BIBLES NET. COM
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
N E H E M I A H
CHAP. X.
We have in this chapter a particular account of the covenant which in
the close of the foregoing chapter was resolved upon; they struck while
the iron was not, and immediately put that good resolve in execution,
when they were in a good frame, lest, if it should be delayed, it might
be dropped. Here we have,
I. The names of those that set their hands and seals to it,
II. An account of those who signified their consent and concurrence,
III. The covenant itself, and the articles of it in general, that they
would “keep God’s commandments”
(ver. 29);
in particular, that they would not marry with the heathen
(ver. 30),
nor profane the sabbath, nor be rigorous with their debtors
(ver. 31),
and that they would carefully pay their church-dues, for the
maintenance of the temple service, which they promise faithfully to
adhere to,
| The Sealing of the Covenant. | B. C. 444. |
|
|
|
1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the
son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of
the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah,
Hanan,
11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu,
Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the
porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had
separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of
God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one
having knowledge, and having understanding;
29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into
a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given
by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the
commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his
statutes;
30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of
the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals
on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on
the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the
seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
When Israel was first brought into covenant with God it was done by
sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood,
But here it was done by the more natural and common way of sealing and
subscribing the written articles of the covenant, which bound them to
no more than was already their duty. Now here we have,
I. The names of those public persons who, as the representatives and
heads of the congregation, set their hands and seals to this covenant,
because it would have been an endless piece of work for every
particular person to do it; and, if these leading men did their part in
pursuance of this covenant, their example would have a good influence
upon all the people. Now observe,
1. Nehemiah, who was the governor, signed first, to show his
forwardness in this work and to set others a good example,
v. 1.
Those that are above others in dignity and power should go before them
in the way of God.
2. Next to him subscribed twenty-two priests, among whom I wonder we do
not find Ezra, who was an active man in the solemnity
which was but the first day of the same month, and therefore we cannot
think he was absent; but he, having before done his part as a scribe,
now left it to others to do theirs.
3. Next to the priests, seventeen Levites subscribed this covenant,
among whom we find all or most of those who were the mouth of the
congregation in prayer,
This showed that they themselves were affected with what they had said,
and would not bind those burdens on others which they themselves
declined to touch. Those that lead in prayer should lead in every other
good work.
4. Next to the Levites, forty-four of the chief of the people gave it
under their hands for themselves and all the rest, chiefly those whom
they had influence upon, that they would keep God’s commandments. Their
names are left upon record here, to their honour, as men that were
forward and active in reviving and endeavouring to perpetuate religion
in their country. The memory of such shall be blessed. It is observable
that most of those who were mentioned,
&c., as heads of houses or
clans, are here mentioned among the first of the chief of the people
that subscribed, whoever was the present head bearing the name of him
that was head when they came out of Babylon, and these were fittest to
subscribe for all those of their father’s house. Here are Parosh,
Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani
(v. 14),
Azgad, Bebai, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph,
Anathoth, and some others in the following verses, that are all
found in that catalogue. Those that have interest must use it for
God.
II. The concurrence of the rest of the people with them, and the rest
of the priests and Levites, who signified their consent to what their
chiefs did. With them joined,
1. Their wives and children; for they had transgressed, and they must
reform. Every one that had knowledge and understanding must covenant
with God. As soon as young people grow up to be capable of
distinguishing between good and evil, and of acting intelligently, they
ought to make it their own act and deed to join themselves to the
Lord.
2. The proselytes of other nations, all that had separated
themselves from the people of the lands, their gods and their
worship, unto the law of God, and the observance of that law.
See what conversion it; it is separating ourselves from the course and
custom of this world, and devoting ourselves to the conduce of the word
of God. And, as there is one law, so there is one covenant, one
baptism, for the stranger and for him that is born in the land. Observe
how the concurrence of the people is expressed,
(1.) They clave to their brethren one and all. Here those whom
the court blessed the country blessed too! The commonalty agreed with
their nobles in this good work. Great men never look so great as when
they encourage religion, and are examples of it; and they would by
that, as much as any thing, secure an interest in the most valuable of
their inferiors. Let but the nobles cordially espouse religious causes,
and perhaps they will find people cleave to them therein closer than
they can imagine. Observe, Their nobles are called their
brethren; for, in the things of God, rich and poor, high and
low, meet together.
(2.) They entered into a curse and an oath. As the nobles
confirmed the covenant with their hands and seals, so the people with a
curse and an oath, solemnly appealing to God concerning their
sincerity, and imprecating his just revenge if they dealt deceitfully.
Every oath has in it a conditional curse upon the soul, which makes it
a strong bond upon the soul; for our own tongues, if false and lying
tongues, will fall, and fall heavily, upon ourselves.
III. The general purport of this covenant. They laid upon themselves no
other burden than this necessary thing, which they were already obliged
to by all other engagements of duty, interest, and gratitude–to walk
in God’s law, and to do all his commandments,
v. 29.
Thus David swore that he would keep God’s righteous judgments,
Ps. cxix. 106.
Our own covenant binds us to this, if not more strongly, yet more
sensibly, than we were before bound, and therefore we must not think it
needless thus to bind ourselves. Observe, When we bind ourselves to do
the commandments of God we bind ourselves to do all his
commandments, and therein to have an eye to him as the Lord and our
Lord.
IV. Some of the particular articles of this covenant, such as were
adapted to their present temptations.
1. That they would not intermarry with the heathen,
Many of them had been guilty of this,
In our covenants with God we should engage particularly against those
sins that we have been most frequently overtaken in and damaged by.
Those that resolve to keep the commandments of God must say to evil
doers, Depart,
Ps. cxix. 115.
2. That they would keep no markets on the sabbath day, or any other day
of which the law had said, You shall do no work therein. They
would not only not sell goods themselves for gain on that day, but they
would not encourage the heathen to sell on that day by buying of them,
no not victuals, under pretence of necessity; but would buy in their
provisions for their families the day before,
Note, Those that covenant to keep all God’s commandments must
particularly covenant to keep sabbaths well; for the profanation of
them is an inlet to other instances of profaneness. The sabbath is a
market day for our souls, but not for our bodies.
3. That they would not be severe in exacting their debts, but would
observe the seventh year as a year of release, according to the law,
In this matter they had been faulty
(ch. v.),
and here therefore they promise to reform. This was the acceptable
fast, to undo the heavy burden, and to let the oppressed go
free,
Isa. lviii. 6.
It was in the close of the day of expiation that the jubilee trumpet
sounded. It was for the neglect of observing the seventh year as a year
of rest for the land that God had made it enjoy its sabbaths seventy
years
and therefore they covenanted to observe that law. Those are stubborn
children indeed that will not amend the fault for which they have been
particularly corrected.
| The Renewal of Sacred Rites. | B. C. 444. |
|
|
|
32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly
with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of
our God;
33 For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and
for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new
moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the
sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the
work of the house of our God.
34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the
people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of
our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year
by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is
written in the law:
35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the
firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the
house of the LORD:
36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it
is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of
our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests
that minister in the house of our God:
37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and
our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and
of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our
God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same
Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites,
when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the
tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,
into the treasure house.
39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall
bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil,
unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and
the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and
we will not forsake the house of our God.
Having covenanted against the sins they had been guilty of, they
proceed in obliging themselves to revive and observe the duties they
had neglected. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn
to do well.
I. It was resolved, in general, that the temple service should be
carefully kept up, that the work of the house of their God should be
done in its season, according to the law,
Let not any people expect the blessing of God unless they make
conscience of observing his ordinances and keeping up the public
worship of him. Then it is likely to go well with our houses when care
is taken that the work of God’s house go on well. It was likewise
resolved that they would never forsake the house of their God
(v. 39),
as they and their fathers had done, would not forsake it for the house
of any other god, or for the high places, as idolaters did, nor forsake
it for their farms and merchandises, as those did that were atheistical
and profane. Those that forsake the worship of God forsake God.
II. It was resolved, in pursuance of this, that they would liberally
maintain the temple service, and not starve it. The priests were ready
to do their part in all the work of God’s house, if the people would do
theirs, which was to find them with materials to work upon. Now here it
was agreed and concluded,
1. That a stock should be raised for the furnishing of God’s table and
altar plentifully. Formerly there were treasures in the house of the
Lord for this purpose, but these were gone, and there was no settled
fund to supply the want of them. It was a constant charge to provide
show-bread for the table, two lambs for the daily offerings, four for
the sabbaths, and more, and more costly, sacrifices for other
festivals, occasional sin-offerings, and meat-offerings, and
drink-offerings for them all. They had no rich king to provide these,
as Hezekiah did; the priests could not afford to provide them, their
maintenance was so small; the people therefore agreed to contribute
yearly, every one of them, the third part of a shekel, about ten pence
a-piece for the bearing of this expense. When every one will act, and
every one will give, though but little, towards a good work, the whole
amount will be considerable. The tirshatha did not impose this tax, but
the people made it an ordinance for themselves, and charged themselves
with it,
2. That particular care should be taken to provide wood for the altar,
to keep the fire always burning upon it, and wherewith to boil the
peace-offerings. All of them, priests and Levites as well as people,
agreed to bring in their quota, and cast lots in what order they should
bring it in, which family first and which next, that there might be a
constant supply, and not a scarcity at one time and an overplus at
another,
Thus they provided the fire and the wood, as well as the lambs for the
burnt-offerings.
3. That all those things which the divine law had appointed for the
maintenance of the priests and Levites should be duly paid in, for
their encouragement to mind their business, and that they might not be
under any temptation to neglect it for the making of necessary
provision for their families. Then the work of the house of God is
likely to go on when those that serve at the altar live, and live
comfortably, upon the altar. First-fruits and tenths were then the
principal branches of the ministers’ revenues; and they here resolved,
(1.) To bring in the first-fruits justly, the first-fruits of their
ground and trees
(Exod. xxiii. 19; Lev. xix. 23),
the first-born of their children (even the money wherewith they were to
be redeemed) and of their cattle,
(this was given to the priests,
also the first-fruits of their dough
(Num. xv. 21),
concerning which there is a particular order given in the prophecy
concerning the second temple,
(2.) To bring in their tenths likewise, which were due to the Levites
(v. 37),
and a tenth out of those tenths to the priest,
This was the law
but these dues had been withheld, in consequence of which God, by the
prophet, charges them with robbing him
at the same time encouraging them to be more just to him and his
receivers, with a promise that, if they brought the tithes into the
store-house, he would pour out blessings upon them,
v. 10.
This therefore they resolved to do, that there might be meat in God’s
house, and plenty in the store-chambers of the temple, where the
vessels of the sanctuary were,
“We will do it (say they) in all the cities of our tillage,”
In all the cities of our servitude, so the LXX., for they were
servants in their own land,
But (as Mr. Poole well observes), though they paid great taxes to the
kings of Persia, and had much hardship put upon them, they would not
make that an excuse for not paying their tithes, but would render to
God the things that were his, as well as to Cæsar the things that
were his. We must do what we can in works of piety and charity
notwithstanding the taxes we pay to the government, and cheerfully
perform our duty to God in our servitude, which will be the surest way
to ease and liberty in God’s due time.
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
|
Back to Bibles Net . Com – Online Christian Library Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary – Free Download |
Copyright 2008. Bibles Net. Com. All Rights Reserved.