Teks -- Nehemiah 12:1-13 (NET)

The Priests and the Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem

12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, 12:5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their colleagues in the days of Jeshua. 12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services. 12:10 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua. 12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

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Wesley: Neh 12:1 - Priests

The chief of the priests, the heads of those twenty four courses which David appointed by divine direction, 1Ch. 24:1-19. And whereas there were twenty four, and here but twenty - two, and Neh 12:12, &c. only twenty, the reason of this difference may be, because two of the twenty four courses were extinct in Babylon, and two of the persons here named, Neh 12:2, Neh 12:5, Hattush, and Maadiah, may be omitted in the account of the posterity of these, Neh 12:12, &c. because they had no posterity.

Wesley: Neh 12:1 - Ezra

Either this was another Ezra, or if it were the same mentioned Ezr 7:1, he lived to a great age; which may well be supposed, considering his great sobriety, and his great piety to which God promised long life, and withal the special providence of God continuing him so long in such a season, wherein the church of God did greatly need his help and counsel.

Wesley: Neh 12:8 - Moreover, &c.

_He was to see, that the psalms of thanksgiving were continually sung in the temple, in due time and manner.

Wesley: Neh 12:10 - Jeshua

Here follows a catalogue of the Jewish high-priests; which was the more necessary, because their times were now to be measured, not by the years of their kings as formerly, but by their high-priests.

Wesley: Neh 12:12 - Priests

As their fathers were priests in the days of Joshua, so in the days of Joiakim the son of Joshua, the sons of those persons executed the priesthood in their father's steads, some of their fathers probably being yet living, and many of them dead.

JFB: Neh 12:1 - these are the priests

According to Neh 12:7, "the chief of the priests," the heads of the twenty-four courses into which the priesthood was divided (1Ch. 24:1-20). Only four of the courses returned from the captivity (Neh 7:39-42; Ezr 2:36-39). But these were divided by Zerubbabel, or Jeshua, into the original number of twenty-four. Twenty-two only are enumerated here, and no more than twenty in Neh 12:12-21. The discrepancy is due to the extremely probable circumstance that two of the twenty-four courses had become extinct in Babylon; for none belonging to them are reported as having returned (Neh 12:2-5). Hattush and Maadiah may be omitted in the account of those persons' families (Neh 12:12), for these had no sons.

JFB: Neh 12:1 - Shealtiel

Or Salathiel.

JFB: Neh 12:1 - Ezra

This was most likely a different person from the pious and patriotic leader. If he were the same person, he would now have reached a very patriarchal age--and this longevity would doubtless be due to his eminent piety and temperance, which are greatly conducive to the prolongation of life, but, above all, to the special blessing of God, who had preserved and strengthened him for the accomplishment of the important work he was called upon to undertake in that critical period of the Church's history.

JFB: Neh 12:4 - Abijah

One of the ancestors of John the Baptist (Luk 1:5).

JFB: Neh 12:9 - their brethren, were over against them in the watches

That is, according to some, their stations--the places where they stood when officiating--"ward over against ward" (Neh 12:24); or, according to others, in alternate watches, in course of rotation.

JFB: Neh 12:10 - Jeshua begat Joiakim, &c.

This enumeration was of great importance, not only as establishing their individual purity of descent, but because the chronology of the Jews was henceforth to be reckoned, not as formerly by the reigns of their kings, but by the successions of their high priests.

JFB: Neh 12:11 - Jaddua

It is an opinion entertained by many commentators that this person was the high priest whose dignified appearance, solemn manner, and splendid costume overawed and interested so strongly the proud mind of Alexander the Great; and if he were not this person (as some object that this Jaddua was not in office till a considerable period after the death of Nehemiah), it might probably be his father, called by the same name.

JFB: Neh 12:12 - in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers

As there had been priests in the days of Jeshua, so in the time of Joiakim, the son and successor of Jeshua, the sons of those persons filled the priestly office in the place of their fathers, some of whom were still alive, though many were dead.

Clarke: Neh 12:1 - Now these are the priests

Now these are the priests - Not the whole, but the chief of them, as we are informed, Neh 12:7, Neh 12:22, Neh 12:23, and Neh 12:24. The Septuagint omit Neh 12:3, except the word Shechaniah; as also Neh 12:4, Neh 12:5,Neh 12:6, Neh 12:9,Neh 12:37, Neh 12:38, Neh 12:39, Neh 12:40, and Neh 12:41. The Arabic omits the first twenty-six verses, and Neh 12:29. Mention is made of Ezra in this verse; and he is generally allowed to be that Ezra whose book the reader has already passed over, and who came to Jerusalem in the time of Cyrus, with Zerubbabel. If this were the same, he must have been at this time upward of a hundred years of age: and this case is not improbable, as an especial providence might preserve such a very useful man beyond the ordinary age of men. See what has been said on the case of Nehemiah, Neh 1:1 (note).

Clarke: Neh 12:7 - The chief of the priests

The chief of the priests - They were twenty-four orders or courses in number, all subordinate to each other; as established by David, 1Ch 24:18. And these orders or courses were continued till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. See Calmet.

Clarke: Neh 12:8 - Over the thanksgiving

Over the thanksgiving - The principal singers: See on Neh 11:17 (note).

Defender: Neh 12:1 - Jeshua

In Neh 12:1-7 are listed twenty-two "chief of the priests" that went to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, whereas only four groups of priests are listed in Ezr 2:36-39. Evidently the four original families of priests were divided into twenty-two groups after arrival in Jerusalem."

TSK: Neh 12:1 - the priests // Zerubbabel // Jeshua // Seraiah

We have in this chapter a record of little more than the names of a great many priests and Levites, that were eminent in their day among the returned Jews. It is good to know what our godly ancestors and predecessors were, that we may learn thereby what we should be.

the priests : Neh 7:7; Ezr 2:1, Ezr 2:2

Zerubbabel : 1Ch 3:17-19; Ezr 3:8, Ezr 4:2, Ezr 5:2; Hag 1:1, Hag 1:12, Hag 1:14, Hag 2:2, Hag 2:21-23; Zec 4:6-10; Mat 1:12, Mat 1:13, Zorobabel, Salathiel

Jeshua : Neh 12:10; Zec 3:1-9, Zec 6:11, Joshua

Seraiah : Neh 12:12-21, Neh 10:2-8; Ezr 2:2

TSK: Neh 12:2 - Malluch

Malluch : Neh 12:14, Melicu

TSK: Neh 12:3 - Shechaniah // Rehum // Meremoth

Shechaniah : Neh 12:14, Shebaniah

Rehum : Neh 12:15, Harim

Meremoth : Neh 12:15, Meraioth

TSK: Neh 12:4 - Ginnetho // Abijah

Ginnetho : Instead of Ginnetho , many manuscripts, and Vulgate have Ginnethon . Neh 12:16, Ginnethon

Abijah : Luk 1:5, Abia

TSK: Neh 12:5 - Miamin // Maadiah

Miamin : Neh 12:17, Miniamin

Maadiah : The variation between Moadiah , מועדיה [Strong’ s H4153], and Maadiah , מעדיה [Strong’ s H4573], merely arises from the elision of ו , wav ; the LXX, however, in Neh 12:17, have Μααδαι . Neh 12:17, Moadiah

TSK: Neh 12:6 - Joiarib

Joiarib : Neh 11:10; 1Ch 9:10, Jehoiarib

TSK: Neh 12:7 - Sallu // the chief // of Jeshua

Sallu : The variation of סלו [Strong’ s H5543], Sallu , and סלי [Strong’ s H5543], Sallai , is simply caused by the mutation of ו , wav and י , yood . Neh 12:20, Sallai

the chief : ""The chief of the priests""seem to have been the heads of the courses established by David. 1Ch 24:18

of Jeshua : Neh 12:1; Ezr 3:2; Hag 1:1; Zec 3:1

TSK: Neh 12:8 - Jeshua // Mattaniah // the thanksgiving

Jeshua : Neh 7:48, Neh 9:4, Neh 10:9-13

Mattaniah : Neh 11:17, Neh 11:22

the thanksgiving : that is, The psalms of thanksgiving, Neh 12:24; 1Ch 9:33

TSK: Neh 12:9 - over against

over against : Psa 134:1-3

TSK: Neh 12:10 - Jeshua // Eliashib

Jeshua : Neh 12:26; 1Ch 6:3-15

Eliashib : Neh 3:1, Neh 13:4, Neh 13:7, Neh 13:28

TSK: Neh 12:11 - Jonathan

Jonathan : Jaddua is supposed to be Jaddus the high priest, who went in his pontifical robes to meet Alexander the Great, when advancing to destroy Jerusalem; who was so struck with his appearance, that he forbore all hostilities, and granted many privileges to the Jews. According to Eusebius, he was high priest from am 3665 to 3982. Neh 12:11

TSK: Neh 12:12 - the chief // Seraiah

the chief : Neh 12:22; 1Ch 9:33, 1Ch 9:34, 1Ch 15:12, 24:6-31

Seraiah : Neh 12:1

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Poole: Neh 12:1 - The priests // Ezra

The priests i.e. the chief of the priests , as they are called here, Neh 12:7 , to wit, the heads of those twenty-four courses which David appointed by Divine direction, 1Ch 24 . And whereas there are twenty-four, and here but twenty-two, and Neh 12:12 , &c. only twenty, the reason of this difference may possibly be this, because two of the twenty-four courses were extinct in Babylon, or at least none of them was then returned; and two of the persons here named, Neh 12:2,5 , to wit, Hattush and Mandish, may be omitted in the account of the posterity of these persons, Neh 12:12 , &c., because they had no posterity. Possibly these were not the same courses which David had appointed, but others which Zerubbabel and Joshua had constituted in imitation of that order as far as they could.

Ezra : either this was another Ezra, or if it were the same mentioned Ezr 7 , he lived to a great age; which may well be supposed, considering his great sobriety, and abstinence from those evil practices which shorten men’ s lives, and his great piety, to which God promised long life, and withal the special providence of God confirming him so long in such a season wherein the church of God did greatly need his help and counsel.

Poole: Neh 12:2

In the repetition of Malluch’ s and some other men’ s names hereafter, Neh 12:14 , &c., there are some small variations, which are very frequent in that language.

Poole: Neh 12:4

The progenitor of John the Baptist, Luk 1:5 .

Poole: Neh 12:7 - Of their brethren

Of their brethren i.e. of the priests, who were their brethren.

Poole: Neh 12:9

i.e. In the places where they were appointed to stand, and wait, and perform their office, one standing over against another, as it is explained, Neh 12:24 , ward over against ward; for the Hebrew word is the same there and here. Others, according to their turns , or courses , of which see 1Ch 25:9 .

Poole: Neh 12:10 - Eliashib

Here follows a catalogue of the Jewish high priests; which was the more necessary, because their times were now to be measured, not by the years of their kings, as formerly, but by their high priests.

Eliashib of whom see Neh 3:1 13:4,5 .

Poole: Neh 12:11 - Jaddua

Generally supposed to be the same man who was high priest in the days of Alexander the Great, as Josephus mentions; whence a great difficulty ariseth, how Nehemiah could mention this man, who seems not to have been high priest till many years after Nehemiah’ s death. But it seems not necessary that this

Jaddua should be the same person, for he might be the father of that Jaddua , both being called by the same name; or, if he were the same, the blessing of a very long life might be given to this great and excellent governor, as it was to Ezra, that famous scribe, as was noted on Neh 12:1 , and that for the very same reason. He might also live to see Jaddua, though not to see him high priest, which might be many years after. Or this passage might be put into this book by some sacred or inspired penman, there being some, though but few, such passages in the foregoing books of Scripture, which were added by succeeding men of God in after-times.

Poole: Neh 12:12

As their fathers were priests in the days of Joshua, so in the days of Joiakim, the son of Joshua, the sons of those persons executed the priesthood in their fathers’ steads, some of their fathers probably being yet living, and many of them now dead.

Haydock: Neh 12:1 - Priests // Josue // Esdras

Priests. But not all, as some are omitted. See ver. 7, 22, &c. ---

Josue, or Jesus, the high priest. ---

Esdras, the famous scribe, who is supposed to have returned to Babylon, and to have been living under Nehemias, who came to Jerusalem 81 years after Zorobabel. If, therefore, Esdras was only 20 years old at the former period, he must have lived above 100 years, (Calmet) which is not improbable. (Lyranus; Tirinus, &c.) ---

He returned again with many of his countrymen, by the king's leave. (Worthington)

Haydock: Neh 12:7 - Chief

Chief. Heads of the 24 great families, 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. 18.

Haydock: Neh 12:8 - Hymns

Hymns. To preside over the bands, chap. xi. 17. (Calmet)

Haydock: Neh 12:9 - Office

Office. Hebrew, "in the watches," each in his turn, (Vatable) "daily." (Septuagint) (Menochius)

Haydock: Neh 12:10 - Joacim

Joacim. These are some of the successors of Josue, (Menochius) who were high priests till the time of Jeddoa, or Jaddus. (Worthington)

Haydock: Neh 12:11 - Jonathan // Jeddoa

Jonathan, is called Johanan by St. Jerome, (in Daniel) Josephus, &c. ---

Jeddoa. The Jaddus, who went to meet Alexander, in his pontifical attire, and was graciously received by him; as the monarch revered in his person the God of the Hebrews, who had formerly appeared to him in this manner, to encourage him to undertake the conquests of Asia. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xi. 8.) ---

Some think that the names of Jonathan and Jeddoa, and the ver. 22, 23, and 24, have been inserted since the time of Nehemias; as he must have lived 140 years, to see the conquests of Alexander. (Tirinus; Petau; N. Alex. T. 2 Dis. 7.) ---

He could not be less than 20, when he returned in [the year of the world] 3550. Jaddus met Alexander in 3672; consequently, at that time, Nehemias was 142 years old. But if he died at the commencement of the reign of Darius Codomannus 3668, he would still be 138. (Calmet) ---

Yet this longevity is by no means incredible, ver. 1., and chap. xiii. 28. (Haydock) ---

Usher (the year of the world 3602) maintains that Johanan was pontiff under Memnon.

Haydock: Neh 12:12 - Saraia

Saraia had given his name to one of the principal families, at the head of which was Maraia, at this time. The Latin manuscripts, Septuagint, and Syriac style him Amaria.

Gill: Neh 12:1 - Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua // Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua,.... Who went up from the captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem with them; the one was the prince, the other the high priest, the same with Joshua the high priest, Zec 3:1, the names of the priests are given in this and the six following verses:

Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra; not Jeremiah the prophet, who cannot be thought to live so long as through the captivity; but Ezra may be Ezra the priest and scribe, who might come up with Zerubbabel to Jerusalem, and return to Babylon again, and from thence come again as he did, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezr 7:1, though this by some ^m is not thought very probable.

Gill: Neh 12:2-7 - Amariah, Malluch, Hattush // Shechaniah // Rehum // Meremoth // Iddo, Ginnetho // Abijah // Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah // Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu // Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah these were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,.... Whose names are among the sealers of the covenant, Neh 10:3. Malluch is afterwards called Melicu, Neh 12:14,

Shechaniah, called Shebaniah, Neh 12:14 and so in Neh 10:4

Rehum, who, by transposition of letters, is Harim, Neh 12:15, and so in Neh 10:5.

Meremoth, called Meraioth, Neh 12:15,

Iddo, Ginnetho, read Ginnethon, Neh 12:16 so in Neh 10:6.

Abijah; there was a course of a priest of this name, of which Zechariah the father of John the Baptist was, Luk 1:5.

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah; the first two are called Miniamin and Moadiah, Neh 12:17.

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu; called Sallai, Neh 12:20.

Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah these were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua; heads of courses; or, however, priests of the greatest note in the times of Jeshua the high priest.

Gill: Neh 12:8 - Moreover the Levites // Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah // over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren

Moreover the Levites,.... Who lived in the same times: were

Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah; most of these are made mention of in Neh 8:7, the last of them is said to be

over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren; he was the precentor, or had the directing and conducting of the songs of the temple, particularly the thanksgiving song at the daily sacrifices; Jarchi takes the word here used to be the name of a musical instrument.

Gill: Neh 12:9 - Also Bakbukiah and Unni // their brethren, were over against them in the watches

Also Bakbukiah and Unni,.... Two other Levites; the first is mentioned in Neh 11:17,

their brethren, were over against them in the watches; the Levites were divided into twenty four wards, and these were placed one against another, 1Ch 23:6.

Gill: Neh 12:10-11 - And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begot Joiada, and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua.

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begot Joiada, and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua. This is an account of the high priests in succession in the second temple, the first six of them; and if Jaddua, the last mentioned, is the same with Jaddus, as Josephus ⁿ supposes, who went forth in his pontifical robes to meet Alexander the great returning from his conquests of Tyre and Gaza, from whom he obtained many favours, and whom he had into the temple, and showed him the prophecy of Daniel concerning himself; this paragraph must be written by another hand, and not Nehemiah, since it can hardly be thought he should live so long; and as to his times, this account of him, or the history of his own times, seems not to have gone through the priesthood of Eliashib, the third of those high priests, see Neh 13:28, and to reach no further than to the thirty second of Darius Hystaspis, Neh 13:6 this fragment therefore might be inserted by some godly man under a divine direction in later times, as we have several insertions in the books of Moses and Joshua of the like kind; and particularly in 1Ch 3:19 where the genealogy of Zerubbabel is carried down beyond the times of the Maccabees, and so could not be placed there by Ezra.

Gill: Neh 12:12-21 - And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers

And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers,.... This was the son and successor of Jeshua, or Joshua, the first high priest of the second temple; the principal men of the priesthood in his time were as follow, and who were the sons, or however the descendants of the priests in the time of his father before mentioned: these were Meraiah, Hananiah, Meshullam, Jehohanan, Jonathan, Joseph, Adna, Helkai, Zechariah, (the prophet of that name,) Meshullam, Zichri, Piltai, Shammua, Jehonathan, Mattenai, Uzzi, Kallai, Eber, Hashabiah, Nethaneel; in all twenty, whereas there are twenty two named, as in his father's days, there being no sons or descendants from two of them, namely, Hattush and Miamin.