Nehemiah 13:1-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 13:1-9

It was the honour of Israel, and the greatest preservation of their holiness, that they were a peculiar people, and were so to keep themselves, and not to mingle with the nations, nor suffer any of them to incorporate with them. Now here we have, I. The law to this purport, which happened to be read on that day, in the audience of the people (Neh. 13:1), on the day of the dedication of the wall, as it should seem, for with their prayers and praises they joined the reading of the word; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:1

On that day ,.... Not when the wall of the city was dedicated, nor quickly after; for it cannot be thought that people should be so corrupted so soon as this chapter shows; but when Nehemiah had governed them twelve years, and had been at Babylon, and was returned again, as appears from Nehemiah 13:6 , compared with Nehemiah 2:1 , they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people ; for from the time of the reading of the law by Ezra, Nehemiah 8:1 it became a custom to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:2

Because they met not the children of Israel with bread ,.... The same reason is given, and what follows in this verse is observed in Deuteronomy 23:4 ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 23:4 , Deuteronomy 23:5 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:3

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law ,.... Or the law concerning the Ammonite and the Moabite, and which included other nations also, and forbad marriage with them: that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude ; all of these, and other nations, they had contracted affinity with. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:4

And before this ,.... Before the above law was read, and observed and acted upon: Eliashib the priest ; whom some take to be a common priest; so Bishop Usher F1 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 200. ; but he seems rather to be the high priest, by comparing it with Nehemiah 13:28 , having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God ; which has led some to the notion of his being a common priest; but chamber may be put for chambers, and those for the whole house or temple, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:5

And he had prepared for him a great chamber ,.... In the temple, by throwing together several chambers, as Piscator observes: where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and to the singers, and the porters, and the offerings of the priests ; see Nehemiah 10:37 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:6

But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem ,.... Nehemiah, who was absent all the while these things were done by Eliashib, or otherwise they would not have been suffered: for in the thirty second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, came I unto the king from Jerusalem ; after he had governed there twelve years, to whom he came to give an account of affairs there; this was not Xerxes, as some F2 Apud Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 8. 2. have thought, for he reigned but twenty... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:7

And I came to Jerusalem ,.... Through the king's leave, and with a commission from him: and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah ; was informed of the mal-administration of his office: in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God ; whereby it was profaned and polluted. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:8

And it grieved me sore ,.... That such a sacred place should be converted to common use, and to that of an Heathen, and of an enemy to the Jews and their religion: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber ; as being chief magistrate, and acting by commission under the king of Persia, and to regulate everything amiss, according to the Jewish laws, as well as those of the king, his power being, no doubt, as large as Ezra's, Ezra 7:25 , by "household... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:9

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers ,.... By which it appears there were more than one, or that several were thrown into one; which was done not only by washing them, but as this was a ceremonial uncleanness, contracted by the habitation of an Heathen in them, their purification might be by the water of separation, Numbers 19:9 and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense ; replaced them where they were before. read more

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