Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
Parallel Translations
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Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
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Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
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Thus cleansed I them from everything foreign, and appointed wards for the priests and for the Levites, every one in his work;
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Nehemiah 13:30 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Nehemiah 10:30 and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;
- Nehemiah 12:1-26 Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah. Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua. Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers. Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices. Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada, and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua. In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ households: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ households; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian. The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ households, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch. Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates. These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest and scribe.
- 1 Chronicles 23:1-26 Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel. He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, six thousand were officers and judges, four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.” David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei. The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah didn’t have many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to minister to him, and to bless in his name, forever. But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. The sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them as wives. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of Yahweh’s house, from twenty years old and upward. For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Neh 13:30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers,…
Neh 13:30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
Ver. 30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers] As from so much filth and rubbish. I made them either put away their strange wives, or quit their places. He did not raise a dust only, but not remove it, as Luther wittily saith of the cardinals and prelates, that met at Rome about reformation of the Church (Sleid. Com.). These he compared to foxes that came to sweep a house full of dust with their tails; and instead of sweeping it out, swept it all about the house, and made a great smoke for the while; but when they were gone, the dust all fell down again. Nehemiah made clean work, and so purged the priesthood, that he made it shine again, as the word here signifieth; the priests were (as Chrysostom saith all ministers should be), puriores coelo, clearer than the azured sky; and as those Nazarites, Lam 4:7, purer than snow, whiter than milk, &c.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Neh 13:30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers…
Neh 13:30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers — That is, both priests and Levites were separated from their strange wives: and appointed the wards of the priests, &c. — To observe their courses of attendance at the house of God, and every one to perform there that business which was proper to him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The wards - Rather, “the offices or observances.” Nehemiah’s…
The wards - Rather, “the offices or observances.” Nehemiah’s arrangement is probably that described in Neh 11:10-22.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 30. Thus cleansed I them — This verse is…
30. Thus cleansed I them — This verse is a concluding summary of Nehemiah’s reforms.
Appointed the wards — See Neh_12:44-47.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 30. Nehemiah Summarizes his Work under the heads of…
30. Nehemiah Summarizes his Work under the heads of purification and organization
cleansed I them] i.e. the people of Israel.
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all strangers] R.V. marg. ‘Or, every strange thing’. LXX. ἀπὸ πάσης ἀλλοτριώσεως; the foreign element, which threatened to encroach upon the separateness of Israel and become the renewed source of idolatry. Vulg. ‘ab omnibus alienigenis.’
the wards of] R.V. wards for. Nehemiah did not originate the duties of the priests and Levites; he only set on foot a more systematic distribution of their work. The word ‘wards’ may here indicate the successive relays or ‘watches’ of priests and Levites (LXX. ἐφημερίας. Vulg. ‘ordines’); or, in a more general sense, their ‘duties’ and ‘observances,’ as in Neh_13:13, which seems to agree best with the following clause: ‘each one in his work.’
in his business] R.V. in his work, Neh_13:10, Neh_10:33, Neh_11:12. As generally in these books, except Neh_11:16; Neh_11:22, where ‘business’ is retained. Cf. Pro_22:29, ‘Seest thou a man diligent in his business?’
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (30) This is a brief recapitulation of the special…
(30) This is a brief recapitulation of the special Work of Nehemiah after his return.
Thus cleansed I them.—After the acts of discipline described above, there was doubtless some formal service of expiation.
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(30, 31) Conclusion.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Thus cleansed I them. Rather, "And I cleansed them."…
Thus cleansed I them. Rather, "And I cleansed them." The process of cleansing touched on in this verse, and also in ver. 3, is not described. It probably resembled the process adopted by Ezra. (Ezr_10:5-17) And appointed the wards. i.e. "assigned their offices to the various priests and Levites". (see Neh_11:11-24 Neh_12:44 Neh_13:13)
Vers. 30, 31. Nehemiah: his character and works.
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In these words Nehemiah briefly recalls the services he had recently rendered to the community, concluding with one more prayer that God would remember him. We may suitably conclude with a more general survey of his character and works.
I HIS CHARACTER. His natural abilities were of a superior order: his sagacity, forethought, power of organisation and management, warmth of feeling, power to inspire and rule others, calm consideration in laying his plans, vigour and determination in executing them, etc. But in a homily we think rather of the moral and spiritual. The narrative presents him to us as eminent for
1. Piety. This was at the basis of his character, and guided and animated his whole life. It appears in his
(1) Habitual prayerfulness. From first to last this is conspicuous. (Neh_1:4 Neh_2:4 Neh_4:4, 9 5:19 6:9, 14 13:14, 22, 29, 31) "In everything by prayer and supplication" he made his requests "known unto God". (Php_4:6)
(2) Practical fear of God. (Neh_5:15)
(3) Love for God"s house and its services. (Neh_13:14, and elsewhere)
(4) Reverence for his law, and desire to bring all into harmony with it.
(5) Confidence in God (Neh_2:20 Neh_4:14, Neh_4:20) a confidence, however, which did not produce negligence in counsel or action, but stimulated to both.
(6) Recognition of God"s hand in all his successes. (Neh_2:8, Neh_2:12, 18 4:15 6:16) Appointed the praise of God as the principal part of the dedication of the wall. (Neh_12:27, seq.)
2. Patriotism. An ardent longing for the welfare of Israel, and willingness to do and endure anything for its promotion. (Neh_2:10) In the case of an Israelite, piety and patriotism could unite in a degree difficult to maintain in the case of others; the nation being, as no other, God"s people, owing to him its existence, laws, etc., and set apart by him as his special organ and for his special praise.
3. Disinterestedness. Seeking no personal end, receiving no salary as governor, but gladly devoting his own fortune to the service of the people. (Neh_5:10, Neh_5:14-18)
a. Impartiality. Rebuking wealthy men, rulers and priests, as freely as the common people; enforcing the rights of the latter as zealously as those of the former. (Neh_5:7-13 Neh_13:11)
b. Courage. In facing difficulties and opposition, and correcting offenders in high places. (Neh_4:9 Son_6:11)
c. Perseverance. In prosecuting his work, and beginning again when it was partially undone through his absence.
II THE SERVICES HE RENDERED TO HIS PEOPLE.
1. The strengthening of Jerusalem. He saw this to be the great necessity which must be supplied, if anything else were to be done effectually and permanently for the good of the nation. To this end he
(1) Had the encircling wall thoroughly repaired and its gates restored. Thus turning Jerusalem into a strong fortress, and making it possible for the people to develop into a nation again.
(2) Organised its forces for defence.
(3) Increased its population.
2. Reformation of religion and morals. He sought to reconstitute the nation on the basis of the Divine law. He believed that "righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people". (Pro_14:34) He therefore
(1) Suppressed extortion and oppression (ch. 5).
(2) Separated the people from heathen alliances and friendships (ver. 30, and elsewhere).
(3) Promoted the instruction of the people in God"s word (ch. 8, etc.).
(4) Resuscitated the great religious festivals.
(5) Led the people to confession of sin and renewal of their covenant with God (chs. 9, 10).
(6) Reorganised the services of the temple.
(7) Revived the payment of tithes and other offerings for the support of its ministers.
(8) Maintained its sanctity. (Neh_13:8, Neh_13:9)
(9) Enforced the law for the observance of the sabbath (vers. 13-22).
Altogether a remarkable man, raised up by God at a critical period to do a great work for Israel, and, through that nation, for mankind. Let us
(1) Glorify God in him.
(2) Imitate him so far as our abilities and opportunities allow, and so far as is consistent with the more spiritual system under which God has placed us.
(3) Pray God to raise up many such men for his service at home and abroad.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Thus I cleansed them
Thus I cleansed them
"In this way I purified them"
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established the duties of the priests and the Levites
"told the priests and Levites what they were to do"
I provided for the wood offering
"I arranged for a supply of wood for the wood offerings"
for the firstfruits
"for the offering of firstfruits at harvest time"
Call me to mind, my God, for good
"Think about all I have done, my God, and bless me because of the good things I have done." See how you translated a similar phrase in Nehemiah 13:14.
translationWords
clean
alien
priest
Levi
sacrifice
appoint
firstfruits
call
mind
God
good
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 13:30-31 These final verses summarize Nehemiah’s reform. The emphasis…
13:30-31 These final verses summarize Nehemiah’s reform. The emphasis on making certain and making sure shows that Nehemiah checked to see that the people did what they agreed to. He held people accountable for their commitments and did not allow for half-hearted reform.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.