Nehemiah 11:23

Neh 11:23 For [it was] the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

Ver. 23. The king’s] viz. Of Persia, Ezr 6:8-9; Ezr 7:2; Ezr 7:24.

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 11:23. It was the king’s commandment, &c. — That is, as it is generally thought, the commandment of the king of Persia, who, out of his great munificence, gave it for their better support, it being common in all countries to have a particular regard for those who sung hymns in praise of their gods. Houbigant renders the words, was at the king’s hand, in the next verse, was the king’s minister.

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

it was the king's commandment--It was the will of the Persian monarch in issuing his edict that the temple service should be revived in all its religious fulness and solemnity. As this special provision for the singers is said to have been by the king's commandment, the order was probably given at the request or suggestion of Ezra or Nehemiah.

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 23. It was the king's commandment] By the king some understand David, and others Artaxerxes. It is most probable that it was the latter; who wished that a provision should be made for these, a part of whose office was to offer up prayers also, as well as praises. For we know that Darius made an ample provision for the priests, that they might offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven; and pray for the life of the king and of his sons, Ezr 6:10. Some have thought that they had been Jewish singers employed in the service of the Persian king, to whom he had given a salary, and to whom he wished still to continue the same.

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

(23) The king’s commandment.—It seems that Artaxerxes had gone beyond the exemption of Ezr_7:24, and given them a daily allowance, which it was the business of Uzzi to see to.

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

23. For it was] R.V. For there was.

the king’s commandment] R.V. a commandment from the king.

That this was the Persian king Artaxerxes is shown by the reference to ‘the king’ in Neh_11:24, and by the similar instances of favour to the Temple at Jerusalem on the part of Artaxerxes. Cf. Neh_2:8; Ezr_7:20-24.

concerning them] Who are spoken of? the singers, the Levites, or their officers and overseers?

The context seems in favour of the Levites. The name of Uzzi who was at once ‘overseer’ of the Levites and by descent of the family of Asaph, suggested the parenthetical statement, that there was a royal edict in favour of the Levitical community, and a special provision made for the singers.

that a certain portion should be for] R.V. and a settled provision for. Marg. ‘Or, a sure ordinance concerning’. The clause is not dependent on (as A.V.), but co-ordinate with its predecessor. The word rendered ‘settled provision’ (emanah) is that rendered ‘a sure covenant’ in Neh_9:38. An abstract word, it perhaps denotes the fixity of the arrangement on behalf of the singers rather than the nature of its provisions. ‘Sure ordinance’ is therefore to be preferred as a rendering; and this rendering presents a closer parallel to ‘commandment.’

due for every day] R.V. as every day required. Cf. Neh_12:47. Literally, ‘the thing of a day on its day,’ as LXX. λόγος ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ. A common Hebrew phrase, e.g. Exo_5:13; Exo_5:19; Exo_16:4; Lev_23:37; 1Ki_8:59; 2Ki_25:30; 1Ch_16:37; 2Ch_8:14; 2Ch_31:16; Ezr_3:4; Jer_52:34; Dan_1:5.

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 goodwill of Artaxerxes toward the ministers employed in the temple service, had been previously shown by his exempting them from taxation of every kind Ezr 7:24. Now, it would seem, he had gone further and assigned to the singers an allowance from the royal revenue.

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

King’s. David’s, (chap. xii. 24,) or perhaps the Persian monarch, who had appointed a maintenance for the priests, &c., 1 Esdras vi., and vii. (Calmet) --- Order. Hebrew, "that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day." (Protestants)

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).

For; or, therefore; for the following words contain either a reason why they were set over that business, or a recompence for it, or a provision that they might diligently attend to it.

The king’s commandment; either,

1. David’s, who made this constitution. Or rather,

2. The kings of Persia, who is called simply the king in the next verse also; who took this care at the request and by the direction of Ezra or Nehemiah. Or this might be Nehemiah’s command, which is called the king’s command, because it was done by the king’s deputy, or a commissioner whom the king empowered to do what he saw fit for the house and service of God, commanding all the people to obey him therein; as he had formerly done to Ezra, Ezr 7:18,20,23.

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

23. The king’s commandment — The king here referred to is not David, who originally arranged and made provision for the Levites, (1 Chronicles 23-26,) but the Persian king, Artaxerxes, who gave commandment concerning them to Ezra. Compare his decree, Ezr_7:12-26.

A certain portion — אמנה, a firm, or sure agreement, a covenant. The English version gives the view of many interpreters, who understand that a stipulated allowance of food was granted to the singers. But the Hebrew may be thus literally rendered: and an agreement was upon the singers, a matter of day in its day. That is, the singers were bound by a settled agreement to perform a certain amount of service on each particular day. Each day had its own matter of service for these singers. Perhaps, however, the thought of allowance may also be included.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it was the king"s commandment concerning them. Artaxerxes, it appears, had assigned a certain stipend from the royal revenue for the support of such Levites as were singers, and this stipend had to be paid to them day by day. It is suggested as the grounds for this special favour

1. That the Levites engaged in the choral service were regarded as those especially who prayed "for the life of the king and of his sons"; (Ezr_6:10) and,

2. That the singing Levites who returned from Babylon, being so few in number (128), had to be constantly on duty in the temple, and so needed a regular daily stipend. The nexus of this verse with the preceding one implies that the payment in question was an important part of the internal business of the house committed to Uzzi.

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

For the command of the king was upon them and [his] trust The king trusted them.

upon the singers to spend money from King Darius’s treasury.

for the daily requirements in order to perform the requirements of the Temple.

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.