Session 29 Nehemiah 13:1-31

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I. The separation from the mixed multitude according to the book of Moses (Neh. 13:1-3)

• "That day" in which "they read in the book of Moses" could have been the day of the dedication, but more likely Nehemiah is speaking of "that day" in which they read it, unrelated to the dedication of chapter 12.
  • Either way, it is separate from the vow against mixed marriages found previously.
• The discovery that "the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever" (v. 1) is found in Deuteronomy 23:3-6.
  • It is not that the books of Moses had been lost, but they had been largely ignored.
  • If no Ammonite or Moabite could "come into the congregation of God for ever," then how did Ruth (David's great-grandmother) come in? Was Boaz guilty of a "mixed marriage"?
    • One interpretation: Deuteronomy 23 concerns formal entrance into Israel's congregation/assembly, not the salvation of a Gentile who turns to Israel's God.
    • Another interpretation, preserved in Jewish discussion, is that the restriction applied to Moabite males, not a Moabitess such as Ruth.
    • Ruth is also presented as a covenant convert: "thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16).
• Once again, the people responded immediately (v. 3). This has been the recurring testimony and theme of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah: Problem arises > Problem addressed. A "problemless" society is impossible, but it is possible to address the problems quickly and decisively.

II. Nehemiah's return and correction of Eliashib's chamber for Tobiah (Neh. 13:4-9)

• "And before this..." (v. 4). Let's work on determining when this was.
  • Following Bullinger's chronology, this "Artaxerxes" is Darius Hystaspis, with "Artaxerxes" understood as a throne/title meaning "great king."
  • The "two and thirtieth year" (v. 6) is taken as the king's age, not the thirty-second year of his reign.
  • The biblical markers are:
    • Nehemiah had been appointed governor previously (Neh. 5:14).
    • He had served a defined twelve-year period (Neh. 5:14).
    • He was not in Jerusalem when the chamber was given to Tobiah, for he says, "in all this time was not I at Jerusalem" (Neh. 13:6).
    • He had returned to the king, and only "after certain days" obtained leave to come back to Jerusalem (Neh. 13:6).
  • In Bullinger's reconstruction, the Eliashib-Tobiah incident happened while Governor Nehemiah was back at the king's court in Babylon.
  • Nehemiah apparently received word concerning both the Temple work and the Eliashib-Tobiah scandal. He then sought leave to return, which the wording of verse 6 may imply was not immediate or easy.
  • He threw out Tobiah's goods, cleansed the chambers, restored the vessels and offerings, and pushed the work forward.
  • This makes Nehemiah 13 part of Nehemiah's active governorship and return, not merely a distant appendix after the main work was done.
  • Verses 4-9, then, stand as another example of the "Problem arises > Problem addressed" theme.

III. Nehemiah's restoration of the Levites' portions and temple service (Neh. 13:10-14)

• In yet another "Problem arises > Problem addressed" illustration, this section follows thematically from Neh. 12:44-47, but historically it belongs with Nehemiah's return in 13:7.
  • Chapter 12 showed the proper order: chambers, offerings, firstfruits, tithes, singers, porters, and daily portions.
  • Chapter 13 shows Nehemiah discovering that this order had broken down during his absence.
  • The Tobiah chamber scandal and the neglected Levite portions likely belong to the same collapse of the temple support system.
• "And I perceived..." (v. 10) means Nehemiah recognized the problem when he saw that the Levites and singers had gone back "every one to his field."
  • Their absence from temple service revealed that "the portions of the Levites had not been given them."
  • Nehemiah does not treat their return to the fields as abandonment of duty, but as evidence that the support system had failed.
  • When the people failed to provide, the ministers left their appointed service in order to survive.
• "Then contended I with the rulers" (v. 11).
  • Nehemiah confronts the rulers responsible for allowing the house of God to be forsaken.
  • His question, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" treats neglected support as neglected worship.
• Nehemiah "gathered them together, and set them in their place" (v. 11).
  • Correction required both rebuke and restoration.
  • The Levites and singers are not simply scolded back into service; the structure of provision is repaired so they can serve.
• "Then brought all Judah the tithe..." (v. 12).
  • Once leadership was corrected and the ministers restored, the people responded.
  • The phrase "all Judah" again shows corporate obedience following decisive correction.
  • The tithe of corn, new wine, and oil connects this reform with the storehouse/chamber system described in chapter 12.
• Nehemiah appoints treasurers over the treasuries (v. 13).
  • Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah of the Levites, and Hanan are entrusted with distribution.
  • The key qualification is stated plainly: "they were counted faithful."
  • Nehemiah does not solve corruption by sentiment, but by trustworthy administration.
• "Remember me, O my God..." (v. 14).
  • This is the first of several "remember me" prayers in this closing chapter (vv. 14, 22, 31).
  • Nehemiah is not boasting of merit; he is asking God not to let his covenant faithfulness be wiped away or forgotten.
  • The phrase "good deeds that I have done for the house of my God" shows the motive of the reform: not personal control, but zeal for God's house and its offices.

IV. Nehemiah's correction of sabbath commerce and gatekeeping (Neh. 13:15-22)

• Nehemiah gives yet another "Problem arises > Problem addressed" example in verses 15-22, this time with sabbath law-breaking.
• This likely belongs to the same return/reform period as the Tobiah chamber scandal and the neglected Levite portions.
  • Nehemiah is not describing random failures across unrelated years, but the collapse he found when he returned from the king.
• The problem: Judah was treating the sabbath like an ordinary market day (v. 15).
  • Men were treading wine presses, bringing sheaves, loading asses, and carrying wine, grapes, figs, and burdens into Jerusalem.
  • Tyrian merchants were also bringing fish and merchandise into the city and selling on the sabbath (v. 16).
  • The issue was both Jewish participation and foreign commerce enabled by Jewish compromise.
• Nehemiah contends with the nobles of Judah (v. 17).
  • Again, he addresses leadership responsibility, not merely the people at the bottom.
  • His question is direct: "What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?"
• Nehemiah connects the present sin with past judgment (v. 18).
  • Their fathers had done such things, and God had brought evil upon Jerusalem.
  • Continued sabbath profaning was not a small administrative matter; it invited renewed wrath.
• The solution: Nehemiah closes the gates before the sabbath begins (v. 19).
  • The gates were shut as it began to be dark before the sabbath.
  • Nehemiah stationed his own servants at the gates so no burden would enter on the sabbath day.
• When merchants lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice, Nehemiah warned them (vv. 20-21).
  • His threat, "I will lay hands on you," shows that reform required enforcement, not just instruction.
  • After this, the merchants stopped coming on the sabbath.
• Nehemiah then commanded the Levites to cleanse themselves and guard the gates (v. 22).
  • Civil enforcement is followed by religious responsibility.
  • The gates of Jerusalem are treated as covenant boundaries, not merely city infrastructure.
• Nehemiah ends with another prayer: "Remember me, O my God..." (v. 22).
  • As in verse 14, he asks for God's remembrance according to mercy.
  • Reform is necessary, but Nehemiah still casts himself on divine mercy rather than personal merit.

V. Nehemiah's correction of marriages with Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab (Neh. 13:23-29)

• "In those days..." (v. 23) should be read as the same general period already being recounted in this chapter.
  • Nehemiah 13 is not necessarily moving forward in strict sequence from the dedication, but recounting reforms from Nehemiah's governorship and return to Jerusalem.
  • The phrase ties this marriage problem to the same days as the Tobiah scandal, neglected Levites, and sabbath commerce.
• The problem: Jews had married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab (v. 23).
  • This connects back to the opening concern of the chapter about Ammon and Moab (vv. 1-3).
• The visible evidence was in the children (v. 24).
  • Half spoke the speech of Ashdod and could not speak the Jews' language.
  • Language becomes a sign of household formation: the next generation was being shaped away from Judah's covenant identity.
• Nehemiah contended with them sharply (v. 25).
  • He cursed, smote certain men, plucked off hair, and made them swear by God not to continue the marriages.
  • This is severe, but it fits the chapter's pattern: Problem arises > Problem addressed.
• Solomon is the warning example (vv. 26-27).
  • If foreign wives turned away even Solomon, then ordinary men should not presume they are safe.
  • Nehemiah calls it "great evil" and "transgressing against our God."
• The priestly line was also compromised (vv. 28-29).
  • A son of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite.
  • Nehemiah "chased" him away, showing that even priestly privilege could not excuse covenant compromise.
  • His prayer asks God to remember those who defiled the priesthood and the covenant of priesthood and Levites.

VI. Nehemiah's final purification and appointments (Neh. 13:30-31)

• "Thus" (v. 30) shows this chapter as a listing of things Nehemiah did during his governorship, especially bringing purity where there was disobedience.
• Nehemiah closes with the prayer, "Remember me, O my God, for good" (v. 31).

A note about chronology:

• Though Nehemiah comes after Ezra, Ezra's events take place after Nehemiah's events. This makes Ezra 10:44 the last chronological / historical event of the Old Testament.
• There are historical books after Ezra, including Nehemiah and Esther, but Ezra is the concluding event.
• Prophets like Malachi are within the days following Ezra, but do not cover historical events.