Nehemiah 13:1-11

Ne 13:1

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;

 

The specific day is not mentioned but it seemed to have been a time when the returnees from Babylon were still attached to those who were of false religions which was in direct violation of the law of God.  An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: (Deuteronomy 23:3)  Basically what was in view was that the Ammonites or Moabites should not be mingled with Israel by means of marriage since marriage makes a couple one flesh.  The false religions became a snare to Israel which was the source of the reason God punished them because they walked away from him.


Ne 13:2

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.

 

The reason the Ammonites and Moabites were not to be mingled with Israel was because they had become the enemy of Israel since the time they entered into Canaan.  Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. (Deuteronomy 23:4)   The Ammonites and Moabites wanted to destroy them and even hired the false prophet Balaam to curse them but God turned that situation completely around and made Balaam bless them.  Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. (Deuteronomy 23:5)  The reference to bread and water would have been sustenance for the people coming from Egypt.

 

Ne 13:3

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

 

When they hear the law being read which would have been the portion where Israel was not to marry strange wives or husbands, they immediately began to separate themselves from the pagan wives and husbands.  The mixed multitude was what helped get them into trouble with God.  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? (Numbers 11:4) 

 

Ne 13:4

And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

 

Before there was this great separation of Israel from the pagan nations, Eliashib who was the High Priest, had committed a sin against the law of God.  He had made an alliance with Tobiah, first it was by marriage and then a friendship.  Tobiah was an Ammonite so it was bad enough he was related to the High Priest by marriage, but he prepared for him a great chamber for living quarters right in the temple.

 

Ne 13:5

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.

 

The great chamber or room that they would store all the tithes in which were given to the priests for the operation of the house of God were now removed and placed in other places in the temple making a living quarter for Tobiah.  With Eliashib allied with Tobiah, giving him a place in the temple would allow him to have secret plans with Tobiah and this way no one would find out since people would not normally enter those chambers which were set apart for the priests.

 

Ne 13:6

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:

 

Nehemiah was not in Jerusalem at this time because if he was, Tobiah would never have been allowed to live in the temple.  Nehemiah was no doubt summoned back to Persia for his duties after he had been absent for twelve years.  Artaxerxes was the Persian king and he ruled Babylon by means of conquering it.  Nehemiah had to obtain permission from the king to once again return to Jerusalem which he was able to because of his good relationship with the king.  This was probably around 432 B.C. when he returned to Jerusalem.

 

Ne 13:7

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.

 

Then when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem he no doubt received a full report since he had understanding of the evil violation of the law which Eliashib did.  It was these evil alliances that caused God to judge the people and send them into captivity.  Here they are once again starting to do the same things that caused them to incur the judgment of God on them.  Nehemiah found out about the arrangements made for Tobiah by Eliashib.

 

Ne 13:8

And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

 

It grieved Nehemiah with such intensity that he began to take all the material goods which Tobiah owned and started tossing them out of the temple.  He saw that Tobiah’s presence in the temple meant that the temple was defiled because he was a pagan and Nehemiah began to cleanse that chamber by removing all of his goods.

 

Ne 13:9

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.

 

Then they cleansed the chamber from Tobiah and it was no doubt a physical cleaning as well as a ceremonial cleansing.  Then once the cleansing was done, they returned that room to the use it was intended for where they stored the vessels which were used in the service of the temple along with the meat offerings and the frankincense along with any other items used in the temple service.

 

Ne 13:10

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.

 

Another situation which was addressed by Nehemiah was the portions of the tithes which were supposed to be given to the Levites were not given which meant they had to leave their posts in the temple and go to their own family fields and get sustenance for themselves and then return to the temple.  They possibly stayed away for long periods of time to actually grow the food and then after harvest return to the temple. The people no doubt had seen what Eliashib had done and held back their tithes for the Levites maybe for the purpose of making sure that the Ammonites do not get any of the tithes.  The absence of the priests, porters, and singers meant that Eliashib would have a free hand to conduct business to his own profit.

 

Ne 13:11

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.

 

Then Nehemiah laid the fault of these things at the feet of the rulers which he left in charge in his absence.  He then confronts them with the question of why was the house of God forsaken?  In his absence, a heathen moved into the temple, the tithes were not being delivered to the temple and no doubt other things were neglected.  Nehemiah confronted the rulers and then went to the fields to gather the singers, porters, and priests back to the temple in their proper places and once again the tithes would begin to be delivered for them so there would be no neglecting of the service in the house of God.

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