1 And over those sealed `are' Nehemiah the Tirshatha, son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
And for all this we are making a stedfast covenant, and are writing, and over him who is sealed `are' our heads, our Levites, our priests.'
Words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it cometh to pass, in the month of Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I have been in Shushan the palace,
And Nehemiah -- he `is' the Tirshatha -- saith (and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who are instructing the people) to all the people, `To-day is holy to Jehovah your God, do not mourn, nor weep:' for all the people are weeping at their hearing the words of the law.
and the Tirshatha saith to them, that they eat not of the most holy things till the standing up of a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 10
Commentary on Nehemiah 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
We have in this chapter a particular account of the covenant which in the close of the foregoing chapter was resolved upon; they struck while the iron was not, and immediately put that good resolve in execution, when they were in a good frame, lest, if it should be delayed, it might be dropped. Here we have,
Neh 10:1-31
When Israel was first brought into covenant with God it was done by sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood, Ex. 24. But here it was done by the more natural and common way of sealing and subscribing the written articles of the covenant, which bound them to no more than was already their duty. Now here we have,
Neh 10:32-39
Having covenanted against the sins they had been guilty of, they proceed in obliging themselves to revive and observe the duties they had neglected. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well.