NEH 10

Nehemiah 10:38

WEB

The priest, the descendent of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes. The Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms, into the treasure house.

BSB

A priest of Aaron’s line is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of these tithes to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.

KJV

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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 32–39

Nehemiah 10:32–39

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, Neh 10:33. 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 (Neh 10:39), 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, Neh 10:32, Neh 10:33. 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, Neh 10:34. 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 (Exo 23:19; Lev 19:23), the first-born of their children (even the money wherewith they were to be redeemed) and of their cattle, Exo 13:2, Exo 13:11, Exo 13:12 (this was given to the priests, Num 18:15, Num 18:16), also the first-fruits of their dough (Num 15:21), concerning which there is a particular order given in the prophecy concerning the second temple, Eze 44:30. (2.) To bring in their tenths likewise, which were due to the Levites (Neh 10:37), and a tenth out of those tenths to the priest, Neh 10:38. This was the law (Num 18:21-28); but these dues had been withheld, in consequence of which God, by the prophet, charges them with robbing him (Mal 3:8, Mal 3:9), 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, Neh 10:10. 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, Neh 10:39. "We will do it (say they) in all the cities of our tillage," Neh 10:37. In all the cities of our servitude, so the Septuagint, for they were servants in their own land, Neh 9:36. 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 Caesar 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.

Cross-references: Neh 10:33 · Neh 10:39 · Neh 10:32 · Neh 10:34 · Exod 23:19 · Lev 19:23 · Exod 13:2 · Exod 13:11 · Exod 13:12 · Num 18:15 · Num 18:16 · Num 15:21 · Ezek 44:30 · Neh 10:37 · Neh 10:38 · Num 18:21 · Mal 3:8 · Mal 3:9 · Neh 10:10 · Neh 9:36

Hebrew interlinear

H1961

הָיָהhâyâh/haw-yaw/

v — exist, be, become, come to pass

Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1933);

to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

KJV: beacon, × altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, follow, happen, × have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, × use.

הָיָה

vb — fall out

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

I.

1.

a. Fall out, happen

b. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

2. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

a.

(1). וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

(2). rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

b. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

II. Come into being, become

1.

a. abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

b. sq. prep.

2. become

a. sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

b. sq. pred. adj.

c. become like

d. sq. pred. לְ pers.

e. sq. לְ pred.

f. oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

g. with עַל and לְ

h. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

III. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

1. exist, be in existence

2. abide, remain, continue

3. with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

4. as copula, joining subj. & pred.

5. periphrastic conjug.

Niph.

1. either be done, be brought about, or occur, come to pass

2. be done, finished, gone

H3548

כֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/

n-m — officiating, priest, acting priest

Derivation: active participle of 3547;

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

KJV: chief ruler, × own, priest, prince, principal officer.

כֹּהֵן

n.m — priest

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

H1121

בֵּןbên/bane/

n-m — son

Derivation: from 1129;

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

KJV: afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ( ) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, (young) bullock, (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, very fruitful, postage, × in, kid, lamb, ( ) man, meet, mighty, nephew, old, ( ) people, rebel, robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, spark, steward, stranger, × surely, them of, tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

בֵּן

n.m — son

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

1. son, male child, born of a woman

2. children (male and female)

3. youth, young men

4. the young of animals

5. of plant shoots

6. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

7.

a. member of a guild, order or class

b. of animals son of (the) herd

8. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

9. n. relat. of age

בְּנוֹ

n.pr.m — his son

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

H175

אַהֲרוֹןʼAhărôwn/a-har-one'/

n-pr-m — Aharon

Derivation: of uncertain derivation;

Aharon, the brother of Moses

KJV: Aaron.

אַהֲרֹן

n.pr.m — Aaron

אַהֲרֹן 346 n.pr.m. Aaron, elder brother of Moses

H5973

עִםʻim/eem/

prep — with, equally with

Derivation: from 6004;

adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)

KJV: accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).

מֵעִם

from with

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

עִם

prep — with

עִם prep. with

1. of fellowship and companionship

a. of aid

b. Of actions done jointly with another

c. If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

d. Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

e. Of a common lot together with the wicked

f. Of equality or resemblance generally aid

g. Of time, as long as

2. Of a locality, close to, beside

3. Of persons, עִם is spec.

a. in the house or family or service of

b. In possession of

c. In the custody or care of

d. Beside = except

e. With = friendly with

4. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

5. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H3881

לֵוִיִּיLêvîyîy/lay-vee-ee'/

a — Levite

Derivation: or לֵוִי; patronymically from 3878;

a Levite or descendant of Levi

KJV: Leviite.

לֵוִי

adj.gent — Levite

לֵוִי 291 adj.gent. Levite

H6237

עָשַׂרʻâsar/aw-sar'/

v — tithe, take, give a tenth

Derivation: a primitive root (identical with 6238); to accumulate; but used only as denominative from 6235;

to tithe, i.e. to take or give a tenth

KJV: × surely, give (take) the tenth, (have, take) tithe(-ing, -s), × truly.

עָשַׂר

vb. denom — tale the tenth of

עָשַׂר vb. denom. tale the tenth of, tithe

H5927

עָלָהʻâlâh/aw-law'/

v — ascend, high, mount

Derivation: a primitive root;

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

KJV: arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, × mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.

עָלָה

vb — go up

עָלָה 890 vb. go up, ascend, climb

Qal

1. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

2. go up, in personal relations

3. of animals, go or come up

4. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

5. of natural phenom., go up, rise

6. of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

7. of thoughts

8. come up before God, arrogance

9. go up, extend, of boundary

10. excel

Niph.

1.

a. be brought up

b. be taken up

c.

(1). pass., be taken up, away

(2). reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

2. reflex.: take oneself away

3. be exalted, of God

Hiph.

1. bring up persons

2. in personal relations

3. bring up animals

4. cause to ascend

5. mentally

6. offer a present; bring up tithe to

7. exalt

8. cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

Hoph.

1. be carried away

2. be taken up into, inserted in

3. be offered

Hithp. lift oneself

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H4643

מַעֲשֵׂרmaʻăsêr/mah-as-ayr'/

n-m — tenth, tithe

Derivation: or מַעֲשַׂר; and (in plural) feminine מַעַשְׂרָה; from 6240;

a tenth; especially a tithe

KJV: tenth (part), tithe(-ing).

מַעֲשֵׂר

tenth part

מַעֲשֵׂר tenth part, tithe

H1004

בַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/

n-m — a house

Derivation: probably from 1129 abbreviated;

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

KJV: court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).

בֵּית

prep — between

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

בַּ֫יִת

n.m — house

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

1. house

2. place

3. receptacle

4. of house as containing a family

5. household, family (592 t.)

6. house, including household affairs

7. lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

8. מִבַּיִת

a. adv. on the inside

b. prep. within

H430

אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/

n-m — gods, God, magistrates

Derivation: plural of 433;

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.

אֱלֹהִים

n.m.pl — gods

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

1. pl. in number.

a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

c. angels

d. gods

2. pl. intensive

a. god or goddess

b. godlike one

c. works of God, or things belongng to him

d. God

3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

4. אֱלֹהִים = God

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H3957

לִשְׁכָּהlishkâh/lish-kaw'/

n-f — room

Derivation: from an unused root of uncertain meaning;

a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging)

KJV: chamber, parlour. Compare 5393.

לִשְׁכָּה

n.f — room

לִשְׁכָּה n.f. room, chamber, hall, cell, lishka

H214

אוֹצָרʼôwtsâr/o-tsaw'/

n-m — depository

Derivation: from 686;

a depository

KJV: armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y).

אוֹצָר

n.m — treasure

אוֹצָר n.m. treasure, store, treasury, storehouse

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