Scroll Scroll

Nehemiah 10

The Signers of the Covenant

1Now those who sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,

2Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

3Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

8Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

9The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;

10and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

11Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

14The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

19Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai,

20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

27Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

The Covenant Obligations

28The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters—everyone who had knowledge and understanding—

29joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;

30and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;

31and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year crops and the exaction of every debt.

32Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:

33for the show bread, for the continual meal offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

34We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed year by year, to burn on the LORD our God’s altar, as it is written in the law;

35and to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all kinds of trees, year by year, to the LORD’s house;

36also the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as it is written in the law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God;

37and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, our wave offerings, the fruit of all kinds of trees, and the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all our farming villages.

38The 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.

39For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and the priests who minister, with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our God.

Following the public reading of the Law and national confession, the leaders and people of Israel formally commit to a written covenant of obedience to God's commands. The chapter begins with an extensive list of signatories, including Nehemiah, priests, Levites, and family heads, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of this commitment. The covenant specifically addresses intermarriage with foreigners, Sabbath observance, temple support, and various offerings, establishing concrete practices to maintain their distinct identity as God's people.

Context

This covenant signing follows directly from the spiritual renewal described in chapters 8-9, translating confession and recommitment into concrete legal obligations.

Key Themes

Outline

  • 1-8
    Priestly Signatories Lists the priests who sealed the covenant, beginning with Nehemiah the governor.
  • 9-13
    Levitical Signatories Records the Levites who committed to the covenant obligations.
  • 14-27
    Lay Leaders Who Signed Catalogs the chiefs of the people and family heads who sealed the agreement.
  • 28-29
    Community-Wide Commitment Describes how all the people joined in oath to follow God's law given through Moses.
  • 30-31
    Social and Religious Boundaries Establishes prohibitions against intermarriage and commercial activity on the Sabbath.
  • 32-39
    Temple Support Obligations Details the financial and material commitments for maintaining temple worship and services.

The Signers of the Covenant

10:1–10:27
narrative narration solemn

A comprehensive list of the leaders who sealed the covenant renewal in post-exilic Jerusalem, including priests, Levites, and chiefs of the people. This formal record establishes the authority and legitimacy of the covenant commitment by documenting all the signatories.

person_contrast

Zedekiah's appearance as second signatory after Nehemiah strikingly contrasts his namesake king's covenant-breaking legacy, suggesting deliberate symbolic restoration of faithful leadership.

The Covenant Obligations

10:28–10:39
narrative narration solemn

The people commit to specific covenant obligations including following God's law given through Moses, maintaining ritual purity, observing the Sabbath, and supporting temple worship through offerings and sacrifices. These detailed commitments demonstrate their renewed dedication to faithful living according to divine commandments.

person_contrast

Nehemiah's covenant uniquely combines Moses' law with specific economic commitments—tithing grain, wine, and oil—creating the Bible's most detailed merger of legal obedience and temple financing.

Insights

Insight Character Study

Zedekiah's appearance as second signatory after Nehemiah strikingly contrasts his namesake king's covenant-breaking legacy, suggesting deliberate symbolic restoration of faithful leadership.

Insight Character Study

Nehemiah's covenant uniquely combines Moses' law with specific economic commitments—tithing grain, wine, and oil—creating the Bible's most detailed merger of legal obedience and temple financing.

Historical Context

Places and events in this chapter

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