Nehemiah 7:61-73

Ne 7:61

And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.

 

Since genealogies were important in ancient Israel, there were those who came back from Babylon that did not have any listing.  Therefore they were considered polluted and could not partake in any of the temple services if they were priests.  And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: (Ezra 2:59)  Tel-Melah was a city in Babylon.  Tel-haresha wasa  town in Babylon but the location is unknown.  Cherub, Addon, and Immer could not produce anything which showed they were legitimately part of the stock of Israel.

 

Ne 7:62

The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.

 

Then the list continued with those lineages which could not be proven according to the genealogy of Zerubbabel. 

 

Ne 7:63

And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

 

Then the next list of names were those who were practicing priests while they were in captivity.

 

Ne 7:64

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

 

Since their names were not found in the register, they were considered Gentiles and therefore polluted and could no longer perform the duties of a priest which was reserved for the Levites in the lineage of Aaron.  According to Revelation 13:8 & 17:8 the names of all the true believers were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world.  It is the Heavenly Register of all true believers and only true believers have the authority to go forth and bring the true gospel.  The unbelievers who play church do not have the authority and are unsaved which means they are Gentiles according to the flesh.  16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. (Psalm 50:16-17)  Gentiles in the Old Testament were separate from Israel because they were the unsaved, outside of the true body of believers.  These Old Testament Genealogies and Registers are the earthly representations of the Heavenly Register known as the Lamb’s Book of Life.  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)  The true believers are called “a royal priesthood” which means they are the only ones commissioned to bring the true gospel which also means the unbeliever is unqualified to bring it.  In other words, they are “put from the priesthood” as they were under Nehemiah.

 

Ne 7:65

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

 

Tirshatha is the title of the Persian Governor of Judah.  And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. (Ezra 2:63)  These people whose lineage could not be found were to excluded from the priesthood until they could find a priest with Urim and Thummim.  And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28:30) The Urim and Thummim were used by priests to seek the LORD when a decision of some kind had to be made.  Instead of Nehemiah risking the fact that he could be in violation of the law if he let an unqualified person perform the duties of a priest, he instead would rather wait upon the Lord.  This was what got King Saul in trouble when he offered the burnt offering instead of waiting for Samuel.  Then King Saul suffered the consequence of his ungodly action, he lost his kingdom.  1 Samuel 13:8-14.

 

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:8-14)

 

Ne 7:66

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

 

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, (Ezra 2:64)  The totality of the people who came back with Zerubbabel was 42,360.

 

Ne 7:67

Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.

 

Then Nehemiah counts the servants which came out to 7,337.  Then the 245 Choristers which were probably secular in nature since they were not named among the Levites.  These were those who returned with Zerubbabel 70 years prior.  Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. (Ezra 2:65)

 

Ne 7:68

Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:

 

This shows you how meticulous the register was that it even included the animals.  Everything was counted and registered.  Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; (Ezra 2:66) 


Ne 7:69

Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.

 

Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. (Ezra 2:67)

 

Ne 7:70

And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.

 

This is a different collection than the one in Ezra 2 because that one was the one taken up in the time of Zerubbabel.  Here we have the offering.  The dram was a gold Persian coin and was 12 ounces Troy in weight.  By today’s value (5/9/20) that would come out to $20,434,800.  The basins were what caught the blood of the sacrifices in the temple. Then they were given 530 sets of the priests garments for the work of the temple.  No doubt they were probably stored somewhere in the temple until needed.

 

Ne 7:71

And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.

 

These donations were to be used in the service of the temple.  Twenty thousand drams of gold at today’s value (5/9/20) would be $408,696,000 and two thousand two hundred pounds of silver according to today’s value would be $398,112.  These amounts should put some people to shame because in many churches how hard it is to get some people to put in more than $1.

 

Ne 7:72

And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments.

 

Then the rest of the people gave of their own small wealth.  Remember, prior to this time the wealthy folks had taken the land and fields of the poorer people and they had nothing.  Since then Nehemiah had shamed them and they returned all the money to the people and now the people were able to give out of what they had or else they would not have been able to give anything.  They were very happy that the Lord blessed them financially and did not allow the rich folks from selling them into slavery.  It was a time of great joy even among the poorer people.  The people were able to take up a healthy collection for the temple service of the LORD.  The 20,000 drams of gold was equal to $408,696,000 and the 2,000 pounds of silver was equal to $361,920.  All together the chief fathers and the people gave $838,586,832 for the work of the Lord.  That is almost 1 Billion dollars!  In addition they donated 67 sets of priests garments bringing that total to 597 sets.  The people were showing their thankfulness to the Lord for all he had done for them.

 

Ne 7:73

So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

 

Then after carefully reviewing the register and finding out the names of the families and where they dwelt before the Babylonian captivity, the people dwelt in the cities which their ancestral families dwelt and this was done by the seventh month which was the month Tishri that corresponded to our late September/Early October.  This was an important month because the first day was the Feast of Trumpets.  The tenth day was the Day of Atonement.  The fifteenth day was the Feast of Tabernacles during which the Law was read to every man, woman, and child.

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