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
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
Ministers in God's temple. These lists, once so important, are to us little more than fragmentary relics of a vanished system. They remind us how all that is external decays and passes away. They may, however, also suggest to us truths which abide and retain their worth throughout all ages. I. THE VARIETIES OF MINISTRY IN THE HOUSE OF GOD . Here, high priests, priests, Levites; chiefs and subordinates; singers and musicians; gate-keepers and guards of treasure-houses.... read more
Ministers of the Lord. Twenty-six verses of this chapter are given to the record of the names of priests and Levites. That fact itself is suggestive. It is indicative of the high place which the ministers of God held in the national estimation. We meet in these chronicles with the names of few men of comparative wealth, or rank, or soldierly ability; but the names of the ministers of religion are recorded, and are thus immortalised. Concerning these we may learn— I. THEIR RELATIVE ... read more
Joy of Jerusalem. "That day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off" ( Nehemiah 12:43 ). I. THE CONSTITUENTS OF TRUE JOY . These are— 1. Thankfulness and praise in the remembrance of the past and in confident anticipation of the future. The people recounted the mercies of the Lord. Their dedication of the completed walls... read more
LIST OF THE CHIEF LEVITICAL FAMILIES IN THE TIME OF JOIAKIM AND LATER ( Nehemiah 12:24-26 ). That family, rather than personal, names are here intended is sufficiently shown in the final summary of Nehemiah 12:26 , since the same individuals cannot have flourished under Joiakim and also under Nehemiah. The actual names—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Hashabiah, Shersbiah, etc.—are all found as family names. read more
Lists of priests and Levites (12:1-26)Following the lists of residents of Jerusalem are the lists of priests and Levites. The first of these records the names of those priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel and Joshua (12:1-9). (The Ezra mentioned in this list is not the more commonly known Ezra.) After recording the descendants of Joshua for the next six generations (10-11), the writer returns to record the heads of the other original priestly families (12-21).Besides dealing with... read more
governor = Pasha. Chaldee. pechah. read more
3. The priests and Levites 12:1-26The priests and Levites were the most important people who returned from exile because they reestablished worship in the land. Nehemiah 12:1-7 give the names of 22 leaders among them who had returned in 537 B.C. with Zerubbabel and Jeshua (cf. 1 Chronicles 24:7-19). The writer also mentioned eight Levites by name (Nehemiah 12:8-9; cf. Ezra 2:40-42).The genealogy of the high priest was especially important. Five succeeding descendants of Jeshua appear in the... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
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