Nehemiah 13:4

Nehemiah 13:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
• New International Version (NIV)Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah.

Context of Nehemiah 13:4

2because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel. Now before this, the priest Eliashib had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was a relative of Tobiah 5and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and fresh oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests. 6While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence

Nehemiah 13:4 word by word

וְלִפְנֵ֣י מִזֶּ֔ה אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן נָת֖וּן בְּלִשְׁכַּ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ קָר֖וֹב לְטוֹבִיָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• this, Eliashibאֶלְיָשִׁיב'elyâshîyb · EliashibH475
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• having the oversightנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• of the chamberלִשְׁכָּהlishkâh · chamberH3957
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
• of our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• alliedקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
• unto Tobiahטוֹבִיָּ֫הוּţôbîyâh ţôbîyâhû · TobiahH2900

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:4

• Nehemiah 13:7so I could return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of God’s house.
• Nehemiah 12:10Jeshua fathered Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, Eliashib fathered Joiada,
• Nehemiah 12:44On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.
• Nehemiah 13:28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I drove him away from me.
• Nehemiah 6:17During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Eliashib the priest - Perhaps this was a different person from Eliashib the high priest; but there is no indubitable evidence that he was not the same. If he was high priest, he was very unfaithful to the high charge which he had received; and a reproach to the priesthood. He had married his grandson to Sanballat's daughter: this produced a connection with Tobiah, the fast friend of Sanballat; in whose favor he polluted the house of God, giving him one of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The relations of Eliashib, the high priest Nehemiah 3:1, with Tobiah and Sanballat will account for the absence of any reference to him either in 1 Kings 6:5-10. Allied - i. e, “connected by marriage.” Tobiah was married to a Jewess Nehemiah 6:18, who may have been a relation of Eliashib; and his son Johanan was married to another Nehemiah 6:18, of whom the same may be said.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Eliashib’s family married into the families of Sanballat (Nehemiah 13:28) and Tobiah. These men were enemies of the Jewish community (Nehemiah 2:10, 19; 4:1). Tobiah's use of the storeroom reduced space for storing tithes and gifts for temple workers (compare Nehemiah 10:39; 13:10–12; 2 Chronicles 31:11) and limited space for supplies needed for regular worship at the temple (Leviticus 2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. before this--The practice of these mixed marriages, in open neglect or violation of the law, had become so common, that even the pontifical house, which ought to have set a better example, was polluted by such an impure mixture. Eliashib the priest ... was allied unto Tobiah--This person was the high priest (Ne 13:28; also Ne 3:1), who, by virtue of his dignified office, had the superintendence and control of the apartments attached to the temple…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 13:4

• Eliashib
• Minister, Christian
• Priest
• Tobiah

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Allied
• Eliashib
• Priest, High
• Temple

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings