have been added at a later date in order to update the sequence.

A slight indication of this may be that ‘begat’ is missing after Eliashib in the MT (although included in some manuscripts), which may suggest that at one stage the genealogy only reached Joiada. (This assumption is, however, not strictly necessary for them to fit into Nehemaic authorship). But the important point in context is that this list demonstrates the legitimacy of the continuing High Priesthood.Note On Jaddua. The importance of identifying Jaddua lies in the light that that identification would throw on the earliest date by which the Book Of Nehemiah could have been completed as it now stands. It could not have been completed before Jaddua was born. On the other hand the main part of the book may have been written earlier, with the reference to Jonathan and Jaddua being added later.But on the face of the genealogy here, assuming no gaps, this Jaddua was probably born around 432 BC. He was the first-born son of Jonathan who was a mature adult at the time spoken of in Nehemiah 13, when his younger brother had already married Sanballat’s daughter, that is around the thirty second year of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 13:6), thus around 432 BC. At this stage Nehemiah was certainly still alive and active. Nehemiah would thus have seen Jaddua grow up.Furthermore the High Priest at the time of one Elphantine papyrus dated 407 BC speaks of Johanan as High Priest, and there is no real justification for equating Jonathan with Johanan.

How Johanan fits in with the above genealogy we have therefore no way of knowing. Perhaps he was the son of Jaddua. Or Jonathan may have had some impediment preventing him from being High Priest so that his uncle Johanan became so instead (Nehemiah 12:23), he then being followed by Jaddua.A complication is introduced by a reference in Josephus to a Jaddua, son of Johanan, who was High Priest in 351-331 BC when Alexander the Great had contact with Jerusalem. But in view of our lack of knowledge of the genealogy of the High Priests after this time there is no real reason why that Jaddua may not have been the grandson of the Jaddua mentioned here in Nehemiah 12:11. Indeed, if he had lived to a great age, he could even have been this Jaddua, with ‘son of Johanan’, simply signifying that he took over the High Priesthood from Johanan.End of note.

Nehemiah 12:12-21

The Priests Who Were Heads Of Fathers’ Houses In The Days Of Joiakim, Son Of Jeshua (Nehemiah 12:12-21). We now have listed priest who were head of father’s houses at some point during the High Priesthood of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua. This is the next generation from those above, something that is indicated by introducing them in terms of their ancestry. It is probable, but not necessary, that the naming is of father and eldest son. However, strictly speaking, only descent is indicated. The slight differences between the names of the ‘fathers’ given here, and those given in Nehemiah 12:1-7 merely indicate that Hebrew names were flexible. They are not necessarily due to copying errors, but rather indicate that the two lists have different primary sources, those sources having been obtained from the records office.

Had one been copied from the other we would have expected the names to be the same, nor would we have anticipated the introduction of Hattush in Nehemiah 12:1-7. But it is noteworthy that once again the last six names are introduced by ‘and’ (for which see explanation above on Nehemiah 12:1-7), which confirms a distinction between the first named and the last six.The fact of an inclusio, - ‘and in the days of Joiakim were’ (Nehemiah 12:12) - ‘these were in the days of Joiakim –’ (Nehemiah 12:26) may suggest that Nehemiah 12:12-26 are to be seen as a whole unit, although it is not impossible that some material was inserted (e.g. Nehemiah 12:22-25), with ‘these were in the days of Joiakim’ in Nehemiah 12:26 referring strictly to Nehemiah 12:12-21.Nehemiah 12:12‘And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses:Nehemiah 12:12‘Of Seraiah, Meraiah;’  12:12c ‘Of Jeremiah, Hananiah;’  12:13a ‘Of Ezra, Meshullam;’  12:13b ‘Of Amariah, Jehohanan;’  12:14a ‘Of Malluchi, Jonathan;’  12:14b ‘Of Shebaniah, Joseph;’  12:15a ‘Of Harim, Adna;’  12:15b ‘Of Meraioth, Helkai;’  12:16a ‘Of Iddo, Zechariah;’  12:16b ‘Of Ginnethon, Meshullam;’  12:17a ‘Of Abijah, Zichri;’  12:17b ‘Of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;’  12:18a ‘Of Bilgah, Shammua;’  12:18b ‘Of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;’  12:19a ‘And of Joiarib, Mattenai;’  12:19b ‘Of Jedaiah, Uzzi;’  12:20a ‘Of Sallai, Kallai;’  12:20b ‘Of Amok, Eber;’  12:21a ‘Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah;’  12:21b ‘Of Jedaiah, Nethanel.’The unusual ‘of Miniamin, of Mohdiah, Piltai’ in Nehemiah 12:17 b (we would expect a name after Miniamin) may either indicate that the name of the ‘son’ of Miniamin has dropped out, or that the names of the sons of both Miniamin and Moadiah was Paltai, or that Miniamin died without an heir and Moadiah being related to him, produced an heir for him through the law of levirate marriage, who was named Paltai. On the information given the number of courses at this stage was twenty, a reduction on the previous twenty two. But if men died without male seed that could have occurred. Once more then the writer makes clear that the Jerusalem priesthood is of genuine descent. It is an interesting possibility that Zechariah the son of Iddo in Nehemiah 12:16 a is a reference to the prophet Zechariah.

Nehemiah 12:22-26

The Levites Who Were Heads Of Fathers’ Houses In The Days Of Joiakim the Son of Jeshua And Of Nehemiah The Governor And Of Ezra The Priest (Nehemiah 12:22-26). It is now pointed out by the writer that the information concerning the chiefs of the Levites in the time of Joiakim, necessary to complete the full picture, was obtained from subsequent records. This would serve to confirm that the previous information supplied was obtained from contemporary records.Nehemiah 12:22‘As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ (houses), also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.’This rather complex statement can be seen as explaining that in order to complete the pattern ‘priests/Levites of the first generation, priests/Levites of the subsequent generation’, resort had to be made to records which were not contemporary for details concerning the Levites, although such contemporary records were available for the priests. The writer is thus honest enough to inform us that, unlike the previous information, the details concerning these Levites in the days of Joiakim (Nehemiah 12:26) were not obtained from contemporary records, but from records made in subsequent generations, namely in the time of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua, whilst the records concerning the priests were made in the days of Darius the Persian.To deal with the last first. The description ‘the Persian’ is comparatively rare, and Darius the Persian is probably called such here in order to distinguish him from Darius the Mede (Daniel 5:31). Compare Daniel 6:28 where Cyrus is called ‘the Persian’ in order to distinguish him from Darius the Mede. Thus reference here is to Darius I (522-486 BC), who, as the writer indicates, was not Darius the Mede, but Darius the Persian.

This would make the records concerning the priests contemporary.With regard to ‘the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua’, this phrase suggests that the records from which the material concerning the Levites was taken, were made in subsequent generations. This is the one incontrovertible fact (if such can be said to exist).

And this is especially so as Nehemiah 12:26 suggests that Joiakim, Eliashib’s father, continued on until the days of Nehemiah. What is not clear is the period covered by ‘the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua’.At first glance it might appear that these names were simply repeating the information given in the above genealogy of Jeshua the High Priest, but that this is not so is evident from the fact that Jonathan is not mentioned here, while a Johanan is introduced. There is no good reason for suggesting that Johanan is simply an alternative name for Jonathan. On the other hand we do know that a Johanan did become High Priest at a date early enough to enable him to be in authority when in 407 BC letters were written from the unorthodox Jewish community in Elephantine concerning the destruction of their Temple. Johanan may thus have been Jonathan’s uncle, for it may be he who is elsewhere called ‘Johanan the son of Eliashib’ (Nehemiah 12:23; Ezra 10:6). It may be that he became High Priest because Jonathan suffered from some deficiency, and Jaddua was not yet of age.On the other hand Nehemiah 12:23 limits the writing of these records as ‘even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib’.

Taken at face value this would exclude the idea that the Jaddua here mentioned was subsequent to Johanan, and would confirm that Johanan was Joiada’s brother, for Joiada was also the son of Eliashib (Nehemiah 13:28). It may thus be that Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were brothers.The situation is further complicated by the fact that Eliashib also appears to have had a brother named Johanan (1 Chronicles 3:24), whilst on top of this there may also have been another Eliashib connected with the Temple who was ‘over the chambers of the house of God’ (Nehemiah 13:4), so that the Johanan of Ezr 10:6 may have been the son of this Eliashib.

And just to add to the complications there was also an Eliashib who was one of the singers in Ezra 10:24, so that it is just possible that the Johanan in Nehemiah 12:23, in a verse referring to Levites, was his son.It would appear to us that the most likely solution is that Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were brothers, and all sons of Eliashib. But it is no more than that. What is certain is that for the present nothing reliable can now be built on the mention of these names, other than the indication that the records were made after the days of Joiakim, Eliashib’s father.Nehemiah 12:23‘The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ (houses), were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.’This would appear to be confirming that the information concerning the Levites now to be described was obtained from records made up to the time of Johanan, the son of Eliashib, which may mean up until the time of his High Priesthood, for the writer’s contemporaries would have known that Johanan became High Priest. This would serve to confirm our solution suggested above.The phrase ‘the sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ is interesting. In Ezra/Nehemiah the phrase ‘sons of Levi’ only elsewhere occurs in Ezra 8:15, where it continues the idea of ‘sons of –’ from the previous verses. The usual designation is ‘the Levites’.

Here, however, it may simply be used precisely because ‘the Levites’ had already headed the previous sentence. The phrase as a whole parallels ‘priests, heads of fathers’ in Nehemiah 12:12.

Both these facts suggest (although not conclusively) that Nehemiah 12:23 was part of the original passage from Nehemiah 12:12 to Nehemiah 12:24, rather than being an insertion.Nehemiah 12:24‘And the chiefs of the Levites:The names of the chiefs of the Levites in the days of Joiakim are now given.Nehemiah 12:24‘Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.’The names of the chiefs of the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel were ‘Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers’ (Nehemiah 12:8). This may be their given names or they may have taken their ancestral names in view of the new beginning. The names of the leading chiefs of the Levites who signed the covenant (or their ancestral names) were ‘Jeshua, the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel’ (Nehemiah 10:9), who were possibly third generation. They were the leading Levite chiefs in the time of Nehemiah. This verse may therefore be seen as indicating that, of the three chiefs mentioned here in the time of Joiakim, Hashabiah was Jeshua’s son, Sherebiah was Binnui’s son, and, as stated, Jeshua was Kadmiel’s son. ‘Sherebiah, Judah and Mattaniah who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers’ were now seen in terms of ‘their brothers over against them’ who ‘praise and give thanks’.This suggestion takes into account both the confirmed order of the chiefs of the Levites (why should Jeshua otherwise have slipped to third) and the unexpected ‘son of Kadmiel’, and makes perfect sense.Some have suggested that ‘ben-Kadmiel’ is a copying error for ‘Binnui, Kadmiel’. But the ‘and’ before Joshua supports the MT text, for ‘and’ regularly appears before the last name in a list.

Furthermore where Jeshua the son of Azaniah (Nehemiah 10:9) is spoken of he regularly heads such lists, whereas here this Jeshua comes last. In view of these facts we accept the text as it stands.

And we should note that under the alteration theory the absence in Nehemiah 12:24 of the name of Binnui is equally striking. If he is constantly of the three why is he not mentioned there? Furthermore the relegation of Jeshua to third place would be equally striking if he were not stated to rather be a Jeshua who was the son of Kadmiel. Elsewhere the name Jeshua always heads Levite lists (e.g. Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 10:9; Nehemiah 12:8).The truth is that the names are in fact all common Hebrew names which were regularly given (we can compare John and Peter in my day), which is why when the father’s name is lacking the names can be easily confused. For example, in Ezra 8:24 ‘Hashabiah and Sherebiah’ were the names of chiefs of priests who returned with Ezra, whereas in Ezra 8:18-19 we have reference to Levites named Sherebiah and Hashabiah.

There are no good grounds, apart from the coincidence of the names, for connecting those priests with these leading Levites. Nor are there good grounds for connecting them with the two mentioned here.

Thus we see these coincidences as simply an indication of the popularity of certain names among the descendants of Levi. Indeed, the names Hashabiah and Sherebiah also appear as leading Levites (among a number of other names) at the signing of the covenant, but clearly as inferior to Jeshua (Nehemiah 10:11-12). It would, of course, have been helpful if the writer had given their fathers’ names in order to identify them. But unfortunately he did not.For the phrase “to praise (and) to give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God” as connected with Levites see 1 Chronicles 16:4; 1 Chronicles 23:30; 2 Chronicles 5:12-13. or the phrase ‘watch next to watch’ compare 1 Chronicles 26:16 where it is used of gatekeepers. There is clearly an attempt here to confirm that all now goes on as it did in the time of David. It is a new beginning, recreating the old ideal.

It may also indicate an expectancy that shortly a new ‘kingdom of David’ would arise as anticipated by the prophets (e.g. Hosea 3:5; Jeremiah 30:9 Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24).The description of David as ‘the man of God’ is rare in Scripture (here, Nehemiah 12:36 and 2 Chronicles 8:14) and always occurs in connection with the worship of the Temple.

It brings out that David’s great prophetic inspiration expressed itself in musical worship. It was in the Psalms that his prophetic inspiration was revealed (compare Mark 12:36).Nehemiah 12:25‘Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates.’It is an open question here as to whether we should see the first two or three names as to be tacked on to Nehemiah 12:24 as named singers, with a full stop coming after Obadiah (or even after Meshullam), with Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub then being seen as the gatekeepers. Compare how in Nehemiah 11:17 we have mention of Mattaniah, Bakbukiah and Abda (Obadiah) as worship leaders, although at a different time. But in view of the constant proliferation of the same names for different people it can only be a conjecture. Compare how Meshullam occurs regularly as referring to different people (Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:6; Nehemiah 8:4; Nehemiah 10:7; Nehemiah 10:20; Nehemiah 11:7; Nehemiah 11:11; Nehemiah 12:13; Nehemiah 12:16; Nehemiah 12:33; Ezra 8:16; Ezra 8:25). Talmon and Akkub are the names of different generations of gatekeepers in Nehemiah 7:45; with Ezra 2:42; and Nehemiah 11:19; with 1 Chronicles 9:17.Nehemiah 12:26‘These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe.’‘These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak.’ This is emphasising the end of an inclusio which began at Nehemiah 12:12.

Note the assumption that Ezra and Nehemiah operated alongside each other.The peoples mentioned in the passage from Nehemiah 12:12 onwards, played their part in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, in other words in the next generation after the return. This coincided with the arrival of Ezra and Nehemiah, although by that time they would be old, and the third generation would be coming through as depicted in the signing of the covenant.

There is no real substance in the argument that ‘in the days of Nehemiah’ signifies that Nehemiah was dead. It is simply a reminder that the days of Joiakim (who was dead), coincided with the days of Nehemiah. The writer, whether Nehemiah or someone else, is simply repeating the pattern.The writer has thus demonstrated that, from the return onwards, Israel has been served by a genuine priesthood, whose genealogy was known, which operated in accordance with the Law of Moses, something especially brought out in chapter 7 where those who could prove their genealogy were the ones who alone could conduct the worship of the Temple.

Nehemiah 12:27-13

THE OF THE HOLY CITY (Nehemiah 12:27 to Nehemiah 13:31). The prophecies concerning Jerusalem as ‘the holy city’ had in mind the coming eschatalogical age, and its consequent purification (Isaiah 52:1; Daniel 9:24), and there can be little doubt, in view of the hopes expressed in the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, that this age must have been in mind as Jerusalem was so triumphantly re-established. Thus the writer ends his book with a description of the purification of Jerusalem, both religiously and practically, the details of which are found in Nehemiah 12:27 to Nehemiah 13:31. This would be seen as necessary, in preparation for that age, for in that age the city was to be holy and wholly ‘clean’ (Isaiah 52:1). These passages are united together by vague time notes (beyom, beyamim) which connect them together, and they cover both the Godward side and the manward side of its purification. Whilst the time frame is foreshortened, and the time notes are imprecise, this section covers various aspects of its purification during the lifetime of Nehemiah. Each section, apart from the initial one, commences with the words beyom or beyamim, and sections 3-6 end with the statement ‘remember me –.’ On this basis we may divide it up as follows:1)The religious purifying of the city at the time of the celebrations over the completion of the wall (Nehemiah 12:27-43).2)The re-establishment of offerings and tithes for the support of the priests and Levites who were the pure, uniquely chosen servants of YHWH and appointed to the service of the Temple, thus ensuring its purity of worship in accordance with God’s requirements.

Introductory words ‘at that time – (beyom)’ (Nehemiah 12:44-47).3)The purifying of the true Israel and the Temple, by the exclusion of idolatrous foreign elements in accordance with the Law of Moses (Nehemiah 3:1-9), and by establishing the God-ordained Levitical order (Nehemiah 13:10-14). This included the exclusion of the Ammonite Tobiah who had wormed his way into the Temple precincts, and had thereby taken over the chambers intended for the storing of tithes and offerings (Nehemiah 3:4-9).

In consequence it was seen as necessary to purify the Temple chambers.The consequent re-establishment of God’s chosen servants the Levites in their responsibilities with regard to the Temple and its worship, something which had failed because of the failure of Israel to respond to the tithing system. The result would be that once again tithes would flow into God’s house providing for His servants, a condition of God’s future blessing (Malachi 3:10-12). Introductory words ‘at that time –’ (beyom). The passage ending with a ‘remember me –’ statement (Nehemiah 13:1-14).4)The purification of Jerusalem by restoring full observance of the Sabbath (another requirement for future blessing - Jeremiah 17:19-27), the gates to be guarded by gatekeepers who had been purified. Introductory words ‘in those days’ (beyamim), with the passage ending with a ‘remember me’’ statement (Nehemiah 13:15-22).5)The removal of those who had idolatrous foreign wives from Jerusalem, thus preventing the watering down of their religious heritage, and ensured the continuing purity of the cult. Introductory words ‘in those days (beyamim) –’ , with the passage ending with a ‘remember me –’ statement (Nehemiah 13:23-29).6)Nehemiah’s summary of what he had achieved: the purifying of Jerusalem from all religiously foreign elements; the successful establishment of the God-determined priesthood and the Levitical order in order to ensure the purity of the cult; the ensuring of the means of offering sacrifices through purifying fire; and the ensuring of the supply of the holy firstfruits, this finally closing with a ‘remember me –’ statement (Nehemiah 13:30-31).We should note how much of what is described here is a direct enforcing of the provisions of the ‘sure agreement’ of Nehemiah 10:29-39 which stresses separation from foreign influence especially in respect to marriage (Nehemiah 10:30); observance of the Sabbath (Nehemiah 10:31); supply of the wood offering (Nehemiah 10:34); the bringing in of the firstfruits (Nehemiah 10:35-37); and the gathering of the tithes (Nehemiah 10:37-39).

Nehemiah 12:30

The Preparatory Purifying Of All Involved (Nehemiah 12:30). The presence of the priests is assumed. For unlike the Levites, who were dependent on the then non-existent tithes (Nehemiah 13:10), the priests would have been continually provided for from their appointed share in the offerings and sacrifices. All would be involved because now a great purification exercise was necessary. This was to be the holy city.Nehemiah 12:30‘And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.’So the Levites having gathered from their towns and villages, the priests and Levites purified themselves. We do not know exactly how this purification was performed, but it might have included such means as offering sacrifices and offerings; bathing themselves ceremonially; being sprinkled with the water of purification (water containing the ashes of a heifer - Numbers 19); washing their clothes; and abstaining from sexual activity (compare Exodus 19:10; Exodus 19:14-15; Leviticus 16:28; Numbers 8:6-8; Numbers 8:19).They then proceeded to purify the people, possibly by offerings and sacrifices (compare Exodus 24:8), and the wall and gates of the city (compare possibly Leviticus 14:49-53). This latter was confirmation that the city was now seen in a new light.

Their hope was that the kingdom of God was now present among them (Psalms 22:27-28; Psalms 47:8 compare Haggai 2:22). The King reigned (Psalms 93:1; Psalms 97:1; Psalms 99:1).

They believed that a purified Jerusalem would be the beginning of great things as YHWH acted on their behalf. So they were putting on its beautiful garments, with the intention of its remaining pure (Isaiah 52:1). This is the emphasis of this section. The purification of the people would have followed a similar pattern to that of the purifying of priests and Levites, although not being as intensive. The purification of the gates and the wall may have followed the pattern of the purification of buildings and have been by the sprinkling of blood-sprinkled water, and the releasing of birds (Leviticus 14:49-53).Then, all being purified, there began the great ceremony of praise and thanksgiving. In a sense Jerusalem was seen as reborn.

Nehemiah 12:31-43

Those Taking Part In The Ceremony Are Divided Into Two Great Companies Who Proceed To Circumnavigate The Wall, One Company Going One Way And The Other Company The Other (Nehemiah 12:31-43). Nehemiah now divided the representatives of Judah (i.e. the new Israel) into two great companies who together would give thanks as they circumnavigated the wall, one company going one way and the other the other. We cannot be sure whether they actually walked on top of the wall, or whether they walked alongside the wall (the Hebrew is not clear on this). But while the details may not be fully clear the ceremony followed an established pattern:· First in each case went a company of those who gave thanks (Nehemiah 12:31; Nehemiah 12:38). These may well have been composed of the singers and musicians who had been gathered together as previously described in Nehemiah 12:27-29.· These were then followed, in the one case by Hoshaiah (Nehemiah 12:32), and in the other by Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 12:38; Nehemiah 12:40). Hoshaiah was clearly a man of great importance, a leader of the Jews, possibly deputy to Nehemiah.· Hoshaiah was then followed by half the ‘princes’ of Judah (Nehemiah 12:32), and Nehemiah by the other half (Nehemiah 12:40). By the princes of Judah are meant, not the leaders of that tribe, but the aristocrats of greater Judah, including Benjamin. They included the aristocrats and clan leaders of the whole community of the new Israel.· These were then followed in each case by seven prominent named priests, possibly accompanied by other priests, who blew the trumpets (Nehemiah 12:33-35 a, 41).· After them came the leading named Chief Musicians, Zechariah (Nehemiah 12:35 b) and possibly Jezrahiah (Nehemiah 12:42), who in each case were accompanied by eight leading Levitical musicians singing loudly (Nehemiah 12:36; Nehemiah 12:42).

Nehemiah 12:38-43

The Two Companies Meet And Great Sacrifices Are Offered (Nehemiah 12:38-43). The other procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) followed by Nehemiah himself, leading the other half of the aristocrats, seven named leading priests and nine named leading Levites, exactly paralleling the first procession. This went northwards from the Valley Gate, following the west wall and then turning along the northern wall, until it reached the Sheep Gate from whence it would proceed to the Temple.The fact that the company led by Nehemiah is given less prominence tends to confirm that we have here an extract from Nehemiah’s own record. Anyone else would surely have given him greater prominence.Nehemiah 12:38-39‘And the other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall, and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.’The second procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) who were followed by Nehemiah and ‘half the people’ (i.e. the aristocrats including priests and Levites - see Nehemiah 12:40-42). These proceeded northward from the Valley Gate, past the Tower of the Furnaces (Ovens), reaching the Broad Wall. Then onwards past the Gate of Ephraim (not mentioned as rebuilt in chapter 3 and possibly therefor a ruin). Reaching the north-west corner they turned eastwards, and passed along the north wall by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Hammeah, until they reached the Sheep Gate (for these compare Nehemiah 3:1-11).

They then proceeded to the gate of the guard. This was probably within the city giving entrance to ‘the court of the guard’ so well known as the place where Jeremiah was restrained (Jeremiah 38:13; Jeremiah 38:28).

It was probably here that they awaited, and met up with, the first procession (they ‘stood still’ there), before proceeding to the Temple.Nehemiah 12:40‘So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God.’The two companies were now united together for the purpose of giving thanks in the house of God. This was towards the end of a long day of continual worship. And there, in and around the outer court of the Temple, they worshipped YHWH because of all that He had done for them, and all that they believed that He was going to do for them. It would have been a time of great expectancy. And why should it not have been so? Jerusalem was now purified and defensible. It was ‘the holy city’, the city through which YHWH would do great things.

Nehemiah 12:40-42

The Make-up Of The Second Company (Nehemiah 12:40-42 b). Not yet having given the details of the make-up of the second company the writer now fills us in on the details. As well as the choir that led the way (‘those who gave thanks’), the second company in procession was made up of :· Nehemiah.· Half of the aristocrats of wider Judah.· Seven leading priests along with their priestly trumpets.· Eight leading Levite singers, possibly under the supervision of a ninth, Jezrahiah their overseer.This followed the pattern of the other company, but whereas that was led by Ezra the Scribe and Hoshaiah, this one was led by Nehemiah.Nehemiah 12:40‘And I, and the half of the rulers with me;’In the lead (although behind the choir) was Nehemiah, and he was followed by half the aristocrats, leading priests and leading Levites.Nehemiah 12:41‘And the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets,’The seven leading priests in this procession are named. Of these only Maaseiah (Maaziah) and Miniamin (Mijamin) are recorded as signing the covenant, although others may have done so under the family name. The blowing of trumpets was the prerogative of the priests.Nehemiah 12:42‘And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer.Together with them were nine leading Levites, the eight named in this verse and Jezrahiah who oversaw them in the same way as Zechariah had overseen those in the other procession (Nehemiah 12:35). If seen in this way these Levites were ‘the singers’ of Nehemiah 12:42 b. An alternative possible interpretation is found under Nehemiah 12:42 b.Nehemiah 12:42‘And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.’If ‘the singers’ were the eight prominent Levites, then Jezrahiah was their leader and made up a ninth, tying in with the nine leading Levites in the other group headed by Zechariah the son of Jonathan (Nehemiah 12:35-36).An alternative is to see this as indicating that Jezrahiah was not one of the leading Levites, but led the singers who went ahead of the company, for we would expect mention of the singers. Whilst in some ways spoiling the symmetry, this interpretation limits the leading Levites to seventeen, tying in with the number of leading Levite families in Nehemiah 10:9-13.

Nehemiah 12:43

The Culmination Of The Celebrations Which Took Place In The Temple (Nehemiah 12:43). The processions on or about the wall having been completed the people gathered in the Temple area and offered large numbers of sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. These would then, of course, have been partaken of, and there would be a great feast as all the people, men, women and children joined in the rejoicing and celebrations. They had a new sense of Jerusalem as the holy city, and of the presence of YHWH acting on their behalf.Nehemiah 12:43‘And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy, and the women also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.’These sacrifices would inevitably include burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, but in the main they were probably sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving of which all could partake, and it is clear that there were a great many of them. Indeed this was necessary in order to provide meat for the feast. But they would be offered with joyful hearts and a real sense of gratitude to God. Note the emphasis on the fact that everyone was gathered, even women and children, for which compare Ezra 10:1, although there it was in penitence.So great were the crowds, and so loud the praise from such a great multitude, that ‘the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off’.

Compare for this Ezra 3:13. Note the emphasis. ‘They rejoiced – God made them rejoice with great joy – the women and children rejoiced – the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off’. Joy was at the centre of their worship. As a consequence everyone around knew that God had done great things for His people, and that they were correspondingly grateful and filled with joy.

Nehemiah 12:44-13

The Establishment Of The Temple Treasury, And The Chambers To Contain The Heave-offerings, Firstfruits and Tithes That Were Offered To YHWH, Their Restoration, And The Exclusion Of All Who Religiously Defiled Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:44 to Nehemiah 13:14). Equally of importance with the celebrations over the completion of the wall, were the arrangements made to ensure that Jerusalem continued to be the holy city, set apart to YHWH, purified from all that religiously defiled, and fulfilling its function as the YHWH’s earthy dwellingplace, and as the store-city of all that specifically belonged to YHWH (that which had been set apart for Him and given to Him in accordance with the Law). To the mundane mind the building of the wall of Jerusalem had made it a defensible city suitable to be the capital of Judah, and thus an achievement in itself, but to the religious mind what the wall indicated was a new beginning of Jerusalem as ‘the holy city’ which was the centre of true Yahwism.This portion (Nehemiah 12:44 to Nehemiah 13:14) is distinguished by being fashioned on a clear chiastic pattern, as follows:A Appointment of men over the treasure and store chambers (Nehemiah 12:44 a).B The store chambers were for the treasures, heave-offerings, firstfruits and tithes (Nehemiah 12:44 b).C All Judah rejoiced over the priests, and over the Levites who waited (before God) and gave them their portions as every day required (Nehemiah 12:44 c-47).D In accordance with the Law of YHWH concerning the Moabites and Ammonites all who were religiously tainted were separated from Israel (Nehemiah 13:1-3).E Eliashib who was the priest who was appointed over the chambers, provided a chamber for Tobiah the Ammonite, a chamber which had previously been used for the storage of those things which had been given to God (Nehemiah 13:4-5).F All this happened when Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem, having returned to the king’s court, probably at this stage stationed at Babylon (Nehemiah 13:6).E Nehemiah learns what Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah with a chamber in the courts of the house of God (Nehemiah 13:7).D Tobiah the Ammonite was cast out of the Temple chambers which were cleansed and restored to their proper use (Nehemiah 13:8-9).C The portions of the Levites had not been given to them with the result that the house of God was forsaken by its servants who no longer waited before God (Nehemiah 13:10-11),B All Judah brought the tithes to the treasuries (Nehemiah 13:12).A Appointment of men over the treasuries (Nehemiah 13:13-14).Note that in A men were appointed over the treasure and store chambers, and in the parallel men were appointed over the treasury. In B the store chambers were for various things including the tithes, and in the parallel all Judah brought tithes to the treasury. In C the portions were given to the priests and Levites as every day required, and in the parallel their portions were not given to the Levites. In D all who were religiously tainted, including the Ammonites, were separated from Israel, and in the parallel Tobiah the Ammonite was cast out of the Temple chambers which had to be cleansed. In E Eliashib provided a chamber for Tobiah, ad in the parallel Nehemiah learned of it. Centrally all this happened whilst Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem