Thus cleansed I them from all strangers ,.... Both people and priests from strange wives, obliging them to put them away, or flee their country: and appointing the wards of the priests and the Levites, everyone in his business : to do the work of their office in their courses and turns. read more
And for the wood offering, at times appointed ,.... Of which see Nehemiah 10:34 . Levites were appointed to receive the wood that was brought at the times and by the persons fixed, and lay it up in its proper place, and carry it to the altar when wanted: and for the first fruits ; to receive and take care of them, and distribute them to the persons to whom they belonged: remember me, O my God, for good ; to bless him with all good things, temporal and spiritual, to keep him... read more
For the wood-offering - This was a most necessary regulation: without it the temple service could not have gone forward; and therefore Nehemiah mentions this as one of the most important services he had rendered to his nation. See Nehemiah 10:34 . Remember me , O my God , for good - This has precisely the same meaning with, O my God, have mercy upon me! and thus alone it should be understood. Of Nehemiah the Jews speak as one of the greatest men of their nation. His... read more
The blessing of God on an active life founded upon his word. I. THE TRUE RELIGIOUS REFORMATION , both negative and positive. 1. Abuses must be vigorously attacked and cleansed away. The house of God has to be purified of strangers. The neglect of discipline a terrible evil. Unfaithful ministers the curse of the Church. The "mixed multitude" is no strength to Jerusalem, but weakness. The observance of the sabbath. To the Jew a typical commandment, which represented... read more
Unholy alliance (a lesson for the young). Beside the forsaking of the house of the Lord consequent on the neglect to pay tithes, and the disregard of the sabbath, Nehemiah had to lament another grave evil which had grown up during his absence in Persia. In these verses we have— I. A CASE OF ALARMING DEFECTION . "In those days" of his return some of the Jews had married "wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab" (verse 23). Ezra had encountered the same evil, and vehemently and... read more
Thus cleansed I them . Rather, "And I cleansed them." The process of cleansing touched on in this verse, and also in Nehemiah 13:3 , is not described. It probably resembled the process adopted by Ezra ( Ezra 10:5-17 ). And appointed the wards . i.e. "assigned their offices to the various priests and Levites" (see Nehemiah 11:11-24 ; Nehemiah 12:44 ; Nehemiah 13:13 ). read more
Nehemiah: his character and works. In these words Nehemiah briefly recalls the services he had recently rendered to the community, concluding with one more prayer that God would remember him. We may suitably conclude with a more general survey of his character and works. I. HIS CHARACTER . His natural abilities were of a superior order: his sagacity, forethought, power of organisation and management, warmth of feeling, power to inspire and rule others, calm consideration in laying... read more
And for the wood offering . i.e. "I appointed persons to look after the collection of the wood offering ( Nehemiah 10:34 ) and of the first-fruits" ( ibid. verses 35-37). At appointed times . Compare the expression in Nehemiah 10:34 : "At times appointed year by year." Remember me, O my God, for good . A characteristic termination of a book whereof one of the main features has been a constant carrying to God of all the author's cares, troubles, and difficulties (see Nehemiah... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 13:23-31
We have here one instance more of Nehemiah's pious zeal for the purifying of his countrymen as a peculiar people to God; that was the thing he aimed at in the use of his power, not the enriching of himself. See here, I. How they had corrupted themselves by marrying strange wives. This was complained of in Ezra's time, and much done towards a reformation, Ezra 9:1-10:44 But, when the unclean spirit is cast out, if a watchful eye be not kept upon him, he will re-enter; so he did here. Though in... read more