A chamber in the courts of the house of God . It would seem by this expression that the chamber made over to Tobiah was not part of the main building of the temple, but a portion of some detached building belonging to the "courts." This, no doubt, made the desecration less flagrant, but was far from justifying it. read more
The offerings of the priests - i e “the portion of the offerings assigned for their sustenance to the priests.” read more
Artaxerxes king of Babylon - See Nehemiah 1:1. Compare Ezra 6:22, where Darius Hystaspis is called “king of Assyria.”After certain days - Or, “at the end of a year,” which is a meaning that the phrase often has Exodus 13:10; Leviticus 25:29-30; Numbers 9:22. Nehemiah probably went to the court at Babylon in 433 B.C., and returned to Jerusalem 432 B.C. read more
Nehemiah 13:5. He had prepared for him a great chamber By breaking down the partitions, it is probable, between several little chambers, where holy things were laid, and by removing the things which were in them, he had prepared one large room for Tobiah’s reception, when he came to Jerusalem. This, no doubt, he had furnished for his use, and here Tobiah lodged, in order that he and the high-priest might have more free and secret communication with each other, this being a place where the... read more
Nehemiah 13:6. But in all this time was I not at Jerusalem Which gave Eliashib the opportunity of doing these things; for unless Nehemiah had been absent, he durst not have done them. For in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes, came I unto the king Namely, from Jerusalem, where he had been once and again; and after certain days obtained I leave of the king To return to Jerusalem. In the Hebrew it is, At the end of days; that is, at the year’s end: for so the word ימים , jamim, ... read more
Nehemiah 13:7. The evil Eliashib did in preparing him a chamber “Tobiah had insinuated himself into the good opinion of many of the people, and especially those of note, by his making two alliances with families of this sort: for Johanan his son had married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, (Nehemiah 6:18; Nehemiah 3:4,) who was one of the chief managers of the building of the wall of Jerusalem, and he himself had married the daughter of Shechaniah, another great man among... read more
Nehemiah’s later reforms (13:4-31)After serving twelve years as governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to Persia for a period (see 5:14; 13:6). During his absence the religion of the Jews deteriorated, while the Jews’ old enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah, gained some influence in Jerusalem. The high priest Eliashib was especially blameworthy in this. He allowed a member of the high priestly family to marry the daughter of Sanballat (see v. 28), and gave permission to Tobiah to live in one of the... read more
See Nehemiah 13:4 for a special note. meat offerings = gift offerings. Heb minchah. App-43 . new wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27 . offerings = heave offerings. App-43 . read more
See Nehemiah 13:4 for a special note. not I at Jerusalem. Nehemiah did not return with Haggai and Zachariah at the beginning of this reign. See longer note on Nehemiah 13:4 . the two and thirtieth year. See longer note on Nehemiah 13:4 . Artaxerxes = Darius Hystaspis. See longer note on Nehemiah 5:14 , Nehemiah 13:4 . obtained I leave = I earnestly requested. Hebrew. sha'al. See note on "enquire", 1 Samuel 28:6 , 1 Samuel 28:7 . read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:6
In all this time . Literally, "during all this"—while all this was being done. The reference seems to be solely to the affair of Eliashib and Tobiah. Artaxerxes, king of Babylon . The title "king of Babylon," which was certainly borne by Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius Hystaspis, may have continued in use down to the time of Nehemiah, or even later. If he visited Artaxerxes at Babylon, the court happening to be there at the time, he would naturally think and speak of him as "king of... read more