Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence ... · Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence Nehemiah’s Final Reforms ... as an ox licks up the grass

http://www.BibleStudyWorkshop.com 1

Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell

Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

Nehemiah 13:1-31

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

http://www.BibleStudyWorkshop.com


Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms Text: Nehemiah 13:1-31, 1. On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; 2. Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 4. And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 5. And he had prepared for him a great chamber, 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 the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. 6. But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7. And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber. 9. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.




10. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13. And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren. 14. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18. Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.




20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. 23. In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. 25. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. 26. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? 28. And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; 31. And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.




Introduction: I. It appears as if a portion of chapter 13 should be read with the remainder of chapter 12.

A. It does not appear that Nehemiah 13:1-3 is really connected with the remainder of events in chapter 13 unless the theme of the chapter is “correction,” in which case, there would be a connection of thought.

Commentary: Nehemiah 13:1-3, On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. I. A Separation From the Mixed Multitudes. A. The Book of Moses.

1. The particular reference is Deuteronomy 23:3-6, though the phrase refers to the Pentateuch in its entirety.

a. Deuteronomy 23:3-6, No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. However,




the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

2. As you read the passage in Deuteronomy, you may wonder if tenth generation is the number ten or something else.

a. The NET translations offers this study note: “The Hebrew term translated ‘ever’ suggests that ‘tenth generation’ also means ‘forever.’

i. Deuteronomy 23:2, 3, No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.

b. However, in the OT sense forever does not mean for eternity, but for an indeterminate future time.” (E-Sword)

B. Separation.

1. Numbers 22-24, Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at




that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed." The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him. God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.'" But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you." So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me." But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. Now stay here tonight as the others




did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me." That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again. Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned




away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her." Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?" "Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth." Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him. The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people. Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height. God met with him, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram." The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this message." So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the princes of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his oracle: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' How can I curse those whom




God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not dnounced? From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!" Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!" He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?" Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me." So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there." The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this message." So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?" Then he uttered his oracle: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. "No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his




prey and drinks the blood of his victims." Then Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!" Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?" Balaam's Third Oracle Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there." And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: "How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! "Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. "Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. "God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? "May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!" Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, "I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Now leave at once and go home! I said I would




reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded." Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD -and I must say only what the LORD says'? Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come." Then he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city." Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: "Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last." Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: "Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock; yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive." Then he uttered his oracle: "Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin." Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.

2. Though the verse does not speak of marriage (neither does the passage in Deuteronomy), it appears that marriage was in view.




a. Nehemiah 13:23, In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

3. It is interesting to note that what another hoped to be a curse, the Lord turned into a blessing.

a. No matter the difficulty in life, God is on the side of His children.

b. Ephesians 3:20-21, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

4. God’s people on various occasions have to make difficult decisions in life.

a. Trying to avoid them merely puts off the difficulty and brings, many times, a greater heartache.

Nehemiah 13:4-9, And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: And he had prepared for him a great chamber, 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 the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I




commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense. I. A Problem in the Storerooms.

A.The High Priest, Eliashib, and Tobiah. Tobiah was a continual plague in Nehemiah’s side.

1. Earlier in this book, he was deceptive (as well as Sanballat) in trying to thwart the work on the wall (cf. Nehemiah 4-6). 2. Now, with Nehemiah gone, he just “quietly and smoothly slides in.” 3. Of course, the problem was more than that; it was the High Priest’s acceptance of him and a failure to see his “dirty work” earlier.

a. “Besides, they exhibit the character of Eliashib, the high priest, in a most unfavorable light; for while he ought, by his office, to have preserved the inviolable sanctity of the temple and its furniture, his influence had been directly exercised for evil; especially he had given permission and countenance to a most indecent outrage – the appropriation of the best apartments in the sacred building to a heathen governor, one of the worst and most determined enemies of the people and the worship of God” (JFB, E-Sword).

4. That place designated for the provisions that sustained the priests and Levites (in addition to those things pertaining to the Temple) was now taken over for personal/selfish reasons.




B. Nehemiah’s cleansing.

1. He left Jerusalem and headed back to Susa (Shushan), honoring his word to the king. 2. For about 12 years he was in Jerusalem doing the Lord’s work. Now he was back. 3. He left the place in the hands of trustworthy men (7:2), but for some reason or another, these men could not handle the problem that Nehemiah faced when he returned.

a. Nehemiah 7:2, That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.

4. When Nehemiah returned, he was greatly angered by what he saw and he proceeded to clean out the storeroom of personal belongings and he had the Temple cleansed.

a. Nehemiah 12:30, 45, Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

b. 2 Chronicles 29:5, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

5. A paraphrase of Kinder’s remark (in EBC, p. 761): If Nehemiah was a whirlwind when he came to Jerusalem the




first time and dealt with the opposition as he did, when he came the second time, he was a fire and an earthquake!

Nehemiah 13:10-14, And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. I. The Deprivation of the Levites.

A. The workers for the Lord’s Temple service were deprived of their living, so into the field they went in order to provide for their families.

1. When Nehemiah returned, note the way he began, “Why is the house of God forsaken.”

2. This is interesting. Men were prohibited from serving the Lord in a designed way and it is the house of God that is forsaken.

a. Nehemiah 10:37, 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.

b. It would be a mistake to think that the house of God was forsaken because of the deprivation only (though the text does lend itself in that direction). c. It seems that it is quite reasonable for there to be a forsaking in other areas as well.

3. In any event, Nehemiah addressed the problem “straight-up.”

B. The restoration of the Temple service by those previously assigned.

1. In 13:13, Nehemiah appointed men who were faithful. They were faithful in their handling of obligations and they were faithful to the Lord. 2. John Gill remarked on 13:14, “Not in a way of strict justice, as if he thought he merited anything at the hand of God for what he had done; but in a way of grace and mercy, that he would graciously accept thereof, as done for the honour of his name, and overlook all failings and infirmities therein . . .” (E-Sword). 3. Nehemiah 13:13, 14, And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.




Nehemiah 13:15-22, In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. I. Observance of the Sabbath.

A. Activities taking place on the Sabbath day as if it were any other day.

1. Those of Jerusalem and Judea were just as guilty as those of Tyre.




2. Nehemiah calls into question those in leadership (the nobles of Judah). Clayton Winters comments that Nehemiah’s contentions with the nobles was a confrontation; “too much was involved for Nehemiah to mince words” (Commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, p. 147). 3. They profaned the Sabbath and failed to remember that it was this transaction (among others) that took them into captivity.

a. Jeremiah 17:21-27, Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a




burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

B. Nehemiah commanded the gates to be shut on the Sabbath and those who camped outside to “get a jump on” the following day’s activity. Nehemiah threatened with judgment.

1. Williamson comments that perhaps the nobles of Jerusalem thought they could purchase items since the work being done was by those outside the covenant (p. 396).

2. The Levites were to guard the sanctity of the day by guarding the gates.

3. However, as business was prohibited inside the city walls, the entrepreneurs simply “camped” outside until the following day.

4. Perhaps there was a temptation to attract some of the people of the city outside (Williamson).

C. Again, Nehemiah asks the Lord to remember him.

1. “By some Nehemiah has been thought to deal with God too much on the principle of merit. That he wished God to remember him for good, is sufficiently evident; and who does not wish the same? But that he expected heaven because of his good deeds, does not appear. Indeed the concluding clause of this verse proves the contrary, and shows that he expected nothing from God but through the greatness of his mercy” (Clarke, E-Sword).




Nehemiah 13:23-28, In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. I. Marriage to Foreign Women. A. The people spoke the language of Ashdod.

1. This was a town west of Judah; well known for its Philistine connection.

a. 1 Samuel 5:1, And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

b. The Philistines were continual thorns in the sides of the Israelites.

2. The two other identified peoples have a connection to Lot.

a. Genesis 19:37-38, And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the




same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

b. Tobiah was an Ammonite official.

i. Nehemiah 2:10, When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

ii. The Ammonites worshipped an idol god (Molech) by sacrificing children in the fire. iii. 2 Kings 23:10, 13, And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

c. The Moabites did similar things.

i. Numbers 21:29, Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

3. These influences did nothing more than corrupt the people.




a. Lives were in continual physical danger. 4. Nehemiah noticed the language spoken by the children.

a. Parents can hide what they know; children, on the other hand, will expose parents. b. The children were not taught (at least prominently) their own heritage. c. Corruption had started!

B. Nehemiah’s strong reaction.

1. Is it any wonder that Nehemiah would react strongly as he did?

2. He spoke strongly to and against them, he struck them, and pulled out their hair. 3. He made them pledge loyalty to God. 4. He also recounted a bit of history.

a. God’s chosen servant (Solomon) was even corrupted by foreign women.

b. 2 Kings 11:1-8, And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from




Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son. And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house; And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down. And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

C. Nehemiah drove out the High Priest’s son, Joiada.

1. Eliashib was High Priest when Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem.

a. Nehemiah 3:1, Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.

2. Now his grandson was a son-in-law to Sanballat, also a foreigner.




a. It is difficult to say whether the grandson was High Priest or not; in any case, he was driven from Nehemiah and if he were not High Priest, he certainly had any opportunity taken away from him to be one.

b. Leviticus 21:14, A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

Nehemiah 13:29-31, Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good. I. Nehemiah’s Appeal to the Lord and a Summary of his Works.

A. We will close this outline commentary with the words of Yamauchi on Nehemiah the man. 1. He was a man of responsibility. He served the king.

2. He was a man of vision. Confident of what God would do through His servants.

3. He was a man of prayer. Many times in this book Nehemiah prayed.

4. He was a man of action and cooperation. He saw what needed to be done and he elicited the help and counsel of others.




5. He was a man of compassion. When the poor were in difficulties, he sought them relief for them (chapter 5). 6. He was a man who triumphed over opposition. His opponents ridiculed, slandered, lied, and attempted to kill him, but he overcame them all.

B. The impression from the book of Nehemiah is that Nehemiah was one strong man. He may not have been a religious leader (by tribe), but he was a religious leader by devotion. We need more men like Nehemiah.




References 1. Expositor’s Bible Commentary 2. Word Biblical Commentary 3. E-Sword (Jamison, Fausset, and Brown; Barnes, Clarke, NET, Keil & Delitzsch, Gill, ISBE). 4. Clayton Winters 5. McClintock-Strong Encyclopedia 6. E. M. Zerr 7. New Twentieth Century Dictionary. 8. ISBE, Revised 9. Collins Atlas of the World




Questions

Nehemiah 13:1-31

(Questions based on NIV text.) 1. What is the Book of Moses? ________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. When the Book of Moses was read to the people, what specific thing was found written in it? ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Why was this command given to Israel? _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Tell all you know about Balaam. _____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




5. How did God turn “the curse into a blessing”? __________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. How did Israel respond to the discovery of this command? _________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Who was Eliashib and what was his job? _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Had Eliashib faithfully discharged his duties? ____________ If not, what were his failings? _______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What were the intended uses of the storerooms? Be specific. ____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. While all this was going on, where was Nehemiah? Why was he there? How long was he away from Jerusalem? ___________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. How did Nehemiah react to the evil thing Eliashib had done? What evil thing had Eliashib done? __________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. What did Nehemiah find amiss with the Levites? Who were responsible for this problem? How did Nehemiah correct the situation? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. Who replaced Eliashib? Why were these people chosen? ________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. What were their duties? ___________________________________




__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. Was Nehemiah politically correct in the actions he took to address Israel’s problems? How important is it for Christians to be politically correct? What does this term mean? ____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. Nehemiah prayed, “________________ me for this, O my God, and do ____________ ______________ ______________ _____________ ____________ _____________ ________________ ________________ _______________ for the ________________ of my God and its ________________.” 17. For what will you be remembered? __________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 18. In what ways and by whom was the Sabbath being desecrated? ____ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




19. How did Nehemiah deal with this desecration of the Sabbath? How successful was Nehemiah’s intervention? ________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20. “_________________ ________________ for this also, O my God, and ________________ ________________ to me according to your ________________ ________________.” 21. Another problem was identified. What was this problem and what effects did it produce? _______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22. How did Nehemiah deal with this problem? How successful was his intervention? _______________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. “Was it not because of ________________ like these that _________________ ___________________ of ________________ ________________? Among the many ________________ there was no __________________ like him. He was ________________ by his ________________, and ______________ made him ______________




over all ______________, but even he was led into ________________ by ________________ ________________.” 24. “Must we hear now that you too are doing all this ________________ ______________ and are being ________________ to our ________________ by ________________ ________________ ________________?” 25. “So I ____________ the ______________ and the _____________ of ______________ ________________, and ________________ them _______________, each to his own task. I also made _______________ for ________________ of ________________ at _______________ _______________, and for the ________________. _______________ me with ________________, O my God.”



Documents

Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence ... · Wholesale Apostasy of Israel in Nehemiah’s Brief Absence Nehemiah’s Final Reforms ... as an ox licks up the grass