Nehemiah 7:1 ¶ Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
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.
When the wall was completed and the doors hung, Nehemiah oversaw the appointment of the porters (those that guarded the doors or gates to the city), singers and Levites.
Nehemiah designated his brother Hanani and Hananiah the ruler of the palace as the ruling co-authorities over Jerusalem. Hananiah was well known for his faithfulness and reverence to God.
Reminder: It was his brother Hanani that first told Nehemiah about how the situation stood in Jerusalem, resulting in galvanizing Nehemiah into action.
Many commentators make note of the fact that Nehemiah planned to go back to Babylon and wanted to make sure that dependable men were left in charge of the city.
Courson: “The fear of God is to be afraid of doing anything that would grieve the Lord. The fear of God says, ‘I want to live my life in such a way that I truly acknowledge Your presence with me in every situation, in every conversation.’”
Nehemiah 7:3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
Nehemiah 7:4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
Nehemiah left instructions that the gates of the city not be opened until well into the morning. This would seem to imply that the gates be shut well before it got dark. The doorkeepers were to be in charge of the opening and closing of the gates and remain on duty during the time they were opened. The rulers were to appoint some of the men that lived in the city as watchers of the city entrances when the gates were closed. They were to serve on a rotating schedule at the gate nearest their home.
I liked Guzik’s application: “In the Christian life, often a victory is won and later lost because there was no guard. An enemy may come in because we are not watching.”
And Wiersbe: “We need guards at the gates, faithful men and women who will not allow false Christians to get in and take over the ministry (2Cor. 11:13-15). We need watchers on the wall to warn us when the enemy is approaching. Christian parents need to guard their homes lest the enemy gets in and captures their children."
Nehemiah notes that though the city was large, only a few people lived there and housing had not yet been built.
Nehemiah 7:5 ¶ And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
Nehemiah 7:6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
Nehemiah notes that God put it on his heart to establish a genealogical record of all the people. In that process he found the register of those that had first returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The listing that follows seems to be a repeat of the information in Ezra 2.
Coffman makes an important observation: “Nothing is of less interest to current readers than these genealogical registers in the O.T.; but the importance of them is great indeed. The great promise of God looking to the redemption of fallen humanity, and the bringing into our world of the Dayspring from On High, specifically tied that promise to the "Seed (singular) of Abraham" (Genesis 12:3); and when Mary cradled the Son of God in the Bethlehem manger, it was absolutely necessary that all men should have been certain that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed that Seed. It was the concern and diligence of men like Nehemiah who preserved and honored the genealogies of the people that were absolutely the prerequisites of Christian confidence in the identity of Jesus Christ.”
Next comment is at verse 65.
Nehemiah 7:7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
Nehemiah 7:8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
Nehemiah 7:9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
Nehemiah 7:10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
Nehemiah 7:11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
Nehemiah 7:12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Nehemiah 7:13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
Nehemiah 7:14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
Nehemiah 7:15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
Nehemiah 7:18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.
Nehemiah 7:19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.
Nehemiah 7:20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.
Nehemiah 7:21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
Nehemiah 7:22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
Nehemiah 7:24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.
Nehemiah 7:25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.
Nehemiah 7:26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
Nehemiah 7:27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:28 The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.
Nehemiah 7:29 The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.
Nehemiah 7:30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
Nehemiah 7:31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.
Nehemiah 7:32 The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.
Nehemiah 7:33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
Nehemiah 7:34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Nehemiah 7:35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
Nehemiah 7:36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
Nehemiah 7:37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.
Nehemiah 7:38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
Nehemiah 7:39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
Nehemiah 7:40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
Nehemiah 7:41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
Nehemiah 7:42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
Nehemiah 7:43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
Nehemiah 7:44 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
Nehemiah 7:47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
Nehemiah 7:48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,
Nehemiah 7:49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
Nehemiah 7:50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
Nehemiah 7:51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
Nehemiah 7:52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
Nehemiah 7:53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
Nehemiah 7:54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
Nehemiah 7:55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
Nehemiah 7:56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
Nehemiah 7:57 The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
Nehemiah 7:58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
Nehemiah 7:59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
Nehemiah 7:60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
Nehemiah 7:61 And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
Nehemiah 7:62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
Nehemiah 7:63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
Nehemiah 7:64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
Nehemiah 7:65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
Verses 61-65 makes note of those who could not prove their genealogy, including some claiming to be priests. These men would not be allowed to serve until they could be verified by a priest through the use of the Urim and Thummim.
Nehemiah 7:66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
Nehemiah 7:67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.
It is recorded that the list totaled 42,360 plus 7,337 servants. There were also 245 male and female singers.
JFB notes that it is not surprising to find some discrepancies between the records of Ezra and Nehemiah in that Ezra’s was made before leaving Babylon and Nehemiah’s is being recorded years after that in Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 7:68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:
Nehemiah 7:69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.
It is also recorded that they had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 7,720 asses.
Nehemiah 7:70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments.
Nehemiah 7:71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.
Nehemiah 7:72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests’ garments.
Nehemiah made note of the financial contributions made by some of the leading men and others. Their contributions included money (gold and silver), valuable items and garments for the priests.
Tirshatha is a reference to the governor, and Nehemiah was the governor at that time. It seems natural to me that he would not want to refer to himself by name when recording donations.
Nehemiah 7:73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
This chapter closes with a note that everyone had returned to their own cities by the seventh month (September/October). Afterwards, Jerusalem was left with a very small population.
Nehemiah 8:1 ¶ And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
Nehemiah 8:2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
Nehemiah 8:3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentiveunto the book of the law.
Nehemiah records that at some point the people (men and women) gathered together in the street in front of the water gate and asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law of Moses (the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch) in which he had recorded the LORD’s commands to Israel. Ezra complied. Courson notes that since water is a symbol of the Word of God, it was appropriate that the people gather at the Water Gate.
It is noted that it was the first day of the 7th month. Though it is not referenced, this was the day designated as the feast of trumpets that marked the beginning of the Jewish new year.
It would seem from the previous chapter that these people would have been those that remained to live in Jerusalem after others had returned to their own cities.
Nehemiah 7:73 “So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.”
Ezra read to the congregation from the morning until midday, and the people listened attentively. This could have been from 4-6 hours.
JFB offers this insight: “The public reading of the Scriptures was required by the law to be made every seventh year; but during the long period of the captivity this excellent practice, with many others, had fallen into neglect, till revived, on this occasion.”
Deuteronomy 31:10–12 “And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law….”
Coffman offers this explanation regarding Ezra’s presence: “Where was Ezra during the rebuilding of the wall? We do not know. He might have been recalled to Persia years earlier, or he might have been temporarily absent from Jerusalem. ‘The most probable explanation is that he had been recalled to Persia in 456 B.C., and that now, eleven years later in 444 B.C., he was allowed to return to Jerusalem.’ It is not unreasonable at all to suppose that Nehemiah had sent for him to come and celebrate the dedication of the completed wall.”
Nehemiah 8:4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Nehemiah 8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
They had built a raised platform from wood for him to stand on as he read and taught so that all the people could see him. He was flanked by thirteen men, probably some of the religious leaders of the people that were probably needed to help with the reading. I know my voice begins giving out after a while when I read aloud to my grandkids.
When Ezra opened the book to begin to read, the people stood to their feet in an attitude of reverence for God’s word. He pronounced a blessing upon “the LORD, the great God,” and the people affirmed him with a double Amen. They lifted up their hands and bowed their heads to the ground as they worshipped the LORD.
Nehemiah 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
Nehemiah 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Several men among the priests and Levites helped translate and explain the law as the people stood listening to Ezra read from it. Point is made that they read from it “distinctly,” clearly and plainly. They explained what it meant so that the people had clear understanding of what they heard.
That should be the purpose of every preacher in every pulpit in all churches across this world—no matter how big or how small their congregation. They should be focused on teaching the plain meaning of God’s word—not twisting it or manipulating it to accomplish their own purposes.
Nehemiah 8:9 ¶ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
Nehemiah 8:12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest/scribe and the Levites united in declaring the day to be a holy day unto the LORD “your God.” They told the people not to mourn and weep, because that was the first response the people had upon hearing God’s word. They realized how great was their sin and how far they had gotten from living according to God’s law.
Nehemiah (or Ezra) told the people to go and celebrate and take joy in the strength of the LORD. I think the Levites circulated among the people to encourage them to turn their tears into laughter. It was a great thing that they understood God’s word, a cause for rejoicing. I know it gives me great joy as I study scripture and gain better understanding and learn more about its truth. My prayer ever mirrors that of the psalmist: Psalms 119:18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
Wiersbe: “The secret of Christian joy is to believe what God says in His Word and act upon it. Faith that isn’t based on the Word is not faith at all; it is presumption or superstition. Joy that isn’t the result of faith is no joy at all; it is only a good feeling that will soon disappear. Faith based on the Word will produce joy that will weather the storms of life.”
The NIV Commentary provides insight on verse 10: “The fat of sacrificial animals was offered to God as the tastiest element of the burnt offering (Lev 1:8, 12), the fellowship offering (Lev 3:8-10), and the guilt offering (Lev 7:3-4).”
Nehemiah 8:13 ¶ And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
Nehemiah 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
Nehemiah 8:16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
Nehemiah 8:17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Nehemiah 8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
The very next day the leading men of the city, the priests and Levites all gathered again to meet with Ezra for more teaching from the law. I liked Guzik’s comment: “Leaders have a special need to understand and walk in God’s Word. Their ignorance or disobedience affects far more than themselves—it affects everyone they have an influence on.”
These men learned about the feast of tabernacles that should be held during the 7th month in remembrance of God’s provision for His people when He delivered them out of Egypt and in celebration of the harvest, during which they lived in booths made from tree branches.
Leviticus 23:40–43 “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”
Deuteronomy 16:13–15 “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.”
They then proceeded to gather material and make booths throughout the city. Nehemiah notes that this feast had not been celebrated with such joy since the days of Joshua the son of Nun who had led them into the Promised Land. (Only through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit could Nehemiah have made such a statement; he could not know that personally.) Everyone rejoiced. Every day during the feast, Ezra read from the book of God’s law. On the 8th day the feast ended with a solemn assembly, a time of worship.
Chuck Smith provides an interesting historical insight regarding the feast of tabernacles: “During the time of Christ, they further celebrated this particular feast by a daily procession of the priests from the temple mount down to the pool of Siloam where the priest would fill these great water pots with water from the pool, and then would come again singing up the steps back to the temple mount. And as the people were all gathered worshipping there, the priest would pour these water jugs out onto the pavement and let the water just splash on the pavement. And that was a reminder to them of how that God provided water out of the rock in the wilderness for their fathers. And they would sing and worship God as the water was poured out on the pavement during the days of the Feast of the Tabernacles. They did that for seven days. The feast lasted for eight days. On the eighth day there was no procession to the pool of Siloam. There was no pouring out of water. This was to commemorate the fact God brought us into the land, a land that is well-watered, a land that we do not need a miraculous supply out of the rock. That we are now dwelling in the land that God had promised. And so the eighth day no pouring of water, no procession. Just as an acknowledgment that God had kept His covenant with Abraham. Kept His word with their fathers, brought them into the land.”