Nehemiah 12:22-26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 12:1-26

We have here the names, and little more than the names, of a great many priests and Levites, that were eminent in their day among the returned Jews. Why this register should be here inserted by Nehemiah does not appear, perhaps to keep in remembrance those good men, that posterity might know to whom they were beholden, under God, for the happy revival and re-establishment of their religion among them. Thus must we contribute towards the performance of that promise, Ps. 112:6; The righteous... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 12:22

The Levites, in the days of Eliashib,.... The third priest of the second temple: Joiada ; he was the son of Eliashib, and the fourth high priest: and Johanan ; the same with Jonathan, Nehemiah 12:11 and whom Josephus F15 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 7. sect. 1. also calls Joannes: and Jaddua ; the same as in Nehemiah 12:10 in the days of each of these were recorded chief of the fathers ; the principal men among the Levites: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 12:23

The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles ,.... Some think this refers to 1 Chronicles 9:14 , &c.; until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib ; from whence Dr. Lightfoot F16 Works, vol. 1. p. 146. concludes, that the Chronicles were written by Ezra in the times of this Johanan. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 12:24

And the chief of the Levites ,.... Here the thread of the history of Nehemiah, interrupted by the insertion of the two preceding verses, is carried from the priests to the Levites in the times of the third high priest: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel ; these were singers, since it follows: with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward ; which office of theirs they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 12:25

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters ,.... At the gates of the temple, see 1 Chronicles 9:15 , keeping the ward, at the thresholds of the gates ; of the temple, where they stood and watched; or "at the collection of the gates", meaning either where the people were gathered together, or where money gathered was laid up; and so some render it, "the treasuries of the gates": unless a place called Asuppim should be meant, 1 Chronicles 26:15 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 12:26

These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak ,.... Who was high priest in Babylon, and whose grandson was now high priest in the time referred to: and in the days of Nehemiah the governor ; the writer of this book: and of Ezra the priest, the scribe ; who was contemporary with him. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 12:22

Jaddua - This was probably the high priest who went in his pontifical robes, accompanied by his brethren, to meet Alexander the Great, when he was advancing towards Jerusalem, with the purpose to destroy it, after having conquered Tyre and Gaza. Alexander was so struck with the appearance of the priest, that he forbore all hostilities against Jerusalem, prostrated himself before Jaddua, worshipped the Lord at the temple, and granted many privileges to the Jews. See Josephus, Ant. lib. xi.,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 12:23

The book of the chronicles - This is not the book of Chronicles which we have now, no such list being found in it; but some other book or register, which is lost. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 12:25

The thresholds of the gates - Some understand this of a sort of porticoes at the gates, and are puzzled about it, because they find no mention of porticoes elsewhere: but why may we not suppose these to resemble our watch-boxes or some temporary moveable shelters for those who took care of the gates? That there must have been some such conveniences, common sense dictates. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 12:1-26

1. That of the priestly families whose seals were set to the covenant ( Nehemiah 10:2-8 ); and, 2. That of the heads of the priestly courses under the high priest Joiakim ( Nehemiah 12:12-21 ). The number of the names in each of the three lists is almost exactly the same (twenty-two or twenty-one); the names are for the most part the same; and they are given nearly in the same order. That they are the names of families appears most distinctly from the third list ( Nehemiah... read more

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