Nehemiah 10: 1 – 39
Blue Laws
10 Now those who placed their seal on the document were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.9 The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel. 10 Their brethren: Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu. 14 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah. 28 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes: 30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt. 32 Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God. 34 We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the Law. 35 And we made ordinances to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 to bring the first fruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities. 38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. 39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God
I recently was interviewing a couple for marriage who had been living together for 10 years and had several children. They had just given their life to Jesus and was in a process to make all things right in their lives.
In the conversation I said that according to the old blue laws if you have been living together for over 6 years the state considers that you are a married couple.
For all of you who never heard of our ‘Blue Laws’. They are also known as the ‘Sunday Laws.’ They were designed to restrict or ban some or all of Sunday activities for religious reasons, which include the religious rite of marriage. They were the law of the land which promoted the observance of a day of worship or rest. Blue laws also restricted shopping or banned certain items on specific days.
The couple quickly reminded me that these laws were no longer enforced. I disagreed. I told them of cases where a couple who lived together were separating. In the court the judge applied that since they had established a residence together and passed off to the neighbors like they were married then they in the eyes of the court were married.
Another point I asked the couple which many people overlook is how did they do their taxes. If they filed as ‘married’ filing jointly then the IRS recognizes them as married. If they said that they were not married and filed as a married couple, then they committed fraud and probably any funds they would probably get from selling all their fixed and liquid assets would result in them forfeiting all to uncle Sam in penalties and fees.
Now that you have an idea in what the ‘Blue Laws’ were let us go over their first application by the Jewish Governor of Israel, Nehemiah.
The agreement having been put down in writing it was sealed by the leading men of the priests, the Levites and the people who are named below. Many signed in their family name. Others in their own name. (Although some may have taken their family name as their own on becoming head of the family). It was a most solemn document. Something of what it contained is described in verses 29 onwards, but the main principle behind it was that they swore to walk in God’s Law and obey all the commandments of YHWH. The reading of the Law was coming to its fruition.
The gathering of chief men for the sealing ceremony must have been an impressive occasion as each chief man stepped forward and put his seal on the scroll. We learned of a similar example of this by the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
10 Now those who placed their seal on the document were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
Nehemiah is named as the Tirshatha, a Persian title used of him elsewhere in this book (8.9). It is used, probably of Sheshbazzar, in 7.65, 70 and in Ezra 2.63. Unusually for the list, where patronyms are not given, his father’s name is given, but that was probably because he used the name with pride and saw it as a matter of honor. It is the name by which he was identified when the book was introduced. It denoted his high status (1.1).
Zidkijah may have been the name of Nehemiah’s Scribe, or of his Deputy Governor. Compare Ezra 4.17, 23; 6.13 where the chancellor’s scribe is referred to along with the chancellor.
Following the governor were named the priestly families, who would clearly be important in anything involving an agreement with God. It was they who represented Israel before God.
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
It is unusual in these lists to find the explanation for those listed following their names. Elsewhere it is prior to the giving of their names but this may well have been done deliberately here because the writer wants to see them as sharing equal authority with the governor and his scribe, in view of the nature of the document. It is an agreement with God through His representatives and was probably prepared by the priests as the religious experts. To have headed them with ‘these were the priests’ would have relegated them rather to rank with those who followed and separated them off from Nehemiah’s authority and from their prime part in the agreement. We can also compare how Jeshua, the High Priest, is named with others alongside Zerubbabel (7.7).
9 The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel.
Next come the names of the leading Levites. But they were much more involved with the people than the priests (as chapter 9 has made clear). Thus, their heading comes prior to their names.
The three chief Levites are named first. Compare for these names 8.7, where these three also come first, and 12.8 which makes clear that they are family names (for that three came with Zerubbabel). They are then followed by ‘their brothers’.
10 Their brethren: Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu.
Note how six of these are named among the Levites involved in the expounding of the Law in chapter 8.7, namely Jeshua, Bani (Binnui), Sherebiah, Hodiah (Hodijah), Kelita, Hanan (Hanin). Furthermore, a Sherebiah was a prominent Levite member of Ezra’s expedition (Ezra 8.18). The repetition of names such as Shebaniah and Hodiah is an indication of how common such names were, especially among the Levites.
14 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
Of these names thirteen are found in the list of clans of returnees with Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel in chapter 7 (Ezra 2). These names therefore include the leaders of those clans. The remainder would be leaders of sub-clans into which the unmentioned clans of returnees were divided, or clans which had arrived subsequently, or leading city elders.
So serious was the intent that the whole of the people solemnly subscribed to the agreement under oath.
28 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:
The list of those who subscribed is comprehensive. It included the remainder of the adult males, of the priest, of the Levites, of the gate-keepers, of the singers, of the Nethinim (the Temple servants), and of all who since they had returned to the land had united with them in the pure worship of YHWH in accordance with His Law from among the peoples of the lands (Ezra 6.21), together with their wives, sons and daughters, including all of an age to understand. No one was omitted. They stood firm with their leaders in the agreement.
Throughout the books of Ezra and Nehemiah certain contemporary issues stand out. These include the taking of idolatrous foreign wives (13.23-27; Ezra 9-10), the failure to strictly observe the Sabbath (13.15-22), and the exaction of debt from the poor (5.1-13). In the prophecy of Malachi (roughly contemporary) the bringing in of the tithes is also emphasized (Malachi 3.7-12). Added to these was a requirement to maintain the nation (which was also of great concern to the Persian kings who wanted the gods on their side). That is why these were the main things which were dealt with here, although in the context of the whole Law.
By entering into a solemn agreement with YHWH they knew that they were bringing themselves under the curses of Deuteronomy 27-28, which were a curse on all who did not ‘confirm the words of the Law to do them’ (Deuteronomy 27.26). That was the negative side. On the positive side they swore by an oath that they would walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and that they would observe and do all the commandments, ordinances and statutes of YHWH their Lord. These were precisely what their fathers had been guilty of not doing (9.16, 29, 34). As what follows makes clear, they saw as central to the statutes and ordinances those which related to the maintenance of their worship. The reading of the Law had seemingly brought home to them how neglectful they had been. We too should remember that whatever we get ‘involved in’, the worship of God must always remain central. Thus, they were swearing on oath that they would do away with the sins of the past.
30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;
This command originally related to the Canaanites and their like in the land. (Exodus 34.16; Deuteronomy 7.1-4; Ezra 9.1-2, 12) The stated point was that the Canaanites and their like would drag them down into idolatry. Here it is being more widely applied to all the inhabitants of the land who were not true worshippers of YHWH, and this would include many Jews who worshiped other gods along with observing the offerings to Yahweh. The ‘peoples of the land’ were all those who did not conform to the pure worship of YHWH. And the point was that they too would drag them down into idolatry. It was not a question of race, for men of most races could quickly become Israelites by submitting to YHWH (Exodus 12.48). It was a question of involvement in idolatry and false religious principles.
We should recognize that there was a great temptation to become involved with the peoples of the land, for they were often wealthy and influential. But to become involved with them was to become involved with idolatry. In the same way Christians are warned, ‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers’ (2 Corinthians 6.14).
31 if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt.
Since Exodus 16 onwards doing any servile work on the Sabbath day had been forbidden (apart from what was essential for the wellbeing of their cattle and herds). It was an essential element in the redemption covenant, i.e. in the ten commandments (Exodus 20.9-11; Deuteronomy 5.12-15), and it was an idea that was constantly repeated (Leviticus 23.3). It applied equally to certain festal sabbaths and it applied to ‘strangers’ in their midst, who were also to benefit by it (Exodus 23.12). The book of Amos 8.5 makes clear that it was seen to include trading on the Sabbath. It was to be a day of rest and delight in the Lord (Isaiah 58.13-14). But it was so easy to say, ‘we are not working by buying from foreigners, and they are not bound by the Sabbath laws. This would, however, have been untrue. Lading a donkey or cart with purchased goods was undoubtedly ‘work’, and servants would regularly be involved in it.
Thus, they promised that when the peoples of the land came with their goods to trade on the Sabbath day, they would not trade with them, or buy from them. For to do so would be to take their minds off delighting in the Lord and would involve some of their number in servile work (loading up and unloading what was bought). Thus, the promise here, in respect of what might have been a doubtful situation to some (was buying work?) was resolved in a way which included observance of the Sabbath in every respect.
As we saw in chapter 5 lending on interest and exacting debt had become a real problem among the poorest members of the Jewish community. But there the problem had been resolved by Nehemiah’s prompt action. Here then recourse is taken to the old laws on relieving poverty. Crops and fruit would not be gathered in the seventh year but would be left so that the poor could gather them (Exodus 23.10-11). And all outstanding debt would be cancelled (Deuteronomy 15.1-2). Nor were loans to be made in such a way as to have the year of release in mind (Deuteronomy 15.7-11). They were to be willing to suffer loss because they themselves had been redeemed from bondage. These laws had been neglected. Now they were to be reapplied.
32 Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
The interesting phrase ‘we made ordinances’ is an acknowledgement of the fact that what they determined on here was an extension of the Law, although based on that Law. This was a man-made ordinance (‘WE made’). Yet it followed godly examples. There is nothing in the Law about a yearly Temple Tax. However, there are precedents for the idea, in tithes themselves, and in the half shekel tax payable when there was a census (Exodus 30.11-16; 38.25-26), which would be used to enhance Tabernacle funds. But there may well have been a yearly census at the great feasts, in the times when those took place. These could be supporting the idea of regular payments to the Temple. In the end it was an act of benevolence and gratitude on the part of a people, many of whom were poor and would find a third of a shekel a large amount to have to pay. It was a sign of the depth of feeling that this revival had brought about. The nation must be effectively maintained in a way that honored YHWH at all costs.
33 for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.
The Law never specifically says how these central offerings for the whole of Israel were to be provided. Possibly it was by means of the census contribution. But the showbread had to be supplied weekly, the daily offerings twice daily, and there were many offerings ‘for all Israel’ at the different feasts. To say nothing of the sin offerings which were to make atonement for the whole of Israel. Personal offerings and sacrifices would be the responsibility of the individual, but nothing is said about who would provide the offerings for the whole of Israel. Now they were to be provided for by this ‘Temple tax’.
34 We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the Law.
Another example of something which was for the benefit of all, but the responsibility of none, was the provision of wood to keep the sacrificial fires burning (Leviticus 6.12-13). Now this was to be provided for by those chosen by lot to have the privilege. All were involved. Priests, Levites and people. This was to be a permanent responsibility for those concerned, no doubt arranged by family. Each would in turn bring the wood-offering to keep the sacrificial fires burning, and it was itself seen as an offering. It is probable that we must assume that this had been a real problem in the past, otherwise it would not have required
We do not know how far these offerings had been neglected. There is no reason for arguing that they had hitherto been unknown. Even granted that the Law had not been read out, some memory of them would have survived. But when they were living in Babylonia and elsewhere they would not have been observed, and the details may well have been forgotten by most. The priests, however, would undoubtedly have had a good knowledge of them (some who had served in the first Temple were still alive when the second Temple was built). Thus, if there was a problem it was one of neglect or not paying heed to the priests, not one of total ignorance. But clearly the reading aloud of the Law had brought several things as reflected here, home to the listeners, and they now determined to be meticulous in meeting God’s requirements.
35 And we made ordinances to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD;
They swore also that they would bring the first-fruit offerings which would benefit the priests (Exodus 23.19; 34.26). Once again it may well be that these had been neglected, partly through ignorance, and partly though negligence.
In Exodus the first fruits are stated to be ‘the first fruits of your ground’, but that necessarily includes fruit grown on trees which are rooted in the ground, in a similar way to that in which ‘the tithe of the land’ was to include ‘the fruit of the tree’ (Leviticus 27.30). Indeed Numbers 18.13 speaks of ‘whatever is first ripe in the land’. Here in Nehemiah all is made clear by speaking of ‘the first-fruits of all fruit of all manner of trees.’ Trees were, however, a special case as their fruit in the first three years of their existence was not to be eaten, and all the fruit of the fourth year was YHWH’s (Leviticus 19.23-25).
36 to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God;
The law of the redemption of firstborn sons was also to be catered for. These had to be ‘redeemed’ by a replacement sacrifice (Exodus 13.12-13). The responsibilities for service in the Tabernacle had originally been theirs, but it been taken over by the Levites (Numbers 3.12-13). But their redemption was necessary as a reminder of how they firstborn had been spared in Egypt. During this they were to be presented before the priests in the house of God. The firstborn of the ‘clean’ cattle, herds and flocks would themselves be offered as sacrifices. In the case of unclean animals, such as asses, they had either to be redeemed by offering a replacement sacrifice, or their necks had to be broken (being unclean they could not be offered to YHWH). These firstlings were to be brought to the Temple as ‘the house of our God’. Their flesh (but not their fat) was to be available, firstly for the benefit of the priests as with other offerings (Numbers 18.11-13), and secondly as something to be partaken in by all at a sacred feast when there was an abundance (Deuteronomy 12.17-19). Between Numbers 18 and Deuteronomy the situation had changed. Instead of struggling in the wilderness, with a long period of such struggling ahead, with tithes being limited, they were enjoying better pasturage and the fruitfulness of the promised land lay ahead. Thus, it was recognized that there would be an abundance of tithes.
37 to bring the first fruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities.
We are not sure here of the significance and or meaning of one or two of the technical terms. ‘First fruits’ is not the same word as that previously used for first fruits and means ‘prime’. It could therefore refer to the ‘first’ or it could signify the ‘best, choicest’. The word translated ‘dough’ possibly means ‘ground flour’. In Numbers 15. 19 a heave-offering is mentioned which is composed of the first/best of the dough (ground flour). It may be then that here we are to translate as ‘the best of our ground flour, even our heave-offerings’ (of wheat and barley). In Ezekiel 44.30 that is for the priests and resulted in a special blessing. The tithe of the tithes, which was for the priests, was also seen as a heave-offering (Numbers 18.24-26). They were called ‘heave-offerings because they were ‘waved’ or ‘heaved’ before YHWH.
The overall point behind all this is that God’s servants are to be given the very best (of ‘necessities’), because thereby we are giving it to God.
In contrast the tithes were to be brought, not to the house of God, but to the Levites, ‘in all the cities of our tillage’, who would store them in their storehouses. These were to consist of one tenth of all produce, grain, fruit, wine and oil, and of all animals (Leviticus 27.30-32). Only one tenth of that tenth was brought to the priests (verse 38; Numbers 18.26). It is true that part of the tithe to the Levites, every third year, was to be for the poor (Deuteronomy 14.28-29).
38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse.
The provision of a priest to oversee the Levites in their work was a wise precaution. It would ensure that the Levites were not ‘overzealous’ in their collection of tithes (they were collecting it for God). It would guard against possible misuse of the tithe. And it would act as a guarantee that the priests’ share was correctly allocated. It was a wise precaution rather than an indication that the Levites were not trustworthy, for it would counter any suspicions that might be aroused.
Then, once the tithes were gathered, one tenth of what was gathered (the tithe of the tithe) was to be brought up to Jerusalem, ‘to the house of our God’, and there it was to be placed in ‘the treasure house’, the place provided in the Temple for storing valuable things (which would include the hides of sacrifices which belonged to the priests, and the Temple vessels). This one tenth was for the use of the priests.
39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God
The final summing up oath is now given. They swear that the house of God will not be neglected. Both the children of Israel and the children of Levi (the Levites), will combine in bringing the heave offering of grain, wine and oil to the chambers in the Temple where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and where the priests who minister and the singers and the gatekeepers are. They will by no means forsake the house of their God. The mention of the singers and gatekeepers may suggest that they would be sharing in the priest’s portion. This was a suitable note on which to end the agreement, confirming that, in all that they had promised, God and His house were central.
