Nehemiah 7:1 - Exposition

The porters and the singers and the Levites . The porters and the singers were themselves Levites, but are often distinguished from their brethren, who had no such special office (see Ezra 2:40-42 , Ezra 2:70 ; Ezra 7:24 ; Ezra 10:23 , Ezra 10:24 ; Nehemiah 7:43-45 , Nehemiah 7:73 ; Nehemiah 10:28 , etc.). Nehemiah's choice of Levites to guard the gates of Jerusalem may seem strange; but we must remember—

1. That the priests and Levites formed nearly one half the population of Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 11:6-19 compared with 1 Chronicles 9:9-22 ).

2. That the office of guarding the temple gates had always been discharged by Levites ( 1 Chronicles 9:17-22 ; 1 Chronicles 26:12-19 ).