Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

10:1-27 The eighty-four names included the governor: Nehemiah (10:1), and a group of priests (10:2-8; cp. 12:1-7), Levites (10:9-13; cp. 9:4-5; 12:8-9), and leaders (10:14-27; cp. 3:4-31).

Verse 28

10:28 separated themselves from the pagan people: See 9:2; cp. Ezra 9–10.

Verse 29

10:29 swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law: Cp. Lev 26:14-35; Deut 28:15-62.

Verse 30

10:30-39 Although the community had committed itself broadly to all the instructions in the law of Moses, some specific issues were being addressed in this commitment. These issues related to maintaining the purity of the community and worship at the Temple.

10:30 Cp. Ezra 9–10.

Verse 31

10:31 Ceasing trade on the Sabbath was necessary for covenant faithfulness (cp. 13:15-22; see Exod 16:29; 20:8-11; 31:15; Num 15:32-36; Amos 8:5). • Every seventh year: See Exod 23:10-11; Lev 25:2-7; Deut 15:1-3.

Verse 33

10:33 Bread of the Presence: See Lev 24:5-9; Num 28:1-8. • everything necessary: With the money from the annual tax, priests could purchase the animals for daily sacrifices and maintain the Temple complex (cp. 2 Kgs 12:11-12; see also Exod 30:11-16).

Verse 34

10:34 Because the fire on the altar burned continually (Lev 6:12), a good deal of wood was used. The Gibeonites provided it at an earlier time (Josh 9:27), but now it was a joint responsibility.

Verse 35

10:35-37 Offerings from the community provided food for the priests and Levites, who had no allocations of agricultural land and no means of providing for themselves. These provisions came from the first part of every harvest (see Exod 23:19; 34:26; Num 18:12-13; Deut 26:1-11), the redemption money of five shekels paid for the oldest sons and the firstborn of all the herds and flocks (see Exod 13:13; 34:20; Num 18:15-17), as well as a tenth of everything (see Num 18:21-24; Deut 14:22-29).

Verse 37

10:37-39 The Levites collected the tithes in all . . . rural towns and sent a tenth of that collection to the Temple in Jerusalem (see Num 18:25-32).