New English Translation
Nehemiah 7:65
65The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
Nehemiah 7:65 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.
Context of Nehemiah 7:65
63And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a woman from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 64They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood. The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim. 66The entire group numbered 42,360, 67not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers.
Read all of Nehemiah 7Nehemiah 7:65 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ לָהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וְתוּמִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Tirshathaתִּרְשָׁתָאtirshâthâ' · governorH8660
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, that they should not eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- of the mostקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- till there stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
- a priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- with Urimאוּרִים'ûrîym · UrimH224
- and Thummimתֻּמִּיםtûmmîym · ThummimH8550
Cross-references for Nehemiah 7:65
- Nehemiah 8:9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priestly scribe, and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law.
- Nehemiah 10:1On the sealed documents were the following names: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,
- Ezra 2:63The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
- Leviticus 2:3The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and to his sons – it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.
- Leviticus 6:17It must not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion from my gifts. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
- Leviticus 7:19The meat which touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up in the fire. As for ceremonially clean meat, everyone who is ceremonially clean may eat the meat.
- Leviticus 10:17“Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sanctuary? For it is most holy and he gave it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the Lord.
- Leviticus 21:21No man from the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a physical flaw may step forward to present the Lord’s gifts; he has a physical flaw, so he must not step forward to present the food of his God.
- Exodus 28:30“You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually.
- Numbers 27:21And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”
- Deuteronomy 33:8Of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one, whose authority you challenged at Massah, and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 7:65
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-73Verses 5-73 Nehemiah knew that the safety of a city, under God, depends more upon the inhabitants than upon its walls. Every good gift and every good work are from above. God gives knowledge, he gives grace; all is of him, and therefore all must be to him. What is done by human prudence, must be ascribed to the direction of Divine Providence. But woe to those who turn back from the Lord, loving this present world! and happy those who dedicate themselves…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 65Urim and Thummim: See study notes on Exodus 28:30 and Leviticus 8:8.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-7339. The priests--It appears that only four of the courses of the priests returned from the captivity; and that the course of Abia (Lu 1:5) is not in the list. But it must be noticed that these four courses were afterwards divided into twenty-four, which retained the names of the original courses which David appointed.Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 7:65
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 7
- 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries