Nehemiah 11:22

Neh 11:22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem [was] Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers [were] over the business of the house of God.

Ver. 22. The overseer] The Vulgate has it, the bishop.

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.

Neh 11:22. The sons of Asaph were over the business of the house of God — Were to take care at Jerusalem for the supply of such things as were necessary for the temple and the service of God, from time to time, while others minded the outward business, Neh 11:16. And this office was very proper for them, both as they were Levites, to whose care those things belonged; and as they were singers, who were not to come up to Jerusalem by turns, as other Levites, and as the priests did, but were constantly to reside there, and therefore were more capable of minding this business. Besides, their employment was not so frequent nor so great as some others were, and therefore they had more leisure for it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God--They were selected to take charge of providing those things which were required for the interior of the temple and its service, while to others was committed the care of the "outward business of the house of God" (Neh 11:16). This duty was very properly assigned to the sons of Asaph; for, though they were Levites, they did not repair in rotation to Jerusalem, as the other ministers of religion. Being permanent residents, and employed in duties which were comparatively light and easy, they were very competent to undertake this charge.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 22. The overseer also of the Levites] פקיד pekid, the visitant, the inspector; translated επισκοπος, bishop, both by the Septuagint and Vulgate.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(22) The overseer.—Pakid, or visitor.

Of the sons of Asaph.—It requires no disturbance of the original to read the whole of Uzzi’s pedigree: “the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, the singers in the service of the house of God.” Thus with the prayer of Neh_11:17 there is a parallel.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. Uzzi] Uzzi’s position as overseer of the Levites ‘over the business of the house of God’ is parallel to that of Shabbethai and Jozabad (Neh_11:16).

Micha] R.V. Mica. Cf. Neh_11:17.

Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over &c.] R.V. of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over &c. The R.V. rightly takes the whole verse to be one sentence, defining firstly the descent and then the duties of Uzzi. The word ‘overseer’ must be joined with ‘over the business’: while ‘the singers’ is in apposition to ‘the sons of Asaph.’

The A.V. in dividing the sentence probably followed the LXX. and Vulg. (‘De filiis Asaph cantores in ministerio domus Dei’). The purpose of the division may have been to secure to ‘the singers’ a separate mention of their office. But (1) they were tacitly included in Neh_11:17, (2) ‘the singers’ would not be over ‘the business of the house of God.’

the business of the house of God] See note on Neh_11:16. The ‘business’ is that of the liturgical worship and the organization necessary for the regular rotation of Levitical service.

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.

The business intended was probably the internal business, as distinct from the “outward business” Neh 11:16 : a part of which was the apportionment of the royal bounty among the members of the choir Neh 11:23.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Overseer. Literally, "bishop." Hebrew pekid, which has the same meaning. (Haydock) --- Christians styled him who was at the head, bishop; as the Athenians did their chief justice. (Grotius) (Estius) (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

i.e. Were to take care at Jerusalem for the supply of such things as were necessary for the temple and the service of God, from time to time, whilst others minded the outward business, Neh 11:16. And this office was very proper for them, both as they were Levites, to whose care those things belonged; and as they were singers, who were not to come to Jerusalem by turns, as other Levites, and as the priests did, but were constantly to reside there, and therefore were more capable of minding this business. Besides, their employment was not so frequent nor so great as some others were, and therefore they had more leisure for it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Properly, the whole of this verse forms a single sentence, and should run as follows: the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem, Huzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph the singers, was over the business of the house of God." As Shabbethai and Jozabad "had the oversight of the outward business" (ver. 16), so the internal business was under the superintendence of Huzzi, or Uzzi. Uzzi appears as taking part in the dedication of the wall. (Neh_12:42)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The chief officer over

"The overseer of"

Uzzi ... Bani ... Hashabiah ... Mattaniah ... Mika ... Asaph ... Pethahiah ... Meshezabel ... Zerah ... Judah

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

They were under orders from the king

"The king had told them what to do"

firm orders were given for the singers

This can be translated in active form. AT: "the king had told them specifically what to do about the singers" (See: Active or Passive)

at the king's side in all matters concerning the people

"at the Persian king's side as an adviser in all matters concerning the Jewish people"

translationWords

Levi

servant

Jerusalem

son

descend

Asaph

works

house of God

king

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the official over the Levites appointed over the Levites in Jerusalem.

over the work of the Temple of God He was appointed over the work of the Temple, such as the buildings of the repair of the Temple and the rest of the matters for which money is spent for the work of the Temple, like the matter that is stated above (verse 16): “...and Shabbethai and Jazabad over the outside work, etc.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.