Nehemiah 13:12

Neh 13:12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

Ver. 12. Then brought all Judah] Then, when there was no other remedy. There must be a compulsory means, or ministers shall be poorly maintained. Quod si sustentandi essent de contributione populi, misere profecto et duriter viverent, saith Luther. If once they be brought to live upon the people’s benevolence, they shall have a poor life of it. Once, in times of Popery, there was need of a statute of Mortmain, providing that they should give no more to the Church. But now it is otherwise; these last and worst times have seen the springs of bounty, like Jordan, turned back; which heretofore did run so fresh and fast into the Church. Our statesmen have ministers’ maintenance now under debate; and much lifting there is by a levelling party (not without a Jesuit to help them) at tithes and college lands. The Lord direct our rulers; and preserve us out of the hands of those hateful harpies. {A fabulous monster, rapacious and filthy, having a woman’s face and body and a bird’s wings and claws, and supposed to act as a minister of divine vengeance.} (This was written July 30, A. D. 1653.)

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 13:12. Then brought all Judah the tithe, &c. — Out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and because they saw these tithes would now be applied to their proper uses. The people (as Conradus Pellicanus here observes) readily obey, if the magistrates and the priests be not remiss in their duty. As soon as the people saw the Levites at their work, they could not, for shame, withhold their wages any longer, but honestly and cheerfully brought them in. “The better church-work is done, the better will church-dues be paid.” — Henry.

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

12. Then brought all Judah] Nehemiah’s expostulation produced an immediate result. For the expression ‘all Judah’ = ‘the whole nation,’ cf. Neh_12:34-44.

the tithe … corn … new wine (R.V. wine) … oil] This is the tithe spoken of in Neh_13:5 and in Neh_10:37, the contribution of which was described in Neh_12:44-47.

unto the treasuries] The same word in the Hebrew as that rendered ‘treasures’ in Neh_12:44; and it might here be rendered ‘for (or, as) treasures,’ i.e. to be stored. But the sense in the English version is preferable, so also LXX. εἰς τοὺς θησαυρούς, Vulg. ‘in horrea:’ and it occurs with the same meaning in Mal_3:10, which aptly illustrates the present passage.

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.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this,.... Not in a way of strict justice, as if he thought he merited anything at the hand of God for what he had done; but in a way of grace and mercy, that he would graciously accept thereof, as done for the honour of his name, and overlook all failings and infirmities therein, see Neh 13:22

and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof; for the support of the worship of God in the temple, and for the regulating of the wards and courses in it, both priests and Levites, and for the maintenance of them; which being done from a right principle, love to God, and with a right view, the glory of his name, might be truly reckoned good works: and which he desires might not be wiped or blotted out of the book of his remembrance, see Hos 6:10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Partly out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and to his command; and partly because they saw they would be applied to their proper uses, and not abused, as they had been.

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

12. Then brought all Judah the tithe — No doubt the words of the prophet Malachi, (Mal_3:10,) as well as those of the governor, were instrumental in bringing about this result. The prophet charged them with robbing God, but at the same time reminded them of Jehovah’s long-suffering and mercy: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Nehemiah’s rebuke was effectual, the prophetic challenge of Malachi was accepted, and a blessed reformation was wrought.

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

Bought - Out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and because they saw they would now be applied to their proper uses.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

all Judah

The name of the land is a metonym for the people of the land. This is probably a generalization. AT: "all the people who lived in Judah" (See: Metonymy and Hyperbole and Generalization)

Shelemiah ... Zadok ... Pedaiah ... Hanan ... Zaccur ... Mattaniah

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

they were counted as trustworthy

This can be translated in active form. The abstract noun "trustworthy" can be translated as a verb. AT: "I knew that I could trust them" (See: Active or Passive and Abstract Nouns)

Call me to mind, my God, concerning this

"My God, remember me concerning this"

translationWords

kingdom of Judah

tenth

grain

wine

oil

priest

Zadok

scribe

Levi

son

trust

call

mind

God

good

works

house of God

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