Nehemiah 9/10 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Nehemiah 9:36 -10:29 

36 ‘But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so that they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. 37 Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

The agreement of the people

38 ‘In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.’

Chapter 10 

1 Those who sealed it were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah. Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

9 The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, 10 and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.

14 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluk, Harim and Baanah.

28 ‘The rest of the people – priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighbouring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand – 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

A. Find Out:

1. How did they see themselves? v.36a
2. Why were they? v.36b,37
3. So what were they now doing? v.38
4. Who signed it? v.1-27
5. What did the rest of the people do? v28
6. To do what? v.29

B. Think:

1. Of what were Israel aware in their present time?
2. So how did they want to change that?

C. Comment:

  The declarations that fill up most of chapter 9 have run through the failings of Israel down through history – as well as the goodness and grace of God – and that is concluded with a recognition that in their present state they are actually slaves (v.36) under the control of the king who allowed Nehemiah to come and rebuilt the wall, but they have no sense of grumbling about this because they recognise that they are in this state because of their own folly. Yes, the Lord gave them over to this state (v.37) and they feel in distress about that, but they know that it is because of their own behaviour down through history that has brought about this state of affairs.

  But they don’t want to leave it as it is; they want to make a fresh commitment, from their side at least (and trusting in the Lord) so they are going to put in writing (v.38). This is signed by the leaders, the priests and the Levites (v.1-27).

  This has to be a wholehearted commitment and so it involves all the people and they show their commitment to it by gathering together for a public declaration of it (v.28), and this included all the people involved in the Temple worship and city administration as well as all those who had previously separated themselves out as true Jews (v.29). They commit themselves to following the Law of Moses and to being obedient to all God’s rules.

D. Application:

1. Dedication has to start with leaders and be whole hearted.
2. For God’s blessing to come all the people need to be committed.

Passage: Nehemiah 10:30-39

30 ‘We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.

31 ‘When the neighbouring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.

32 ‘We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel[o] each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[p] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.

34 ‘We – the priests, the Levites and the people – have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

35 ‘We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.

36 ‘As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.

37 ‘Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. 38 A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 39 The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.

‘We will not neglect the house of our God.’

A. Find Out:

1. What was the first specific act of obedience declared? v.30
2. What was the second one? v.31a
3. What was the third one? v.31b
4. What was the fourth one? v.32,33
5. What was the fifth one? v.34
6. What was the sixth one? v.35-39

B. Think:

1. Generally speaking, what was happening here?
2. How might that act as an example for us?
3. What had preceded this to bring it about?

C. Comment:

  The Law had been read and had been received by open hearts, yearning to do all they can to be right with God. As the Law had been read they came to realise that there were a lot of things they were not doing that, as God’s people under the Law they should have been doing.

  The first thing was to remain a distinct people (v.30) not intermarrying with alien peoples (Deut 7:3).

  The second thing was not to work on the Sabbath (v.31a) as laid down in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:6-11).

The third thing was to ensure the 7 th year was a year of rest (v.31b) for the land (Lev 25:4).

The fourth thing (v.32) was to make arrangement to maintain the service of the temple which included providing the bread, and regular offerings (v.33).

Beyond this they then arranged a system of lots to provide wood for burning on the altar (v.34) and also for ensuring regular and right first-fruit offerings (v.35), including of their families (v.36), and their fruits (v.37) and it was all to be in the hands of the priests and Levites (v.38) and provide for their ministry (v.39). In all these ways they ensured that they would literally make sure they held to their relationship with the Lord.

D. Application:

1. Worship is not just words; it is also actions and life.
2. Harvest Thanksgiving means we take nothing for granted.