Chapter Twelve
1–7 A list of priests who came with Zerubbabel. 8–26. A list of Levites. 27–44. The consecration of the walls of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 12:1. Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Regarding the priests and Levites as the main bearers of the spirit which animated the post-exilic community, the writer devotes special attention to their lists. From (Ezra 2:62-63) it is evident how carefully the genealogical lists of priests were maintained. According to the testimony of Josephus (Against Apion 1:7), genealogical lists were kept even by the Jewish priests who lived in Egypt, Babylon, and other places. Later, these lists were presented in Jerusalem, where, probably, the Sanhedrin compiled them into a single genealogical book. In addition to this, Eusebius reports that the genealogical records mentioned were destroyed by Herod. From verse 7 it is evident that the writer names the actual chiefs of the priestly divisions and their brothers. By analogy with chapter XI, one should think, however, that the writer names not separate individuals, but divisions which bore the names of those or other persons. The writer enumerates 22 names. Of these, 15 names are the same as those already cited in (Neh 10:3-9), while the others are different. This difference of names is unclear. It is very probable that when signing the obligation to observe the law, some divisions (Neh 10:3-9) signed not by their exact name, but by the name of the then-current representative. The Ezra mentioned by name (in verse 1) some scholars identify with Ezra the scribe. But apparently, this is the Ezra who in (Neh 10:2) is called Azariah.
Nehemiah 12:3. Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, “Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth.” Instead of the name Rehum according to (Ezra 2:36-39; Neh 10:5) it is better to read: Harim.
Nehemiah 12:7. Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshua. “These were the chiefs of the priests and their brothers,” that is, the representatives of individual priestly families and the brothers who followed them.
Nehemiah 12:10. Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, Eliashib became the father of Joiada, Nehemiah 12:11. Joiada became the father of Jonathan, Jonathan became the father of Jaddua. A list of high priests. The list is a continuation of (1 Chr 6:10-14), where the high priests up to Jozadak, the father of Jeshua, are enumerated. The Eliashib mentioned in verse 10 was the high priest in the time of Nehemiah (see Neh 3:1). Concerning the high priest Joiada, called by Josephus Judah (Jewish Antiquities XI, 2, 1), in (Neh 13:28) it is reported that his son entered into a marriage relationship with Sanballat and for this was expelled from Jerusalem. Instead of the name of Joiada’s son Jonathan, in view of verses 22 and 23, it is better to read the name Johanan or John (Jewish Antiquities XI, 7, 1). Josephus tells that this Johanan killed his brother Jesus, and this served as the occasion for the siege of Jerusalem by Bagoses, the general of Artaxerxes II. The last high priest mentioned in verse 11 is Jaddua. Josephus represents him as a contemporary of Alexander the Great (336–323). On this basis, some scholars even deny the attribution of Nehemiah chapter XII, and with it the entire book. But from the time of Nehemiah to Alexander the Great (433–330) not more than 100 years passed. There is nothing improbable in the fact that Nehemiah saw Jaddua in early childhood – and names him in the genealogy as a candidate for the high priesthood. If such an assumption is rejected, then it can be admitted that the high priestly genealogy in verse 11 was continued after Nehemiah and extended to Jaddua.
Nehemiah 12:12. In the days of Joiakim there were priests, the chiefs of the families: from the house of Seraiah Meraiah, from the house of Jeremiah Hananiah, Nehemiah 12:13. from the house of Ezra Meshullam, from the house of Amariah Johanan, Nehemiah 12:14. from the house of Melicu Jonathan, from the house of Shebaniah Joseph, Nehemiah 12:15. from the house of Harim Adna, from the house of Meraioth Hilkiah, Nehemiah 12:16. from the house of Iddo Zechariah, from the house of Ginnethon Meshullam, Nehemiah 12:17. from the house of Abijah Zichri, from the house of Miniamin, from the house of Moadiah Piltai, Nehemiah 12:18. from the house of Bilgah Shammua, from the house of Shemaiah Jonathan, Nehemiah 12:19. from the house of Joiarib Mattenai, from the house of Jedaiah Uzzi, Nehemiah 12:20. from the house of Sallai Kallai, from the house of Amok Eber, Nehemiah 12:21. from the house of Hilkiah Hashabiah, from the house of Jedaiah Nathaniel. A list of priests, the chiefs of the families, from the time of high priest Joiakim. The Zechariah of the house of Iddo mentioned in verse 16 is probably identical with the prophet Zechariah (Zech 1:1; Ezra 5:1). In verse 17, after the words “from the house of Miniamin,” the name of the chief of the family is undoubtedly missing.
Nehemiah 12:22. The Levites, the chiefs of the families, were recorded in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, and also the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. Nehemiah 12:23. The sons of Levi, the chiefs of the families, were recorded in the chronicles until the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib. Nehemiah 12:24. The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, the son of Kadmiel, and their brothers, standing opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving according to the commandment of David, the man of God, division following division. Nehemiah 12:25. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub – the gatekeepers, the guards at the thresholds of the gates. Nehemiah 12:26. They were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of the governor Nehemiah and of Ezra the priest and scribe. A list of Levites. According to verse 22, the Levites were recorded in the days of Eliashib, but according to verse 26, already in the time of Joiakim the divisions of Levites were established. Evidently, in the days of Eliashib only a record was made, which, probably, was corrected in the time of the following high priests. In (Ezra 2:40), besides the six divisions of gatekeepers of which in (Neh 12) there is no mention, only three classes of Levites are named: Jeshua, Kadmiel, the sons of Asaph. In (Neh 12:8-9) from the time of the same Zerubbabel are also named Binnui, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Unni. Evidently, after the arrival of Zerubbabel, representatives of Levitical classes also returned, about the organization of which we have no precise information. The remark of verse 22: “and also the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian” is unclear. The mention of Darius the Persian is also indefinite. It is possible that in this remark we have a later gloss.
Nehemiah 12:27. And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. From verse 27 begins a description of the solemn dedication of the walls of Jerusalem accomplished by Nehemiah. The time of this event is not specified. But there are no grounds for placing the event far from the building of the walls, – to the time of, say, Nehemiah’s second arrival (Robinson). According to a letter of Palestinian Jews to Egyptian Jews, preserved in (2 Macc 1:18), the solemn dedication of the walls took place on the 25th day of Kislev. If the construction of the walls was completed in Elul (Neh 6:15), then, apparently, the dedication was performed three months later. Probably, the dedication was performed immediately after the measures concerning the increase of the population of Jerusalem (Neh 7:5) were accomplished, and the community gave a solemn oath to observe the law. In verse 27, the text speaks of preparation for the dedication, namely, the summoning of the Levites, who for the most part did not live in Jerusalem itself, but near it.
Nehemiah 12:28. And the singers gathered together from the surrounding district of Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, “And the singers gathered together from the surrounding district of Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.” The singers – participants in the Levitical musical choirs, who came to Jerusalem on appointed days. Netophah is the present-day Ben-Netaf, about 3 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 12:29. and from Beth-Haggilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Beth-Haggilgal may be identified with the present-day Jiljilia, lying at a distance of 4 miles north of Jerusalem, to the west of the road to Nablus. The locations of Geba and Azmaveth are also to be sought not far from Jerusalem to the north.
Nehemiah 12:30. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. Before the beginning of the celebration, the priests and Levites not only purified themselves, but also purified the people, the gates, and the wall. The latter consisted, as is thought on the basis of (2 Chr 29:20-24), of the offering of sin offerings and burnt offerings. There is also an opinion (Reuss) that the purification of the people consisted of preliminary ablutions and fasting, while for the walls and gates – sprinkling. Rashi supposes that it consisted in the removal of bones from caves within the city.
Nehemiah 12:31. Then I brought the officials of Judah up on the wall and appointed two large choirs that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate. For the dedication two choirs were formed, which went in opposite directions so that they would meet at the temple. The starting point of the processions is not indicated. But from the context one can conclude that the procession began from the Valley Gate, the present-day Jaffa Gate. From here one choir went to the right, that is, southward, the other northward. Behind one choir went Ezra, and behind the other Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 12:32. And behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the officials of Judah, Hoshaiah occupied, apparently, a position near Nehemiah similar to that of Zedekiah (see Neh 10:1).
Nehemiah 12:33. Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, Nehemiah 12:34. Judah and Benjamin, and Shemaiah and Jeremiah, The names mentioned in verses 33–34 Keil considers the names of the mentioned above “officials of Judah.” But both the construction of the verses (verse 33: from the Hebrew “and Azariah”) and the character of the names rather give grounds to see in verses 33–34 a list of heads of priestly families who participated in the procession as representatives of the priesthood.
Nehemiah 12:35. And of the priests’ sons with the trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, Nehemiah 12:36. and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nathanael, Judah, and Hananiah, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. And Ezra the priest the scribe was before them. The priests who performed certain duties in the procession. “And Ezra the priest the scribe was before them,” that is, before the entire procession, and thus directly behind the choir.
Nehemiah 12:37. By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up by the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. Regarding the topographical indications of verse 37, see the note to (Neh 3:15).
Nehemiah 12:38. The other choir went to the left, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, Nehemiah 12:39. and past the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. And they came to a stop at the Gate of the Guard. Regarding the places mentioned in verses 38–39, see the note to chapter 3.
Nehemiah 12:40. So the two choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me, The two choirs came together at the house of God, or at the plaza to the east of the temple buildings.
Nehemiah 12:41. and the priests Eliakm, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; Nehemiah 12:42. and Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah as their leader. Probably, in verses 41–42 are named the participants in the second procession, not mentioned earlier in the description of the procession of the second choir.
Nehemiah 12:43. And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, because God had made them rejoice with great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. An indication of further celebrations on the day of the dedication of the walls.
Nehemiah 12:44. And on that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and the Levites. For Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. “And on that day men were appointed over the storerooms.” The note: “on that day” does not necessarily indicate the day of the dedication of the wall; the note is indefinite in character and means: “at that time.” Some exegetes therefore suppose that from verse 44 begins a description of Nehemiah’s activity during his second arrival in Jerusalem (Neh 13:7). But the context of speech rather gives grounds to conclude that the writer has in mind the time which is near, when in the people there was still that spiritual uplift which was experienced during the dedication of the wall. As is evident from verse 44, the storage of contributions had not previously been properly organized.
Nehemiah 12:47. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah contributed the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, as each day required. They also set apart the portions for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the portions for the descendants of Aaron. “And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah contributed the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers on each day.” By this it is certainly not excluded that in respect to individual persons, as is evident from (Neh 10:38), it was sometimes necessary to resort to measures of compulsion.