Even 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.

Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

So I purified them from everything foreign and assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites. I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.

Remember me, my God, with favor.

Nehemiah 13:28 – 31

And that’s it. This is how Nehemiah, our governor, ends his record of events.

I cannot believe we are at the end of walking through the Ezra/Nehemiah saga together. Because of the (extremely) slow pace with which I worked through these books on here, this process has lasted 10 1/2 years. Like, our boys, who are currently a senior and freshman in high school, were 8 and 5 years old. My hope is to summarize these posts into a more interactive (and succinct!) format for anyone who might be interested. So see you in 5 years with that. Kidding. I hope.

But let’s finish this well, shall we?

Last time we ventured into Nehemiah’s final recorded reform: doing business with those men who had married, and given their sons into marriage with, women who didn’t worship the Most High God. Today we see a personal confrontation in this area, along with Nehemiah’s solution.

“Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite.”

Johoida means “Jehovah-known” from Yhovah and yada. He was the son of Eliashib which means “God will restore” from ‘el and shuwb, who was the high priest. So this high priest’s grandson had married Sanballat’s daughter.

Ah, Sanballat. We’ve seen this Sanballat the Horonite since the beginning of Nehemiah’s call to rebuild. In fact, when I searched this blog for “Sanballat” to find posts referring to him, the list stretched from March 2017 to June 2018. Granted, we move slowly on here, but one person took up over a year of airtime in this saga!

To refresh your memory, Sanballat was the Samaritan governor from Beth-horon. We’ve seen him scoff and mock the people of God, seek to kill those rebuilding to stop the work, request to meet Nehemiah alone in order to ambush him, send a blatantly incorrect letter to intimidate our governor, and even hire someone to falsely prophecy to him in order to blackmail him. And why?

Because Sanballat had likely been utilizing the Jews’ unprotected city to his advantage. Without walls of protection, a strong sense of identity, or an acting governor, the people were susceptible to poor influence. He will lose whatever influence he has over Jerusalem with this new governor and a more fortified identity and city for the Jews.

So, yeah. We can see why the high priest’s grandson intermarrying with the peoples around was especially upsetting to Nehemiah – it involved someone who historically sought to undermine the work and kill those doing it!

And, of course, we just recently saw what else this high priest, Eliashib, had been doing: using a room in the courts of the Temple for another historically grievous offender of God’s people – Tobiah. This family was not doing much to please Nehemiah. Or Yahweh.

“So I drove him away from me.”

This tracks.

“Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.”

Here defiled is goel and it only occurs here. It’s from gaal – to abhor, loathe, reject; defile, pollute, stain; to soil or desecrate. According to Expositors Commentary, it is “the plural of goal, meaning ‘cultic pollutions’ (p. 767).”

Whoa. “Cultic pollutions” is a serious accusation toward an office instituted by the Most High to be a mediator between Him and His people. And Nehemiah is asking God to remember them for such defilement.

This prayer of Nehemiah reminds me of David in the imprecatory psalms. Lines such as:

“Rise up, LORD God! Lift up your hand.

Do not forget the oppressed.

Why has the wicked person despised God?

He says to himself, ‘You will not demand an account.’

But you yourself have seen trouble and grief,

observing it in order to take the matter into your hands.

The helpless one entrusts himself to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked, evil person,

until you look for his wickedness,

but it can’t be found.”

(Psalm 10:12-15)

And

“Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones?

Do you judge people fairly?

No, you practice injustice in your hearts;

with your hands you weigh out violence in the land…

God, knock the teeth out of their mouths…” (Psalm 58:1-2, 6)

Nehemiah may not be asking God to knock out the teeth or break the arm of those defiling Temple, but He knows Yahweh is a God of justice. And He wants those breaking His commands to be dealt with by Him.

I gotta go there again this week, friends. What does “cultic pollutions” stir in your heart based on what God is doing in our nation? In the people of God during this cultural moment?

If you look and see political idolatry polluting genuine worship of the One True God, you are not alone. No one – absolutely no one – will get away with loathsome, abhorrent behavior toward what is sacred: God and humans made in His image.

One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ alone is Lord. We should shudder to think what will happen to those who do not choose this before that Day.

“So I purified them from everything foreign and assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.”

Here purified is taher – to be bright; to be pure, cleanse, purge, purify. Pagan is nekar – alien, strange; from nakar; foreign, a foreigner, or heathendom. Assigned is, interestingly, amad – take one’s stand, and duties is mishmereth – guard, charge, function, allegiance, keep, obligation, post, safeguard, service, watch, worship. And in “each to his service,” service is melakah – business, cattle, labor, project.

So I cleansed them from anything not of Yahweh, making them bright and pure again. And I took my stand among them on their charge, allegiance, and worship to God, calling each back to His daily duties of serving in Temple.

Oh thank the good goodness only what Jesus did on the cross can make us completely taher – bright and clean, pure and cleansed.

If you, Oh LORD, kept a record of sins, who could stand?

Not a one.

But with You there is forgiveness, therefore You are feared. (Psalm 130)

May we have the proper kind of fear and reverence toward Him that cooperates with all the ways He desires to make us individually and corporately more like His Son.

And speaking of a cross…

“I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.”

Donation is qorban – something brought near the altar, sacrificial present; oblation, that is offered, offering. Wood is ets – pine, plank, stalk, stick; from atsah; a tree; hence, wood. And in “at the appointed times,” appointed is zaman – fixed. And first fruits is bikkurim – first things, ripe fruit, hasty fruit; from bakar – to bear new fruit, first born, giving birth, early fruit of woman or tree, to give birthright.

I arranged for the sacrificial present of wood at its required, fixed times, along with the first fruits.

After purifying what needed purified among the priests of God, Nehemiah makes sure everything is available for sacrifices to this God. Including wood for burnt offerings and obedience from the people to bring the first fruits to Temple.

We have talked about first fruits in this post and also here. As a refresher:

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.

You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.”

Leviticus 23:9-14

This also pertained to the firstborn from every womb, including people. Which is why Mary and Joseph were presenting baby Jesus in Temple in Luke 2.

“The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons.”

Exodus 34:19

This was quite literally the first of the produce or animals or sons born to the people. And it belonged to Yahweh.

Not exactly sure what all Nehemiah is having to arrange about these things at this point. But I guess it was only 18 verses before when our governor was bringing the Levites and singers back from the fields so they could do the work of Temple, while the people agreed to bring their first fruits, tithes and offerings. Perhaps the wood was not being regularly brought yet. Or he was having to reinforce to the people to obey in giving God what is God’s.

Either way, Nehemiah is making sure God’s law is being followed. And He has a special prayer about it all.

“Remember me, my God, with favor.”

Remember me, my Elohim, for good – towb – beautiful, pleasant, agreeable.

What an incredible prayer. That we would live our lives, empowered by His Spirit, in such a way as to be remembered for what is beautiful, pleasant, and agreeable.

I recently got to examine the Greek in a verse I know well, Galatians 6:9.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

The verb for doing in “doing good” is poieo – commit, execute, purpose, raise up, create, produce. And that word for good? It’s kalos – beautiful, good, valuable, virtuous, fair, honest, worthy.

Sounds an awful lot like towb, no?

May we join Ezra, Nehemiah, and a host of others throughout the centuries to purpose in joining God in what is good and beautiful and virtuous during our days on this earth.

Why?

Because we will not be overcome by evil, but will overcome evil with good.

For He alone is worthy.

In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew. I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair. 

I forced them to take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or yourselves! Didn’t King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin. Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?” 

Nehemiah 13: 23-27

Last time we saw our governor continue with reforms required after returning to Jerusalem. His main concern in those verses was protecting the Fourth Commandment: Honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.

Today we continue in the final recorded reform which Nehemiah enforced: intermarriage with women of other nations.

“In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.”

Saw here is raah – to see, in sight of others, view, behold, have experience, take heed, be near, perceive. Married is yashab –  to sit, remain, dwell.

In those days I beheld – along with others – the men of God married to, dwelling with, those from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

The Ashdodites and Ammonites have long been among the “peoples around” seeking to thwart the work of rebuilding among the Returned Exiles. And this problem with intermarriage among our rebuilders is not new; Ezra dealt with it some 30 years before.

Let’s keep going.

“Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, or the language of one of the other peoples, but could not speak Hebrew.”

What’s interesting is each of the words referring to speaking in this sentence are all different. Spoke here is dabar – speech, word, account, advice, business, matter, message, purpose, talk. In “language of Ashdod,” language is lashon – tongue, speech, babbler, evil speaker. And in “could not speak,” speak is nakar – distinguished, perceived.

The children of intermarriage used the everyday talk of the people of Ashdod, or the speech of other peoples around. But they could not recognize their mother tongue, the Hebrew language.

From The Expositor’s Bible Commentary:

“Nehemiah observed it first in the speech of children—an interesting point, since the mothers naturally taught their children to speak the only language they knew.” The Hebrews recognized other people as foreigners by their languages (cf. Exod 21:8; Deut 3:9; Judg 12:6; Ps 114:1; Isa 33:4-19, Ezek 3:5-6).” p. 765

His point? The next generation of returned exiles would naturally follow the hearts of their non-Jewish mothers. First in language, then more…

“So I contended with them and cursed them.”

Here contend is rib – To strive, dispute, quarrel, plead, grapple, wrangle, hold a controversy. And cursed is qalal – to bring into contempt, accuse, despise.

So I quarreled with them, held a controversy, and brought them into contempt.

Interesting that controversy typically implies a public disagreement – a heated debate. The one in charge of these people, who had led multiple reforms – including fortifying their city – publicly quarreled with those who married foreign women.

Onward…

“And struck some certain men and pulled out their hair.”

Struck is nakah – to beat, give wounds, kill, surely wound. Pulled out their hair is marat – To make smooth, bare, or bald; to polish, scour, sharpen.

I beat certain men and polished their heads by pulling out their hair.

From the Expositors Commentary:

“On Nehemiah’s rebuke of the others…Contrast Ezra’s action (Ezra 9:3), who pulled out his own hair, with Nehemiah’s here. Plucking the hair from another’s beard was an action designed to show anger, to express an insult, and to mark someone to scorn (2 Sam 10:4; Isa 50:6).”

I find it interesting that the removal of hair was involved in both the leaders’ actions. Once again from Expositors Commentary:

“Ezra’s act of pulling out his own hair is unique in the Bible. Elsewhere the head is shaved (Job 1:20; Ezek 7:18; Amos 8:10). Nehemiah demonstrates how different his personality was from Ezra’s: when confronted with the same problem of intermarriage, instead of pulling out his own hair, Nehemiah pulled out the hair of the offenders!

“Ezra’s influence was not due to his official position but to the moral outrage he demonstrated. According to N.H. Snaith, ‘his part was not an executive part, but comparable to that of Mahatma Gandhi in modern times. He is scandalized; he prays and he fasts.’ (Ezr 9:3-5; 10:6)

“The word ‘appalled’ is mesomem, which means ‘to be appalled or stupefied,’ ‘to be reduced to shuddering’ (cf. Dan 4:19; 8:27). Rare is the soul who is so shocked at disobedience that he is appalled.” p. 663.

Oh, to remember the different roles we play in appalling circumstances. Some of us have official positions and platforms in which to speak out. Even to bring to light what is appalling in a way that shows how shameful the person’s actions are, as Nehemiah did. Some are elected leaders required to speak up on behalf of the people they represent, and vote with integrity. And all of us can be shocked at moral horrors in our society, leading us to the kind of prayer that seeks repentance – first from ourselves, then on behalf of others.

“And made them swear by Elohim that they shall not give their daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.”

Swear is shaba – to be complete; to seven oneself, to swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times).

Isn’t that interesting? I knew seven is a number of completion in the Bible, but this gives me pause. As in, ‘I swear to you…I seven myself.” Sure makes Peter’s question to Jesus about forgiving his brother up to seven times more meaningful, huh?

So what are those who have given their sons to, and taken for themselves, foreign wives to do? Swear – seven themselves – not to do it anymore.

The Expositors Commentary points out, “Nehemiah’s action was designed to prevent future intermarriages (‘you are not to give’), whereas Ezra dissolved the existing unions.” (p. 766)

I’m not sure why the two leaders, thirty years apart, called for different responses. But we know for certain both cared deeply about obedience from God’s people, particularly as ones only recently having returned from captivity for this very thing.

Next our leader makes an appeal to these men from history: “Didn’t King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations.”

In “did not Solomon sin,” sin is chata – to miss, go wrong, bear the blame. In “there was not a king like him,” like is kemo – as, thus, so, well as, in comparison of, like unto. And nations in “among the nations” is goy – every nation, Gentiles, people.

Among every people group there was not a king in comparison with Solomon. Yet, he missed the mark and bore the blame.

“He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin.”

Beloved is aheb – to have affection for. God made him (nathan – to give) king over all Israel. And pagan is nokri – strange, foreign, non-relative, adulterous. And in “caused him to sin,” sin is chata again: to miss or bear the blame.

Solomon had all he could want: God gave him the kingdom of Israel and had His full, divine affection. Yet he allowed foreign women to draw him into missing the mark, bearing the blame.

So, historically speaking, what was the big deal about all of this anyway? Simply that the children of these unions didn’t speak Hebrew? Nope. So much more.

The Expositors Commentary boils it down:

“Solomon was Israel’s outstanding king in wealth and political achievements…[he] reigned for forty years. He built the magnificent temple (1 Kings 6:1-38) and an even more splendid palace for himself (1 Kings 7:1).

His fame spread beyond his borders so that the queen of Sheba in southwestern Arabia traveled fourteen hundred miles to test his fabled wisdom (1 Kings 10:1-3). His international prestige is demonstrated in that he was given the daughter of a pharaoh in marriage (1 Kings 3:1). This is the only firmly attested instance in which a king of Egypt gave his daughter in marriage to an alien…

According to 1 Kings 11:3, Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, among whom were Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women (1 Kings 11:1). The mother of Rehoboam, Solomon’s successor, was an Ammonite princess. Hellenistic sources suggest that Solomon also married the daughter of Hiram of Tyre.

Solomon began his reign humbly by asking for wisdom from the Lord (1 Kings 3:3-15). In later years, however, his foreign wives led him to worship other gods, so that he built a high place for Chemosh, the god of the Moabites on the Mount of Olives (1 Kings 11:7)…

[Some] later examples of foreign queens who led Israel astray:

“Rehoboam’s wife, Maacah, daughter of Abishalom…erected an image to Asherah in the city (1 Kings 15:10-13); Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel brought the Sidonian Baal and Asherah to Samaria (1 Kings 16:32-33); and in consequence of Jehoram’s marriage to Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, a temple for the Sidonian Baal was erected in Jerusalem (2 Kings 8:18; 11:1).” p. 766

Oh my. Did you catch where Solomon built the high place for the false god Chemosh? On Jesus’ beloved Mount of Olives. And the generational sin was repeated on and on until the entire nation was given over to what they ultimately chose: allegiance to foreign gods over the One True God Who had rescued them and set them apart to be His.

How about us? As the ekklesia – the sent out ones of Jesus, seeking to follow the Way – the Church must bow down to One only. If we do not, we can be assured our public witness will suffer. Remember Jesus’ message to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:1-6 about First Love? He talks about them repenting so He will not have to remove their lamp stand.

From the Expositors Commentary (volume 12): “The Ephesians are called on to reflect on their earlier works of fervent love… to humbly ‘repent’ (totally change) before God, and to do the former works motivated by love. These imperatives are all part of a single action designed to keep the Ephesians from the judgment of Christ, which would effectively remove them as his representatives in the world.”

Like you may be, I am currently appalled at this administration’s treatment of imago dei – including children – surrounding immigration. And there are absolutely things on the other side of the political aisle that I should be appalled by. We do not get to pick and choose what we will be appalled by, Believers. I’m talking to myself here, too. We stand on God and His Word, not what the right or left tell us. Our witness, our grace-and-Truth witness, willing to take up our cross and follow Him, is at stake.

How about our nation? We cannot compare our country to ancient Israel, a nation-state set apart for Him. But we can hold ourselves and our leaders to moral integrity. And if we don’t, we can be assured we will have what we allow, even ask for.

“Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”

How then should we hear (shama – hear with intent to obey) you doing all this great (gadol – great, high, magnify, promote) evil (ra‘ – adversity, affliction, calamity; from ra’a’; bad or evil – grievous harm, heavy, hurtful, sorrow, trouble, wickedness, wretchedness, wrong). Transgressing – maal (commit, trespass; properly, to cover up; to act covertly, treacherously) against our God (Elohim) by marrying (yashab – to sit, remain, dwell) pagan (nokri again: strange, foreign, non-relative, adulterous) women?

After all history and the exile taught us, how should we hear of you magnifying such grievous, heavy evil, acting treacherously against our Elohim by dwelling with foreign women – in the sight of all?

History will repeat itself if we don’t pay attention. Generational sins will show up in each successive generation until someone in the line says, “Enough!” And whatever has our deepest heart, that seat from which all other decisions flow, that is what we worship.

May we humbly bow, each day, to the One seated on high.

When shadows began to fall on the city gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the city gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day. 

Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I’ll use force against you.”

After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. 

Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the city gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Remember me for this also, my God, and look on me with compassion according to the abundance of your faithful love.

Nehemiah 13:19-22

Why, hello! It has been almost three years since I’ve posted regularly on the book of Nehemiah. And so much has happened in our little family. If you’re curious: first, we went on an adventure, posting about that a bit on here, and making a lifetime of memories in only a few months. Then we returned and God gave us a sweet home right across the street from our oldest’s new high school, and just down the road from our youngest’s new middle school.

We settled back into full-time jobs (dang bills), with Dan as a Reading Specialist and Jamie entering the Pre-K world again. Our boys began thriving, picking right back up with previous friendships at school and youth group, and making new, delightful ones.

We also settled into a home whose bones were good but required lots of updating and work. So we, but mostly Dan, began tackling those updates one at a time. Plus we’ve been on mission trips, family travels, track meets, swim competitions, band concerts, multiple holiday celebrations, and a career change for my man. And now we’re beginning our oldest’s final semester of high school. Whoa baby.

But I’m so glad to be back here in this space. Systematically working through God’s Word is a delight to me. However, I do believe we oughtta do a little catching up. So, here goes:

Back in August of 2022, we had our then-final installment of Nehemiah: seeing the city wall dedicated and temple responsibilities covered. Then we spent approximately 7 months entering into the book of Malachi, seeing how the task was both a burden and a song for the prophet.

Malachi began between chapters 12 and 13 of Nehemiah while…

“all this was going on, I [Nehemiah] was not in Jerusalem, 

for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king.” 

(Nehemiah 13:6)

Needless to say, there was something to that “all this” that was “going on.” Malachi was given a burden of speaking to the returned exiles because they almost immediately went back to their old practices. The corruption of the priesthood, the pitiful sacrifices the people were offering to Covenant Yahweh, and the withholding of the tithe, robbing the Most High, were among the things addressed.

Then our final time to journey through the book of Nehemiah, after completing Malachi, was March 2023. We saw Nehemiah had once again returned to Jerusalem to find the people not following God’s laws. He began to institute a series of reforms, starting with Elisashib the priest giving Tobiah, a known enemy to the work and people of God, a large room in Temple where they had previously put items for the work of the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests. He threw out Tobiah and all his possessions, purified the room, and returned to it its rightful contents.

Next he made sure the Levites received their rightful allotment, returning back to Temple those who had gone to work in the fields for food. Then all the people brought back the tithe – a tenth of all the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the store houses, and Nehemiah appointed trustworthy treasurers to ensure the allotment was handed out to the workers.

Unfortunately, there was still more work to do for our governor, as the people of God were directly dishonoring the Sabbath by treading the winepress, bringing in wares, accepting imports from other nations, and selling food. And this after Nehemiah had set guards at each gate. These guards’ jobs were to wait until the sun was fully up before opening the gates, then closing them before the sun had set. And I can only imagine, as the people were learning the ways to honor Yahweh after a generation of exile, these gates were not open for trade on the Sabbath. So somewhere in there, things had changed. Compromise had set in.

Today we pick back up with Nehemiah enforcing the same thing.

“I gave orders that the gates be closed, and not opened until after the Sabbath.”

Closed is sagar -shut, close, confined, imprison, quarantine, pure, repair, shut in; to shut up; figuratively, to surrender -give over. Opened is pathach – appear, break forth, draw out, let go free, engrave, loose self, to open wide [literally or figuratively]; specifically, to loosen, plough, carve – break forth, draw [out], let go free, engrave, loose self, ungird, unstop, have vent.

Such vivid descriptions, no? And of simple words like open and closed, but they pack a punch.

The gates were the very thing keeping the rest of the world – enemies as well as friends – out from the people of God during times in which it was inappropriate to be around (for example, nighttime). And they were only to be opened after giving the Most High an entire day in which to rest in His love and provision.

I’m not sure I would go here – taking a verse on the physical gates to a place like relationships and emotions – had I not just had a weekend in which I gave full vent to some of my own. I was struck by quarantine and shut up versus the let go free, draw out, unstop, have vent. Mostly because after I exhibited a reaction which was totally out of proportion to a situation in our house, it was close to bedtime. And, rather than stew in anger or feel flooded with deep guilt, I felt the Spirit’s presence drawing out my heart. Helping me feel what was behind the outburst, pointing to the things that had built up until they all came rushing out at once.

Then, praise Jesus, my husband also helped draw out the next day when we sat down to talk about it. After our discussion, complete with a few tears and apologies on both sides, I not only better understood what was happening in my heart, but he did as well. It brought us to a tender place and a commitment from me to talk through things as they come instead of avoid – or get snippy in the moment.

What does this have to do with city gates? Probably not much, except I like that the only time this setting loose and going free applied to those gates was after the Sabbath. After every person in the community was forced to stop work, cease buying and selling, not even bake or cook or clean. Just rest. Seems like an opportune time to open back up the gates and reenter the rest of the world: when you’ve been physically, hourly reminded Who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Nothing like a little perspective, eh?

I’m very surprised to say, my outburst fortunately came after spending the past couple of weeks in prayer with some verses Jesus pointed out to me about bitterness. The fact that He and I had been talking through it made the outburst more surprising to me since I thought I’d dealt with it first in His lap. But all it did was point out there were things I needed to deal with with Dan that I had been avoiding. Nothing like a bit of feeling out of control to humble you. But, fortunately, it was after I, too, had been resting in His love and provision and Truth about it.

How about you? Any places things need to be quarantined and dealt with before God in your life? Maybe things you’d like to just have stayed shut? Shut up? Or a person with whom you need to open up about such things? Allow them to draw out so you can break free?

“And I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no burdens would be brought in on the day of the Sabbath…”

Here posted is amad – take one’s stand, and burdens (massa‘ again – load, oracle, prophecy).

I like that this is the same word used to describe Malachi’s prophecy – this burden and song He was called to deliver. Yes, of course, here it conveys the physical load these merchants brought, but I appreciate how the Hebrew word combines such vast applications of what a load can be.

And, how fitting to think of wares and good and items to buy and trade as a heavy burden. I’ve personally been a bit hyper-focused on using some Christmas gift cards lately, scouring deals and cart combos online to best make use of the dollar amount. I don’t necessarily think that’s wrong, but how much time has it taken me away from people in front of me?

How about you? Any convictions on how there is very, very little you actually need? How much you could give away without a second thought, never missing it? Most of my scrolling does little but feed my desire for more. You too?

“And a time or two, merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem…”

Here lodged is luwn – abide all night, dwell, endure, grudge, to be obstinate, to complain, be left, lie all night, to murmur, remain, tarry all night. Sellers is makar – sell, destruction, make; to sell, literally [as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery], or figuratively to surrender.

Pretty intense synonyms. So interesting that lodging would also imply being obstinate and complaining. Like, as in, “I am lodged in this situation because of my grudge. I’m dwelling here, all night if I have to, complaining about it.” I hate that that sounds familiar to my heart.

But check out the seller synonyms. Destruction, literally selling or surrendering an item or person. Obviously, God is not against selling things. So many people then and now made honorable livings doing just that. But it definitely has with it a danger toward that which is destructive. After all, the bottom line is about money. Selling is about making a profit. And, if what I sense in my own heart is any indicator, it doesn’t take long for that to turn to greed.

“And I warned them and said, ‘Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again I will use force against you…”

Warned is uwd – admonish, repeat, do again, to protest, testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass, restore, charge, earnestly, lift up, rob, solemnly, stand upright, give warning, call to witness.

So interesting all the references to doing the thing more than once (repeat, again, reiterate). In our situation, this was definitely not the first time our governor had to admonish the people or the peoples around.

And, getting into the juiciest part, use force against you is more closely translated, “put hands on you.” The main word is shalach – to send; driving them away, escorted away, remove, throw, thrust, urgently send, cast away, forsake; give (up), push away.

And hand is our familiar yad.

First of all, I gotta say how struck I am reading these definitions that the only thing God sends, escorts away from those who belong to Him is our sin. He will never, ever cast off, remove, forsake, or push us away. Oh my goodness, thank you Jesus.

Secondly, this is absolutely our governor ensuring these sellers and their burdens stop enticing the people of Jerusalem on a day that breaks the law of God. What do we need to do in our lives to follow suit?

“After that, they did not come again on the Sabbath.”

I’ll bet.

“And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day…”

Cleanse themselves is tahher – to be bright; to be pure, cleanse, purge, purify. Guard is shamar – bodyguard. And sanctify is qadash – to be set apart, keep or make holy, manifest holiness, sanctify, dedicate; and it is the denominative verb of qodesh – to be set apart, sacred.

Nehemiah didn’t want just any watchmen at the gate. This job was for those God had instituted to protect Temple and His work. What better way than to purify themselves to bodyguard the gate so the Sabbath would be kept holy?

“Remember me my God concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.”

Spare me is chus – to pity, look on with compassion, concern, properly, to cover, spare; same as chum – dark brown or black; From an unused root meaning to be warm, i.e. (by implication) sunburnt. And me is al – hover over me. Nehemiah wants God’s compassion to cover, hover over, and spare him. And there’s just something about the root of that word implying sunburnt that gives me pause. Like a stick snatched from the fire, like being saved from the incendiary flame of our own selves.

In “according to the greatness,” greatness is rob – abundance, immense, length, magnitude, multitude, numerous, plentiful, excellent, greatly huge, be increased. And mercy in “of your mercy” is the famous hesed or checed – favor, goodness, kindness, loving-kindness; from chacad – Beauty, good deed.

Ah, yes. Immense, plentiful, deep magnitude of His hesed. This is to what Nehemiah is appealing. Resting in the answer for God’s compassion to hover over him being a resounding yes because of the infinite height, depth, length, and breadth of His incomprehensible love.

Good decision, Nehemiah.

“I know that I’m not alone. I know that there are millions of us who believe in common sense gun laws and have no interest in vilifying respectful, responsible gun owners. I also know that there are millions of us who find the NRA and the politicians who take millions of dollars from them and, in turn, support laws that endanger all of us morally reprehensible.

The only way to successfully bring about gun reform is if a critical mass of us are willing to have honest, tough, civil conversations outside of our ideological bunkers. Gun reform will not happen unless the silent majority of gun owners who passionately disagree with the NRA’s divisive rhetoric and complete lack of respect for responsible gun culture speak out and take political and economic action.

When we engage in the ‘us versus them’ argument, we lose. The only person who wins is the person who owns the framing of the argument…

Speak truth to [BS]. Be civil. Take action.”

(Source)

It’s not the first time I’ve attempted to collect my thoughts on school shootings. It’s not even the first time I’ve referenced this article from Brene Brown about finding some sort of middle ground.

But today, I’m going to attempt to bullet point some things the majority of us can get behind. It comes straight from this article:

How to Stop Shootings and Gun Violence in Schools:

1. Did you know “billions of dollars [are] available in the recently passed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to invest in proven solutions to keep schools safe from violence [?]” This is good news! It has bipartisan support!

2. Shooters are usually connected to the school. “[Using these bipartisan funds,] researchers found that in the six mass school shootings¹⁹ and 39 attempted mass school shootings²⁰ in the two decades between 1999 and 2019, more than nine in 10 shooters were current or former students at the school.²¹ 

a. Interventions matter. “These data suggest that school-based interventions to support students in crisis and act on warning signs are vital for addressing school gun violence.”

b. “[The research also] found that 100 percent of the perpetrators showed concerning behaviors, and that 77 percent of the time at least one person, most often a peer, knew about their plan.²⁵

3. Equitable schools for our kids matter. “[We know based on the data that] two in three incidents (67 percent) occurred in majority-minority schools.²⁶ The burden of gun violence has a particularly outsized impact on Black students. Although Black students represent approximately 15 percent of the total K–12 school population in America,²⁷ they make up 30 percent of the average population at schools that have been impacted by a fatal shooting. This suggests that creating safe and equitable schools and supporting community-oriented intervention programs in communities with high rates of gun violence can help address these broader trends.”

4. The bottom line is easy access to guns. “Many ‘comprehensive’ school safety plans have been proposed over the last 20 years. Few have thoroughly addressed the issue common in all school shootings: easy access to guns for those at risk of committing harm.

a. Secure Storage Laws can help. “Most common sources of guns used in school shootings and across all school gun violence incidents are the shooter’s home or the homes of friends or relatives. This is unsurprising, as nearly 4.6 million American children live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked.²⁸ Everytown, the AFT, and the NEA recommend that states enact and enforce secure firearm storage laws.” 

b. [BUT!] “It is also crucial to collect data on and monitor the implementation of these laws to ensure that they are not enforced in a discriminatory manner toward overpoliced communities or lead toward increased incarceration in communities.“

5. Civil procedures can be enacted with those who have proven to be unsafe to themselves or others. [Called] Extreme Risk laws, “[t]hese laws create a legal process by which law enforcement, family members, and, in some states, educators can petition a court to temporarily prevent a person from having access to firearms when there is evidence that they are at serious risk of harming themselves or others, giving them the time they need to get help.

a. “These orders can also be used with minors, who may not be legally allowed to buy or have guns, but who may still have access to them at home.” 

b. “Extreme Risk laws provide a civil procedure that gives key community members a way to intervene without going through the criminal court system.”

c. There is proof these laws work! “There is substantial evidence that these laws can prevent acts of violence in schools. In Maryland, leaders of the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association pointed to at least four cases where an Extreme Risk law was invoked involving “significant threats” against schools.³⁶ In Florida, a Red Flag law passed in 2018 has been invoked in multiple cases of potential school violence, including one case of a student who was accused of stalking an ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill himself³⁷ and another in which a potential school shooter said killing people would be “fun and addicting.”³⁸ A study in California details 21 cases in which a gun violence restraining order, California’s name for an extreme risk protection order, was used in efforts to prevent mass shootings, including five instances where schools or children were targeted.³⁹

d. These laws have bipartisan support! “Because Extreme Risk laws are a proven tool with strong due process protections, they enjoy strong bipartisan support. Fourteen states, including Florida, as well as Washington, DC, have passed Extreme Risk laws since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018; five of them were signed by Republican governors.⁴⁰ In all, 19 states and DC now have Extreme Risk laws on the books.” ⁴¹

e. We need to know about them! “School officials also need to know that this tool is available to them as part of a comprehensive intervention with a student who is at serious risk to themselves or others. Overall, these laws are a commonsense method for acting on the warning signs too often found in active shooter incidents.”

8. Increasing the minimum age to purchase guns. “Everytown, the AFT, and the NEA believe states and the federal government should raise the minimum age to purchase or possess handguns and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns to 21 in order to prevent school-age shooters from easily obtaining firearms. Under federal law, in order to purchase a handgun from a licensed gun dealer, a person must be 21.⁴² Yet to purchase that same handgun in an unlicensed sale (online or from a private individual), or to purchase a rifle or shotgun from a licensed dealer, a person only has to be 18.⁴³ Only a few states have acted to close these gaps.” ⁴⁴

9. Background Checks have the receipts! “[We] recommend that states and the federal government act to pass laws that require background checks on all gun sales so that potential shooters cannot easily purchase firearms.

a. “[As] many as one in nine people looking to buy a firearm on Armslist.com, the nation’s largest online gun marketplace, are people who cannot legally have firearms, including because they are under age 18. And the unlicensed sales marketplace is large: The same investigation found that 1.2 million online ads offering firearms for sale are listed annually that would not legally require a background check to be completed.⁴⁷

b. “Background checks are proven to reduce gun violence. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia already require a background check on all handgun sales.⁴⁸State laws requiring background checks for all handgun sales—by point-of-sale check and/or permit—are associated with lower firearm homicide rates,⁴⁹ lower firearm suicide rates,⁵⁰ and lower firearm trafficking.”⁵¹

c. “After Connecticut passed a law requiring background checks for a handgun purchase permit and at the point of sale, its firearm homicide rate decreased by 40 percent,⁵² and its firearm suicide rate decreased by 15 percent.” ⁵³

1. School Interventions

2. Safer storage for guns in homes

3. Extreme Risk Civil Procedures

4. Increase the age to buy firearms to 21

5. Enforce background checks

I don’t know about you, but this encourages me. We can actually do something to reduce our children dying. We can believe no one should come for responsible gun owners AND protect innocent lives. We don’t have to only choose one party line over another. We can pray, relentlessly investigate our personal and corporate idols, and vote for commonsense protections for the kiddos we love.

At that time I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling his anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

Nehemiah 13:15-18

“In those days, I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath…”

Saw is raah – to see, show self, sight of others, view, behold, enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, be near, perceive, present, provide, regard. And we have seen Sabbath before; it is shabbath or shabath – to cease, desist, rest, celebrate, desist from exertion, put away.

While back in Jerusalem, I had the experience of seeing people treading the winepresses on a day they were to cease exertion and rest.

“And bringing in sheaves and loading them on donkeys…”

Sheaves is aremah – a heap, heap of grain, rubble, sacks of grain; from aram – heap (of corn), sheaf.

“And with wine, grapes, and figs, and with all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath…”

Burdens is massa‘ – load, lifting, prophecy, song. It was the same word we saw for Malachi’s prophetic burden, song. Now it identifies the loads the people were putting on their animals.

This seems strange to be focused so much on the donkeys, but God was very specific when talking about Sabbath.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 

You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

Exodus 20: 8-11

Be careful to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you. You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the resident alien who lives within your city gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do.

Deuteronomy 5:12 – 14

What a tender God making sure even animals and land get a break. All His creation is good, and all is commanded to trust and obey and rest.

“And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions…”

Warned here is uwd – admonish; to return, go about, repeat, do again; to duplicate, by implication, to protest, testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass, restore, charge, earnestly, lift up, rob, solemnly, stand upright, give warning, call to witness. And provisions is tsayid – catch, hunting, game, food, hunter, venison, victuals; from a form of tsuwd and meaning the same; the chase; generally lunch (especially for a journey).

I protested intensely, calling witness about the day on which they were selling their food.

“And the men of Tyre who dwelt there brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah in Jerusalem…”

Goods is meker – merchandise, value, price, worth, ware. And sold is makar – to sell away; literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender).

So the men of Tyre makar the meker. They sold their wares to the sons of Judah on a day which was to be set apart as holy rest.

Not that long ago, once the wall was finished and the gates were being set, Nehemiah made sure the city and its people were protected by having guards at every gate. Their job was to wait until the sun was fully up before opening, and closing them before the sun had set. And I can only imagine, as the people were learning the ways to honor Yahweh after a generation of exile, these gates were not open for trade on the Sabbath. So somewhere in there, things had changed. Duties were left undone and compromise had set in.

How about us? Something He’s taught us experientially about obedience, but somewhere compromise set in? I can think of several places in my heart I need to make sure the gates are protected.

And I just can’t pass up how sold can mean literally (including human beings. Gasp.) and figuratively – as in surrender.

Doesn’t all this talk of Sabbath rest, of ceasing our striving, hit right at the heart of surrender? Just letting it go and trusting in Him? Putting away the need to control, get ahead, and attempt to provide for ourselves?

“And I contented with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, ‘What is this evil thing that you do by which you profane the day of Sabbath?'”

Contended is rib to strive, argue, complain, dispute, plead, quarrel, reprimanded, to defend. Nobles is chor, meaning noble; from charar – white or pure (from the cleansing or shining power of fire). Evil is ra’ – adversity, bad, evil; affliction, calamity, displeasure, distress; from ra’a’ – adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, grievous, harm, heavy, hurtful, mark, mischievous, misery, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked, wretchedness, wrong. Profane is chalal – to pierce.

And I reprimanded the nobles, ones who are to be cleansed and pure by fire, saying they have done evil, a grievous harm, by piercing the Sabbath.

Direct disobedience tends to set my parent (and teacher) heart on edge. The willful defiance, in spite of loads of attempts to offer options, speak calmly of consequences, can ignite my anger instantly.

While God is infinitely more perfect and patient than I, can you just imagine how He felt watching this newly-reconvened people to represent Him deliberately disobey His commands? This is the direction Nehemiah takes his thoughts.

“Did your fathers not do the same thing and did not God bring all the disaster on us and this city?”

Bring on us is al – hover over; this is zoth – hereby in it, such deed; disaster is ra’ again; And city is iyr (excitement).

Didn’t your fathers do the same thing? And didn’t Elohim allow all this adversity and disaster hover over us and our city because of it?

“And yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

Here wrath is charon – burning of anger; fierce, fierceness, fury, wrath; and profaning is chalal – to pierce again.

Yet you bring added fury to hover over Israel by piercing the Sabbath.

Nehemiah reminds them disobeying God was the reason for the exile, then charges them with adding to God’s fury by profaning the Sabbath. Actually, there’s something about that literal translation of profane – chalal, to pierce – that paints a poignant picture. Sabbath was a gift to God’s people, allowing them rest, an opportunity to see Him as Jehovah-Jireh, their Provider, and their common creatureliness. All humanity, no matter their station in life, was given the luxury of taking a day off.

From an old post:

“In modern America, we take the five-day work week so much for granted that we forget what a radical concept a day of rest was in ancient times. The weekly day of rest has no parallel in any other ancient civilization. In ancient times, leisure was for the wealthy and the ruling classes only, never for the serving or laboring classes. In addition, the very idea of rest each week was unimaginable. The Greeks thought Jews were lazy because [they] insisted on having a ‘holiday’ every seventh day.”

(www.jewfaq.org/shabbat.htm)

And yet, they refused the gift, piercing rather than receiving it.

By the time the God-Man Jesus walked on earth, the leaders were observing Sabbath, but had turned the gift into a reason to police others and halt mercy. The funny thing is, they didn’t realize the Sabbath Rest and High Sabbath Atonement were standing in front of them. The rest they received weekly as a gift was just a shadow of the Gift Himself.

May we lean into the opportunities He offers for rest and trust, to cease striving and cooperate with His rhythms of grace. But may we throw ourselves on the only One Who can put our souls at rest for eternity.

“Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the storehouses. I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues.

Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.”

Nehemiah 13:12-13

Last time we saw Nehemiah rebuke the officials for not giving the workers their allotment, and round up the Levites and musicians to leave the fields and, once again, fulfill their calling in Temple. Today we see the people follow suit.

“And all Judah brought (Kol Yehudah bo) the tithe (masser) of the grain and the new wine and the oil (dagan and tirosh and yitshar) to the storehouses (otsar – a treasury, storehouse, cellar)…”

And what was the result of kicking out Tobiah and his things, along with purifying the temple storerooms? All of Judah bringing the tithe of their produce to the treasury. Obedience can inspire obedience.

“And I appointed treasurers over the storehouse…”

Appointed is atsar – to lay up, store up, appointed, hoard, make treasurer. And over the storehouse is al – hover over.

And I appointed people whose job was to hover over the treasury.

Sounds like a smart move after such misuse. Let’s hear who he appointed.

“the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites…”

Shelemiah means “friend of Yah” or “thank offering of Yah”; from Yah and shelem – a sacrifice for alliance or friendship, peace offering, properly, requital, a voluntary sacrifice in thanks. Zadok is Tsadoq, from tsedeq – rightness, righteousness. Scribe is saphar – to count, recount, relate; teacher of the law, assigned, declare, measure, number, proclaim, relate, taken account. And Pediah means “Yah has ransomed.”

Friend of Yah, Righteousness the Scribe, and Yah has Ransomed were appointed treasurers.

“And next to them, was Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful…”

Here next to them is yad – hand; right-hand man. Hanan means “gracious/favor,” and Zaccur means mindful, from zakar – to remember. And Mattaniah means “gift of Yah.” Considered is chashab – to think, account, calculate, consider, devise, esteem, purposed, reckoned, skillful workman, think, value, make account of, conceive, consider, count, cunning man, work, workman, devise, to weave or to fabricate; to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); find out, forecast, imagine, regard. And faithful is aman – to confirm, support, believe, enduring, established, faithful, firm, guardians, lasting, put your trust, reliable, trustworthy, assurance, steadfast; to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain.

And their right hand man was Hanan (gracious), the son of Zaccur (mindful) the grandson of Mattaniah (gift of Yah). These men were esteemed and regarded as firm, enduring, trustworthy guardians.

To be considered firm, enduring, and trustworthy. Such a reputation can only come from faithfulness over time.

“And their task was to distribute to their brothers…”

Their task is al – what hovered over them; distribute is chalaq – to deal, divide, share, distribute, flatter, give, have, take away a portion; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate, separate self. And brothers is ach.

And what hovered over them was to share, give away, to their brothers.

The people obeyed and brought in their tithes and offerings. These appointed treasurers, then, were to distribute them to all the workers who’d recently returned from the fields.

Don’t you like that very practical picture of making sure obedience continues? That Temple is never left destitute again?

It’s our calling, too, friends. What hovers over us is to give away the love, forgiveness, and acceptance we’ve been given.

Finally we have almost an aside from Nehemiah. A glimpse into his prayer to Yahweh:

“Remember me, my God, concerning this…”

Remember – zakar – remember, bring to mind

My God (Elohim) concerning (al)

Bring to mind, Creator God, what hovers over me about this…

“And do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its services.”

Wipe out is machah – abolish, wipe, wipe out, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, utterly, wipe away, to erase; to smooth (as if with oil). Good deeds is checed – favor, goodness, kindness, good deed, kindly, loving-kindness, merciful kindness, mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing; from chacad: kindness, by implication (towards God) piety: Beauty. And for (the house of God/bayith Elohim) and its services is mishmar –  a place of confinement, jail, prison, division, diligence, keeping watch…sentry, the post; Preservation.

Do not wipe away the good deeds of piety and beauty I’ve done for the house of God, its post in Jerusalem, and its preservation.

This one is interesting to me. I don’t think Nehemiah is actually concerned a perfect God has a bad memory. Nor do I think a man who intimately understood the temple sacrificial system thought his work as governor is what put him right before a holy God. So what do we think he means by this prayer? And why do you think it was recorded for us to see thousands of years later?

Personally, I think it’s there because obedience can be hard.

God, don’t forget what I’ve done despite opposition. Remember how I’ve been zealous for Your glory. Keep in mind how hard it’s been.

It sounds like intimacy to me.

The good news is, God blesses our obedience. Maybe not always in tangible ways, but often in a sweet experience of His presence. His kindness evident, a lightness of heart, a sense of Him saying, Well done.

Nehemiah gives us permission to pray the same thing.

Don’t forget, don’t wipe it away, let me sense Your delight in my work.

To look up and say, “This is hard. Are you pleased?” and let Him answer our weary hearts.

He doesn’t forget, friends. May we not grow weary in doing good. We will reap a harvest at the right time.

“I also found out that because the portions for the Levites had not been given, each of the Levites and the singers performing the service had gone back to his own field.

Therefore, I rebuked the officials, asking, ‘Why has the house of God been neglected?’ 

I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts.

Nehemiah 13:10-11

Last time we saw how Nehemiah had returned to Babylon and King Artaxerxes while the people of God in Jerusalem were separating from the Ammonites and Moabites. We also saw how, when he returned, Nehemiah found out about Eliashib the priest giving Tobiah a storeroom in Temple. Nehemiah threw out Tobiah’s things, cleansed the room, and returned the tithes, offerings, and utensils. Today we see Nehemiah’s next steps.

“Then I realized the portions for the Levites had not been given to them…”

Realized here is yada – to know intimately; and portions is menath – an allotment (by courtesy, law or providence); from manah – appoint, count, number, prepare, set, tell.

I also found out first-hand the allotment had not been given to the Levites.

Uh oh. We know from this post that the people were to bring in the first fruits and tithes to the Levites – and just a chapter ago, the people had been “pleased” to offer this to those working in Temple. Seems in our governor’s absence things had shifted. These requirements were not only to be given based on God’s Law, but also an allotment was to be given them from the Persian King. It seems Nehemiah would have known this well having just left the king’s palace.

Does it make you wonder what happened to that portion? Had the people used it for themselves? Was Tobiah involved in using it, having taken a storeroom for himself?

“…for each (ish) had gone back to his field, the Levites and the singers, who did the work…”

Gone back here is barach – to go through, flee; Field is sadeh – agricultural, field, ground, land, soil, territory; And work is melakah – business, cattle, labor, project. The nitty gritty.

For every man, Levite and singer who did the nitty gritty work of Temple, had fled to their field.

This is not good. Once again, God’s Law is not being followed, as the Levites were not to inherit a portion of land. Their nitty gritty work was to be in Temple, not fields. And the LORD was to be their inheritance.

“So I contended with the rulers and said, ‘Why is the house of God forsaken?'”

Contended here is rib – to strive, argue, complain, dispute, plead, quarrel, reprimanded, to defend; Rulers is sagan – prefect, ruler, official, to superintend. Why is maddua – why? for what reason? And forsaken is azab – to loose oneself, leave, abandon, loose, forsake, commit self, fail, fortify, help, leave destitute, refuse, permit.

So I reprimanded the officials, asking “For what reason has the House of Elohim been abandoned and left destitute?”

While this seems a bit dramatic, if you think about it, Temple would have been left destitute. With no portions being given for sacrifices, tithes to feed the workers, grain to bake the Bread of the Presence, and the Levites and singers fleeing to their fields just to make sure they could eat that day, Temple would have been abandoned. Seems shocking given all the exiles had seen God do to help them return, rebuild Temple, the wall, and the city itself.

I read this morning about the Israelites quarreling with Moses (and testing God) at Meribah. One of the things they grumbled when thirsty was, “Is Yahweh among us or not?“

It is so easy for me to judge the people here: Um, had they not watched God send plagues? Rescue them from Pharaoh? Send sky bread? Part the Red Sea?

But all I have to do is look into my own heart, and listen to the words coming from my mouth, to know I’m just like this. So rather than wag our finger at those wandering in a desert, or abandoning the temple they had just helped rebuild, let’s have a look in the mirror together.

Has God ever answered your prayers, perhaps in an even surprising and delightful way, but this time you’re not trusting and taking control? Has He ever shown you how faithful He is in the midst of trials or testing, but you see it coming again and you’re retreating? Has He ever blessed you over and above what you’ve given to Him – a ministry, a person, a tithe, a stranger – and yet, this time, you’re not opening your hand?

Yeah, me, too.

But we don’t have to wonder if Yahweh is among us or not. We don’t have to withhold portions we know are to be given to others. We can remind ourselves, and help remind each other, that He has always taken care of us and He won’t stop now.

Finally we see what Nehemiah did to resolve this:

“And I gathered them together and set them in their place.”

Here gathered is qabats – to collect, assemble, meet, rally, heap, surely take up. Set them is amad – to take one’s stand and in is al – hover over; Their place is omed – a standing place; place, posts, stations, where stood; from amad – a fixed spot.

And I collected them all from the fields and allowed their fixed spot, their post, to once again hover over them.

Well, I’m assuming this was more than a weekend job. Even if he gathered up helpers to round up the temple workers, it would take a while to find where they were, explain they would be provided for, and help them tie up loose ends in their fields. So we don’t know when these workers left the nitty gritty of farming and returned to the daily tasks of worship, but we know they came. And the governor set them in their place. Their calling once again hovered over them.

Praise God. Both for civil leaders fearing God and for His people obeying. For the people stepping back up and bringing tithes and offerings, and the rulers and officials owning up to their shortcomings, giving the royal allotment once again.

Obedience matters and repentance is vital in our walks with Him communally. May we not abandon His work in our day.

“While 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 so 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. I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense.” 

Nehemiah 13:6-9

Last time we were reintroduced to Tobiah, a leader of the Ammonites, who had previously mocked and sought to sabotage the rebuilding. We found Eliashib, the priest, had given him a storeroom in Temple that had been purposed for tithes, offerings, and utensils needed for worship. Today we see our governor’s whereabouts and response.

“But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon, I had returned to the king…”

We first met Nehemiah in Chapters 1 and 2 during the twentieth year of this King Artexerxes’ reign. Now we find out he returned 12 years later and was absent during the time the people were separating from the Ammonites and Moabites, as well as when Eliashib had given Tobiah an unauthorized storeroom in Temple.

Artaxerxes, interestingly, is Artachshasta‘ – a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings. And Babylon is Babel – an Eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city, Babylonia; The word comes from balal meaning confusion.

I know this isn’t a deep dive into Babylon, but I hadn’t really thought of how this empire, from the time of Jeremiah and Daniel to its mention in Revelation, began with the tower of Babel, making a name for oneself, and the pride of trying to be like God. And this is the empire in which Nehemiah served. Makes me wonder what was different there twelve years later. How had Artaxerxes changed? Who was the cupbearer now? Did Nehemiah jump right back in or was he given different duties?

“And after certain days I obtained leave from the king…”

Here after is qets, and obtained leave is shaal – ask, counsel, on, beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire.

However the circumstances were when he returned, after a bit, he was already asking, desiring to return once again to his ancestral homeland. How do you think King Artaxerxes handled the request? Was he reluctant to grant it? Did Nehemiah indeed have to beg? Was he punished for having to leave again so soon? Had he earned enough relational trust to come and go as needed?

No matter how it happened:

“…I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah…”

Discovered is bin – discerned, attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, feel; to separate mentally (or distinguish), understand, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, teach, think, view, deal wisely. And evil is ra‘ – adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displeasure, distress; From ra’a’; bad, evil, great, harm, heavy, hurtful, mischievous, misery, sorrow, trouble, wretchedness, wrong.

I directly came to understand the great and harmful evil Eliashib, the priest, had done for Tobiah.

“…in preparing for him a room in the courts in the house of Elohim. And it grieved me bitterly, therefore I threw all the goods of the household of Tobiah out of the room.”

Grieved is ra’a, the root word for evil above, meaning “evil, great, harm, heavy, hurtful, mischievous, misery, sorrow, trouble, wretchedness, wrong.” Bitterly is meod – muchness, force, abundance; diligently, especially, exceedingly, far, fast, good, greatly, louder and louder; vehemence, wholly, speedily, louder and louder, mightily, utterly. Threw is shalak – adventure, cast away, down, forth, off, out, hurl, pluck; to throw out, down or away. All the things is kol keli (utensils). And out is chuts – abroad, field, forth, highway, more, outside street.

“I was exceedingly and vehemently sorrowed, and I hurled away all goods from Tobiah’s house outside.”

Can’t you see this from a movie scene? Enraged at betrayal, jealous for God’s glory, angry with continued idolatry, he takes Tobiah’s things and throws them out.

Do you wonder if Tobiah was there watching? Did he have to hear about it from others? Were all of his goods smashed and ruined? Did the two men come face to face with one another?

“And I commanded them to cleanse the rooms.”

Cleanse is taher – to be bright; to be pure, cleanse, purge, purify. This seems like a good next step after throwing everything out that wasn’t to be in Temple. Cleansing the rooms to once again hold God’s people’s tithes, offerings and utensils.

And that’s just what he did:

“And I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and frankincense.”

Brought back is shub – to turn back. Once the room was emptied of what didn’t belong, and made bright and cleansed once again, Nehemiah turned back each room in Temple as it was intended, holding the proper elements.

Oh, Church, what is this saying to us? While we all need to make sure our personal temples are cleansed and purified, what of our corporate Body? Of both the need to hurl away what looks nothing like Jesus and embrace what is bright and pure as light and salt in this place?

The truth is, each local body of believers will have a variety of answers for this question. Things in which the culture of their church struggles. So, too, will the broader, western Church have different needs than those in other places. But in individual, local, and universal areas where God’s Spirit sheds light, may we be zealous for His glory as we purge and purify.

And what better time to do business than Lent? Contemplating how the Cross ensured forgiveness and preparing for the Resurrection providing power.

It is a privilege to lean in and be used. May we do so.

“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 and 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.”

Nehemiah 13:4-5

Last time we saw the people heed the Law of Moses and separate themselves from those of other descents. We remembered He is always protecting His followers from idolatry and calling all nations to Himself. Today we see what was going on in the Temple storehouse.

“Now before this, Elisashib the priest having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God…”

We begin with some context: Eliashib had been put in charge of the storerooms. Here having authority is nathan – to give, put, set; storerooms is lishkah – room, chamber, hall, cell, parlor; and house of our God is “bayith Elohim.”

Eliashib was given the chambers of the house of God…

“…[and he] was allied with Tobiah…”

And now it gets tricky. Allied with is qarob – near, close, allied, approach, at hand, any of kin, that is near of kin, neighbor, that is next; from qarab; near (in place, kindred or time); Tobiyyah means “Yah is my good.”

This Eliashib was near, kin with Tobiah…

Ah, Tobiah. We’ve seen him several times, but it’s been a minute. We first met him in this post, from this verse:

So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.”

Nehemiah 2:9-10

Not a great start for the leader of the Ammonites.

But that’s not all. Tobiah then moved onto mockery and trickery, seeking to sabotage our governor. Even hiring someone to falsely prophecy to him in order to blackmail him.

“And he had prepared for him a large room…”

So our priest, Eliashib, near and allied with this Tobiah, had prepared for him a large room in Temple. This is not good.

“…where they had previously stored the grain offering, the frankincense, and the articles, and the tithes of grain, the new wine, and oil…”

And now we see why:

Grain offering is minchah – gift, tribute, offering, sacrifice [bloodless and voluntary]; frankincense is lebonah; and articles – keli – utensil, vessel, earthen ware, jar, jewel, pottery, tool, yoke; Grain (dagan), new wine (tirosh) and oil (yitshar).

Everything in Tobiah’s Temple room used to be where offerings and articles were stored. Uh oh. We have not historically seen Yahweh appreciate Temple not being used for its intended purpose.

“…which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests…”

Here commanded is mitsvah (prescribed, terms; from tsavah – conditions, law, ordinance, precept, lay charge upon); singers is shir – to sing, song leaders, behold; gatekeepers is shoer; and offerings is terumah – contribution for sacred uses, heave offering, shoulder, lifted up; from rum – to be high or exalted; a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute — gift, heave offering (shoulder).

These articles had been prescribed for those who worked in Temple: The Levites, singers, and gatekeepers – and contributions of sacred use were for the priests.

Well, now we see why giving Tobiah a storeroom meant for other items was such a big deal: A charge had been laid upon those working in Temple to make sure only things of sacred use were kept there. And it seems as though Eliashib, being a priest in Temple, was misusing his authority. And for someone who historically has been against God’s people and the rebuilding.

Does it make you wonder why someone would strike up such a deal? And what was Tobiah storing in there?

My first instinct is to think it had nothing to do with Tobiah lacking storage space in his personal living quarters, and everything to do with control. What I don’t know is if Eliashib was fine with the setup or if he did it under duress. Did he owe Tobiah a favor and reluctantly gave into his request? Was he needing something from Tobiah and offered the storeroom without worry? Nehemiah hadn’t been gone that long – all the returned exiles knew what they were to be doing to honor God.

Next week we’ll see our governor’s response. For today, let’s apply this to our own lives.

Anything you’re allowing in your life you know is for sacred use? Ways you’re compromising – even if you don’t necessarily want to? Instances you’ve turned your back on others or what’s right?

How about us communally? Any compromises believers have agreed on – spoken or unspoken? Injustices we’ve chosen to ignore – or address but in our flesh, not His Spirit?

Truth and love together, friends. May we use authority given to us for Good.

At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, because 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. When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel.

Nehemiah 13:1-3

Last time we finished up with our messenger prophet, Malachi, remembering the coming Elijah and Messiah will turn people’s hearts to Him, then to each other. Today we pick back up with Nehemiah after a 5 1/2 month break from the book.

But perhaps we should back up a bit? The last time we were in Nehemiah (this past August), we read:

“So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions 

for the musicians and the gatekeepers. 

They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, 

and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.”

Nehemiah 12:47

The people were consecrating as holy a portion of all their produce, herds, and flocks for the Levites. And the Levites, in turn, were consecrating a portion for the sons of Aaron, the priests. Basically? They were doing what they were supposed to. Let’s dig into what goes on next (including quite a bit of historical background).

“On the day that they read the book of Moses in the hearing of the people…”

Read is qara – to call, proclaim, read; that are bidden, call for, forth, self, upon, cry unto, be famous, to call out to, invite, mention, preach, pronounce. Book is sepher – missive, document, writing; and in the hearing – ozen – ear, advertise, audience, displease, ear, hearing, show; from ‘azan; broadness. And people is am, folk.

With a broad audience of all the folk, the writing of Moses was proclaimed.

“It was found that no Ammonite or Moabite should come into the assembly of God forever…”

Here it was found is matsa – to find, befall, happen, hit, meet, overtake, possess, present, reach, spread, strike. Ammonite is from Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their country; a people living East of the Jordan. And Moabite is also a son of Lot, and his descendants. Assembly is qahal – assembly, congregation; God is Elohim; for is ad – as far as, even to, up to, until, while; and ever is olam – antiquity, always, forevermore.

It suddenly struck them no descendant of Ammon or Moab (Lot’s sons and their descendants) should come into he congregation of Elohim forever.

Since the Moabites and Ammonites are both descendants of Lot, we should probably start there.

Beginning in Genesis 13, we see Lot joining Abram to leave their people and go to the land God would show them. He was Abram’s nephew, and after a few years, both had too many possessions and herds to stay together…

“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.’

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east.

The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. (Gen 13:8-13)

Unfortunately, Sodom was about to be destroyed. But because of Abram’s intervening with God on behalf of Lot and his family, they were able to escape the devastation. However, after fleeing to a new town, one of his daughters had a….not good idea:

“One day the older daughter said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.'” (Get 19:31-32)

I know, right? So…

“So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.” (Gen 19:36-37)

So we have these two people groups from an incestuous relationship that grow mighty after the Israelites go to Egypt (with God using Joseph’s position to rescue them from famine) then come out of Egypt 400 years later (with God using Moses to lead them in the exodus and through the wilderness).

“Because they had not met the sons of Israel with bread and water…”

Here not met is qadam – to come or be in front, meet, anticipate, confront, receive, rise; flee before, disappoint, prevent; to project (one self)…to anticipate, hasten, meet – usually for help).

Because they had not met to help the sons of Israel [during their time in the wilderness] with bread and water.

“But hired Balaam against them to curse them…”

Against them is al (hover over). Balaam is Bil’am – a Mesopotamian prophet; and curse is qalal – to be slight, swift, trifling, abate, make bright, bring into contempt, accurse, despise, be easy.

But hired Balaam to have contempt hover over them.

Not only did these people groups not allow the Israelites pass through unharmed on their way to the Promised Land, they hired someone to curse them so they would not lose to them in battle.

“However, our God turned the curse into a blessing…”

Here turned is haphak – to turn, overturn, change, come, be converted, overthrow, perverse; curse is qelalah – curse, villification. And blessing is berakah – benefit, generous, gift, peace.

But God overturned the curse into a generous gift of peace.

How, you ask? You may have noticed Balaam is a Mesopotamian prophet. And here are some of the messages his man hired to curse God’s people gave:

Then Balaam spoke his message…

“How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?”

From the rocky peaks I see them,
    from the heights I view them.
I see a people who live apart
    and do not consider themselves one of the nations.

(Numbers 23:7-10)

In case you’re curious what the guy who hired him had to say about this:

…Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?” (Numbers 23:11-12)

Then he spoke his message:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.
God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?
I have received a command to bless;
    he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

“No misfortune is seen in Jacob,
    no misery observed in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them;
    the shout of the King is among them…
There is no divination against Jacob,
    no evil omens against Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’”
(17b-23)

When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor…

“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel…

“May those who bless you be blessed
    and those who curse you be cursed!” (numbers 24:2-4,9)

So, yeah, I’d say Yahweh turned what was meant for evil into a generous gift of peace for His people.

Anything this stirs in you? Has Yahweh ever taken something you know others meant for evil and turned it into a blessing in your life? We all probably have situations in which this is true, because we all have a genuine enemy of our souls and live in a broken world. May we hunt for the blessing in even the most difficult situations, knowing God has promised He is for us.

Now back to the Moabites and Ammonites not being in the congregation forever:

“So when they heard the Law, they separated the mixed multitude from Israel.”

Heard is shama – listen with intent to obey; Law is torah; separated is badal – to divide, exclude, make distinct, set apart, sever, make separate, distinguish; and mixed multitude is ereb – mixture, mixed company, Arabia; from arab; the web, or transverse threads of cloth; mingled people.

When they listened to Torah with intent to obey, they separated the mixed multitude from Israel.

We have seen the returned exiles separating from the surrounding nations before in our journey through Ezra and Nehemiah. This is always tricky for me, as God regularly, throughout the Hebrew Bible, is reaching the nations. And even Ruth, a woman in Jesus’ lineage, was herself a Moabitess.

I found this commentary helpful in instructing my thoughts:

“The meaning of which phrase is, not that they were prohibited from attending divine worship in the court of the Gentiles, and in their synagogues, but from being admitted to the privileges of Jews, and becoming one body with them by intermarriages. ‘None of the house of Israel, of either sex, were to enter into marriage with any Gentile, of what nation soever, unless they were first converted to their religion; and even in that case, some were debarred from it for ever, others only in part, and others again only for a limited time...'” (Source)

So, once again, we see God’s protection for His people to not be pulled away to the idols of the surrounding nations. If someone who was raised to worship such idols, and merely had an interest in the God of Israel, were to marry a follower of Yahweh, the lure of idolatry would inevitably (and historically) be heeded.

But I especially appreciate this does not mean Gentiles could not worship in Temple. Forever and always, those who seek Him will find Him. And He so loved the whole world.

All this makes me think of the walls of hostility Paul mentions with Jews an Gentile converts to Christ:

“But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.”

Ephesians 2:13-18 (MSG)

It is all even more poignant as this week is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. A time when we remember Christ’s sacrifice on all our behalf, leading up to His conquering of death.

Indeed, and praise God, He Himself is our peace.