otnehemiah7

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Drake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it? Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "studies". These studies contain knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
published at http://www.theseason.org/

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

Before we start into the seventh chapter, it is important that we remember what happened in the sixth chapter of Nehemiah. Nehemiah had some local citizens and relatives marry into the family of Tobiah, who was Nehemiah's enemy and was trying to kill him, and destroy the building of the wall, the Temple, all of the city. So now that the wall is completed, and Tobiah's conflict has brought out that many of those Nehemiah had thought to be trusted family and friends, are dedicated to the enemy, through family ties. Nehemiah is going to have to watch out, and be careful just who is appointed to be in charge from here on.

The chronology and genealogy of what we will see in Nehemiah six is almost a duplication of what we saw in Ezra chapter two. We will skip over much of these verses, however there are some things that we must know and remember in order to observe the condition of the priesthood, the house of Judah, and those that they have allowed to mix with Judah, called the Nethinims [Kenites].

So we can see from this point on, Nehemiah, Ezra, Zerubbabel, and those men of God can not rely on those around them, who call themselves brethren, to act and be trusted when it comes to the things of God, and the Temple. What does this say to us today, and can we apply it to what is going on around us today?

We must keep our minds working and thinking, and we must know that Satan has a strong hand in this world today. Satan will turn a neighbor, or even a family member against usu, if we give Satan the chance. We are to be bigger than allowing ourselves to slip into exchanging slander or back biting. We are children of the Living God, and as such, God expects us to think and act as such.

Nehemiah 7:1 "Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,"

The building of the wall is over, and now it is time to appoint the officers, and watchmen of the city, that will stand watch over the city, and do the duties required in running the city. Fellow Christian, it is not part of the Levitical priesthood to stand watch at the gate. Their duties were within the Temple, however after the building of the city walls, it became clear that some extra measurers would have to be taken, because of the acts of those with family ties to the enemy.

This is also the period of time that Ezra became aware of these mixed marriages, as recorded in Ezra nine and ten, and the marriages between the men of Judah, and the Hittites, the Perizzites [offspring of the fallen angels], the Jebusites, the Amonites, Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. The Kenites were already well mixed and blended with Judah, from top to the bottom, and they are those called the Nethinims.

So we see here that Nehemiah has selected all those city officers and watchmen to come from the ranks of those who were in the duties of the church business. They were the porters, the singers and Levites. Nehemiah thought that he could trust them only. However Nehemiah is forgetting one thing; there are Nethinims [Kenites] mixed in with them that handle Liturgical duties.

Though Nehemiah was a good man, this we will see is a bad choice, simply that because he overlooked the fact that it was a sin to have the Nethinim there. It became acceptable to have these sons of Satan there, because their forefathers did it, and they thought this made it right. However God said it was an abomination to Him. Solomon started the practice of moving the heathen Kenite into liturgical duties, and when they got their foot into the door, they moved to take over God's house [the Temple].

As we saw in Ezra, the Kenite [Nethinims] were in charge from top to bottom, and outnumbered the Levitical priests over 240 to 37. When Ezra took inventory of how many Levitical priests he had with him, in Ezra 8:15; "and I viewed the People, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi."

Nehemiah 7:2 "That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many."

Nehemiah had to place his own brother, as well as Hananiah the person that already was in charge of the palace, to take charge of the duties and affairs of the city. These were men who loved God, were truthful and honest in all that they did.

Nehemiah 7:3 "And I said unto them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch and every one to be over against his house."

Nehemiah had seen the treachery of many that were amongst the men of Judah, and these marriages caused a special concern to their safety. The threats were made, and now they had to be guarded against. The Gates of the city would only remain open while the sun was bright, then they would be shut, and guards posted. As well as having guards at the gate, they were on the beat throughout the city, as well as having everyone in the city being on watch for things happening around their own homes.

Nehemiah 7:4 "Now the city was large and great: but the People were few therein, and the houses were not builded."

With the city walls and gates in place, it left the city a large area. We know from the prophet Haggai that the people left the building of the Temple, and concentrated on building themselves big beautiful houses. What Nehemiah is referring to here, is the fact that for the size of the city in area, the population left the city with much empty space.

Nehemiah 7:5 "And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the People, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. (And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,"

We will forego comment on this register of the genealogy, because it is a copy of the register of what was given in Ezra two, with the exception of a few of the names that are copied differently. We know that men make errors, and this is a copy of a list of names. However the count of the list of people in both Ezra and Nehemiah is the same; 43,260 people.

Also the same were the Nethinims, and don't forget what the Nethinims were; they were those given to service in the Temple that were not Israelite. God forbid it, and through tradition, and common practice the people of Judah had accepted it. These were foreigners, and most were Kenites, the sons of Satan through Cain [Strong's Hebrew dictionary # 7014 and 7017], These names following verse forty six [46] then are Babylonian names.

Nehemisah 7:6 " These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;"

Nehemiah 7:7 "Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the People of Israel was this;"

Nehemiah 7:8 "The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two."

Nehemiah 7:11 "The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred fifty and four."

Nehemiah 7:12 "And children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four."

Nehemiah 7:17 "The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two."

Nehemiah 7:18 "The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven."

Nehemiah 7:19 "The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and and seven."

Nehemiah 7:26 "The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight."

Nehemiah 7:29 "The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three."

Nehemiah 7:34 "The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four."

Nehemiah 7:37 "The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one."

Nehemiah 7:38 "The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty."

Nehemiah 7:39 "The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three."

Nehemiah 7:41 "The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven."

Nehemiah 7:43 "The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four."

Nehemiah 7:44 "The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight."

Nehemiah 7:45 "The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight."

Nehemiah 7:46 "The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,"

From here on, the names are not Hebrew names, but Babylonian, and Kenite names. These Nethinims were serving in Temple duties, and should not be in that position. We can see from the record of this that was recorded in I Chronicles 2:55; "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez [Jerusalem]; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab."

These Kenites entered the Temple to serve as woodcutters at the time of King Solomon, and now some six hundred years later, they virtually control the Temple, and fill most all the positions of the priests and other offices.

Nehemiah 7:47 "The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,"

Again names of the Nethinims, and we see why they are recorded, because it is their brethren that hold the positions that the Levitical scribes used to hold. Now that we know that the walls are built and the guards are set, and all the records are in order, it is time to go to Nehemiah chapter eight. Don't skip over to lightly these Nethinims names, for they represent what is wrong with the church at Jesus Times, and they also are the cause of most of what is wrong today, both in Christianity, and in politics.

Nehemiah 7:48 "The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,"

Nehemiah 7:49 "The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,"

Nehemiah 7:50 "The children of Reaiah, the children of Reain, the children of Nekoda,"

Nehemiah 7:51 "The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,"

Neheimah 7:52 "The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,"

Nehemiah 7:53 "The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,"

Nehemiah 7:54 "The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,"

Nehemiah 7:55 "The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,"

Nehemiah 7:57 "The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sopherith, the children of Perida,"

Nehemiah 7:58 "The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,"

Nehemiah 7:59 "The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Podhereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon."

Nehemiah 7:60 "All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two."

Nehemiah 7:61 "And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Teo-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel."

Nehemiah 7:62 "The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two."

Nehemiah 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."

Nehemiah 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."

Nehemiah 7:65 "And the Tishatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummin."

Nehemiah 7:66 "The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,"

Nehemiah 7:67 "Besides their manservants and their maid servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women."

Nehemiah 7:68 "Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:"

Nehemiah 7:69 "Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.)"

Nehemiah 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."

Nehemiah 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."

Nehemiah 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."

Nehemiah 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."

So we see here that they are all living together in the city together in one big happy family, the Levites, porters, singers the people; and I'm sure you caught it, the Nethinims.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals. We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.