14 Heads of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand and eight hundred `and' eighteen. Sons of Elam: a thousand two hundred fifty and four. Sons of Zattu: eight hundred forty and five.
Sons of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two. Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. Sons of Arah, seven hundred five and seventy. Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua, Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. Sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. Sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty and five. Sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two. Sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. Sons of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. Sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. Sons of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. Sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. Sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. Sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. Sons of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. Sons of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. Sons of Gibbar, ninety and five. Sons of Beth-Lehem, a hundred twenty and three. Men of Netophah, fifty and six. Men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. Sons of Azmaveth, forty and two. Sons of Kirjath-Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. Sons of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one. Men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two. Men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. Sons of Nebo, fifty and two. Sons of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six. Sons of another Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. Sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty. Sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. Sons of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. Sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. The Priests: sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. Sons of Imner, a thousand fifty and two. Sons of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. Sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. The Levites; sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy and four. The singers: sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight. Sons of the gatekeepers; sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai, the whole `are' a hundred thirty and nine. The Nethinim: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth, Sons of Keros, sons of Siaha, sons of Padon, Sons of Lebanah, sons of Hagabah, sons of Akkub, Sons of Hagab, sons of Shalmai, sons of Hanan, Sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar, sons of Reaiah, Sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda, sons of Gazzam, Sons of Uzza, sons of Paseah, sons of Besai, Sons of Asnah, sons of Mehunim, sons of Nephusim, Sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur, Sons of Bazluth, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha, Sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Thamah, Sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha. Sons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Peruda, Sons of Jaalah, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel, Sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, sons of Ami. All the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon `are' three hundred ninety and two. And these `are' those going up from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsa, Cherub, Addan, Immer, and they have not been able to declare the house of their fathers, and their seed, whether they `are' of Israel: sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. And of the sons of the priests: sons of Habaiah, sons of Koz, sons of Barzillai (who took from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite a wife, and is called by their name;) these have sought their register among those reckoning themselves by genealogy, and they have not been found, and they are redeemed from the priesthood, 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. All the assembly together `is' four myriad two thousand three hundred sixty, apart from their servants and their handmaids; these `are' seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and of them `are' singers and songstresses two hundred. Their horses `are' seven hundred thirty and six, their mules, two hundred forty and five, their camels, four hundred thirty and five, asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. And some of the heads of the fathers in their coming in to the house of Jehovah that `is' in Jerusalem, have offered willingly for the house of God, to establish it on its base; according to their power they have given to the treasure of the work; of gold, drams six myriads and a thousand, and of silver, pounds five thousand, and of priests' coats, a hundred. And the priests dwell, and the Levites, and of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, in their cities; even all Israel in their cities.
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Commentary on Nehemiah 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ne 10:1-27. The Names of Those Who Sealed the Covenant.
1. Nehemiah, the Tirshatha—His name was placed first in the roll on account of his high official rank, as deputy of the Persian monarch. All classes were included in the subscription; but the people were represented by their elders (Ne 10:14), as it would have been impossible for every one in the country to have been admitted to the sealing.
Ne 10:28. The Rest of the People Bound Themselves to Observe It.
Those who were not present at the sealing ratified the covenant by giving their assent, either in words or by lifting up their hands, and bound themselves, by a solemn oath, to walk in God's law, imprecating a curse upon themselves in the event of their violating it.
Ne 10:29-39. Points of the Covenant.
29-37. to observe and do all the commandments, &c.—This national covenant, besides containing a solemn pledge of obedience to the divine law generally, specified their engagement to some particular duties, which the character and exigency of the times stamped with great urgency and importance, and which may be summed up under the following heads: that they abstain from contracting matrimonial alliances with the heathen; that they would rigidly observe the sabbath; that they would let the land enjoy rest and remit debts every seventh year; that they would contribute to the maintenance of the temple service, the necessary expenses of which had formerly been defrayed out of the treasury of the temple (1Ch 26:20), and when it was drained, given out from the king's privy purse (2Ch 31:3); and that they would make an orderly payment of the priests' dues. A minute and particular enumeration of the first-fruits was made, that all might be made fully aware of their obligations, and that none might excuse themselves on pretext of ignorance from withholding taxes which the poverty of many, and the irreligion of others, had made them exceedingly prone to evade.
32. the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God—The law required every individual above twenty years of age to pay half a shekel to the sanctuary. But in consequence of the general poverty of the people, occasioned by war and captivity, this tribute was reduced to a third part of a shekel.
34. we cast the lots … for the wood offering—The carrying of the wood had formerly been the work of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty was assigned as stated in the text. The practice afterwards rose into great importance, and Josephus speaks [The Wars of the Jews, 2.17, sect. 6] of the Xylophoria, or certain stated and solemn times at which the people brought up wood to the temple.
38. the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes—This was a prudential arrangement. The presence of a dignified priest would ensure the peaceful delivery of the tithes; at least his superintendence and influence would tend to prevent the commission of any wrong in the transaction, by the people deceiving the Levites, or the Levites defrauding the priests.
the tithe of the tithes—The Levites, having received a tenth of all land produce, were required to give a tenth of this to the priests. The Levites were charged with the additional obligation to carry the tithes when received, and deposit them in the temple stores, for the use of the priests.
39. and we will not forsake the house of our God—This solemn pledge was repeated at the close of the covenant as an expression of the intense zeal by which the people at this time were animated for the glory and the worship of God. Under the pungent feelings of sorrow and repentance for their national sins, of which apostasy from the service of the true God was the chief, and under the yet fresh and painful remembrance of their protracted captivity, they vowed, and (feeling the impulse of ardent devotion as well as of gratitude for their restoration) flattered themselves they would never forget their vow, to be the Lord's.