Tyndale Open Study NotesNehemiah 10

This section, possibly from Ezra’s personal memoirs, explains how Ezra’s teaching of God’s law renewed the people's commitment to serve God and follow his instructions. Spiritual revival occurred alongside the civic work of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The people, embracing the prayer, renewed their dedication to God and his word. They signed their names to show their commitment (Nehemiah 9:38–10:27) and took an oath to follow the covenant (10:28–39).

The list of eighty-four names included:

• The governor, Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:1)

• A group of priests (Nehemiah 10:2–8; compare 12:1–7)

• Levites (Nehemiah 10:9–13; compare 9:4–5; 12:8–9)

• Leaders (Nehemiah 10:14–27; compare 3:4–31)

who had separated themselves from the people of the land: See Nehemiah 9:2; compare with Ezra 9–10.

sworn oath to follow the Law of God: Compare Leviticus 26:14–35 and Deuteronomy 28:15–62.

The community had broadly committed to following the law of Moses. However, they focused on specific issues. These issues involved keeping the community pure and ensuring proper worship at the temple.

Compare Ezra 9–10.

• Stopping trade on the Sabbath was important for keeping the covenant (compare Nehemiah 13:15–22; see Exodus 16:29; 20:8–11; 31:15; Numbers 15:32–36; Amos 8:5).

• Every seventh year: See Exodus 23:10–11; Leviticus 25:2–7; Deuteronomy 15:1–3.

• the showbread: See Leviticus 24:5–9; Numbers 28:1–8.

• for all the duties: The annual tax money allowed priests to buy animals for daily sacrifices and maintain the temple complex (compare 2 Kings 12:11–12; see also Exodus 30:11–16).

The fire on the altar burned constantly (Leviticus 6:12), so it required a lot of wood. The Gibeonites supplied it earlier (Joshua 9:27), but now everyone shared the responsibility.

Community offerings provided food for the priests and Levites, who had no farmland and could not support themselves. These provisions included:

• The first part of every harvest (see Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Numbers 18:12–13; Deuteronomy 26:1–11)

• Redemption money of five shekels for the oldest sons and the firstborn of all herds and flocks (see Exodus 13:13; 34:20; Numbers 18:15–17)

• A tenth of everything (see Numbers 18:21–24; Deuteronomy 14:22–29)

The Levites gathered tithes in all the rural towns and sent one-tenth of that collection to the temple in Jerusalem (see Numbers 18:25–32).