302 lines
23 KiB
XML
302 lines
23 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Neh.xi" n="xi" next="Neh.xii" prev="Neh.x" progress="95.73%" title="Chapter X">
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<h2 id="Neh.xi-p0.1">N E H E M I A H</h2>
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<h3 id="Neh.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Neh.xi-p1">We have in this chapter a particular account of
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the covenant which in the close of the foregoing chapter was
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resolved upon; they struck while the iron was hot, and immediately
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put that good resolve in execution, when they were in a good frame,
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lest, if it should be delayed, it might be dropped. Here we have,
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I. The names of those that set their hands and seals to it,
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<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.1-Neh.10.27" parsed="|Neh|10|1|10|27" passage="Ne 10:1-27">ver. 1-27</scripRef>. II. An account
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of those who signified their consent and concurrence, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.28-Neh.10.29" parsed="|Neh|10|28|10|29" passage="Ne 10:28,29">ver. 28, 29</scripRef>. III. The covenant
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itself, and the articles of it in general, that they would "keep
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God's commandments" (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.29" parsed="|Neh|10|29|0|0" passage="Ne 10:29">ver.
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29</scripRef>); in particular, that they would not marry with the
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heathen (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.30" parsed="|Neh|10|30|0|0" passage="Ne 10:30">ver. 30</scripRef>), nor
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profane the sabbath, nor be rigorous with their debtors (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.31" parsed="|Neh|10|31|0|0" passage="Ne 10:31">ver. 31</scripRef>), and that they would
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carefully pay their church-dues, for the maintenance of the temple
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service, which they promise faithfully to adhere to, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.32-Neh.10.39" parsed="|Neh|10|32|10|39" passage="Ne 10:32-39">ver. 32-39</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="Neh.xi-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10" parsed="|Neh|10|0|0|0" passage="Ne 10" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Neh.xi-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.1-Neh.10.31" parsed="|Neh|10|1|10|31" passage="Ne 10:1-31" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Neh.10.1-Neh.10.31">
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<h4 id="Neh.xi-p1.9">The Sealing of the Covenant. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.xi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 444.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Neh.xi-p2">1 Now those that sealed <i>were,</i> Nehemiah,
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the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 2
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Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
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4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth,
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Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam,
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Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these
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<i>were</i> the priests. 9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the
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son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10
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And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
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11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah,
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Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The chief of
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the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 15
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Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17
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Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19
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Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
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21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan,
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Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub, 24 Hallohesh,
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Pileha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 And
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Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 28
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And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters,
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the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated
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themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their
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wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge,
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and having understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren,
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their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk
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in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to
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observe and do all the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.xi-p2.1">Lord</span> our Lord, and his judgments and his
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statutes; 30 And that we would not give our daughters unto
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the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
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31 And <i>if</i> the people of the land bring ware or any
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victuals on the sabbath day to sell, <i>that</i> we would not buy
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it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and <i>that</i> we
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would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p3">When Israel was first brought into covenant
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with God it was done by sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood,
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<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|8" passage="Ex 24:1-8">Exod. xxiv.</scripRef> But here it
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was done by the more natural and common way of sealing and
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subscribing the written articles of the covenant, which bound them
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to no more than was already their duty. Now here we have,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p4">I. The names of those public persons who,
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as the representatives and heads of the congregation, set their
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hands and seals to this covenant, because it would have been an
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endless piece of work for every particular person to do it; and, if
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these leading men did their part in pursuance of this covenant,
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their example would have a good influence upon all the people. Now
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observe, 1. Nehemiah, who was the governor, signed first, to show
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his forwardness in this work and to set others a good example,
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<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.1" parsed="|Neh|10|1|0|0" passage="Ne 10:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Those that are
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above others in dignity and power should go before them in the way
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of God. 2. Next to him subscribed twenty-two priests, among whom I
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wonder we do not find Ezra, who was an active man in the solemnity
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(<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.2" parsed="|Neh|8|2|0|0" passage="Ne 8:2"><i>ch.</i> viii. 2</scripRef>) which
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was but the first day of the same month, and therefore we cannot
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think he was absent; but he, having before done his part as a
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scribe, now left it to others to do theirs. 3. Next to the priests,
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seventeen Levites subscribed this covenant, among whom we find all
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or most of those who were the mouth of the congregation in prayer,
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<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.4-Neh.9.5" parsed="|Neh|9|4|9|5" passage="Ne 9:4,5"><i>ch.</i> ix. 4, 5</scripRef>. This
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showed that they themselves were affected with what they had said,
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and would not bind those burdens on others which they themselves
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declined to touch. Those that lead in prayer should lead in every
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other good work. 4. Next to the Levites, forty-four of the chief of
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the people gave it under their hands for themselves and all the
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rest, chiefly those whom they had influence upon, that they would
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keep God's commandments. Their names are left upon record here, to
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their honour, as men that were forward and active in reviving and
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endeavouring to perpetuate religion in their country. The memory of
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such shall be blessed. It is observable that most of those who were
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mentioned, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.8-Neh.7.63" parsed="|Neh|7|8|7|63" passage="Ne 7:8-63"><i>ch.</i> vii.
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8</scripRef>, &c., as heads of houses or clans, are here
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mentioned among the first of the chief of the people that
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subscribed, whoever was the present head bearing the name of him
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that was head when they came out of Babylon, and these were fittest
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to subscribe for all those of their father's house. Here are
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<i>Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.14" parsed="|Neh|10|14|0|0" passage="Ne 10:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>Azgad, Bebai, Bigvai, Adin,
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Ater, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth,</i> and some others in the
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following verses, that are all found in that catalogue. Those that
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have interest must use it for God.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p5">II. The concurrence of the rest of the
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people with them, and the rest of the priests and Levites, who
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signified their consent to what their chiefs did. With them joined,
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1. Their wives and children; for they had transgressed, and they
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must reform. Every one that had knowledge and understanding must
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covenant with God. As soon as young people grow up to be capable of
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distinguishing between good and evil, and of acting intelligently,
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they ought to make it their own act and deed to <i>join themselves
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to the Lord.</i> 2. The proselytes of other nations, <i>all that
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had separated themselves from the people of the lands,</i> their
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gods and their worship, <i>unto the law of God,</i> and the
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observance of that law. See what conversion is; it is separating
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ourselves from the course and custom of this world, and devoting
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ourselves to the conduce of the word of God. And, as there is one
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law, so there is one covenant, one baptism, for the stranger and
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for him that is born in the land. Observe how the concurrence of
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the people is expressed, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.29" parsed="|Neh|10|29|0|0" passage="Ne 10:29"><i>v.</i>
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29</scripRef>. (1.) <i>They clave to their brethren</i> one and
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all. Here those whom the court blessed the country blessed too! The
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commonalty agreed with their nobles in this good work. Great men
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never look so great as when they encourage religion, and are
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examples of it; and they would by that, as much as any thing,
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secure an interest in the most valuable of their inferiors. Let but
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the nobles cordially espouse religious causes, and perhaps they
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will find people cleave to them therein closer than they can
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imagine. Observe, Their nobles are called their <i>brethren;</i>
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for, in the things of God, rich and poor, high and low, meet
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together. (2.) They <i>entered into a curse and an oath.</i> As the
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nobles confirmed the covenant with their hands and seals, so the
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people with a curse and an oath, solemnly appealing to God
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concerning their sincerity, and imprecating his just revenge if
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they dealt deceitfully. Every oath has in it a conditional curse
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upon the soul, which makes it a strong bond upon the soul; for our
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own tongues, if false and lying tongues, will fall, and fall
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heavily, upon ourselves.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p6">III. The general purport of this covenant.
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They laid upon themselves no other burden than this necessary
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thing, which they were already obliged to by all other engagements
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of duty, interest, and gratitude—<i>to walk in God's law, and to
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do all his commandments,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.29" parsed="|Neh|10|29|0|0" passage="Ne 10:29"><i>v.</i>
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29</scripRef>. Thus David swore that he would <i>keep God's
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righteous judgments,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.106" parsed="|Ps|119|106|0|0" passage="Ps 119:106">Ps. cxix.
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106</scripRef>. Our own covenant binds us to this, if not more
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strongly, yet more sensibly, than we were before bound, and
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therefore we must not think it needless thus to bind ourselves.
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Observe, When we bind ourselves to do the commandments of God we
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bind ourselves to do <i>all</i> his commandments, and therein to
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have an eye to him as the Lord and our Lord.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p7">IV. Some of the particular articles of this
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covenant, such as were adapted to their present temptations. 1.
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That they would not intermarry with the heathen, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.30" parsed="|Neh|10|30|0|0" passage="Ne 10:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Many of them had been guilty of
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this, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.1" parsed="|Ezra|9|1|0|0" passage="Ezr 9:1">Ezra ix. 1</scripRef>. In our
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covenants with God we should engage particularly against those sins
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that we have been most frequently overtaken in and damaged by.
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Those that resolve to <i>keep the commandments of God must say to
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evil doers, Depart,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.115" parsed="|Ps|119|115|0|0" passage="Ps 119:115">Ps. cxix.
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115</scripRef>. 2. That they would keep no markets on the sabbath
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day, or any other day of which the law had said, <i>You shall do no
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work therein.</i> They would not only not sell goods themselves for
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gain on that day, but they would not encourage the heathen to sell
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on that day by buying of them, no not victuals, under pretence of
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necessity; but would buy in their provisions for their families the
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day before, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.31" parsed="|Neh|10|31|0|0" passage="Ne 10:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>.
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Note, Those that covenant to keep all God's commandments must
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particularly covenant to keep sabbaths well; for the profanation of
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them is an inlet to other instances of profaneness. The sabbath is
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a market day for our souls, but not for our bodies. 3. That they
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would not be severe in exacting their debts, but would observe the
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seventh year as a year of release, according to the law, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.31" parsed="|Neh|10|31|0|0" passage="Ne 10:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. In this matter they had
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been faulty (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.1-Neh.5.19" parsed="|Neh|5|1|5|19" passage="Ne 5:1-19"><i>ch.</i>
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v.</scripRef>), and here therefore they promise to reform. This was
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the acceptable fast, to <i>undo the heavy burden,</i> and to <i>let
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the oppressed go free,</i> <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.6" parsed="|Isa|58|6|0|0" passage="Isa 58:6">Isa. lviii.
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6</scripRef>. It was in the close of the day of expiation that the
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jubilee trumpet sounded. It was for the neglect of observing the
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seventh year as a year of rest for the land that God had made it
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enjoy its sabbaths seventy years (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p7.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.35" parsed="|Lev|26|35|0|0" passage="Le 26:35">Lev.
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xxvi. 35</scripRef>), and therefore they covenanted to observe that
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law. Those are stubborn children indeed that will not amend the
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fault for which they have been particularly corrected.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Neh.xi-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.32-Neh.10.39" parsed="|Neh|10|32|10|39" passage="Ne 10:32-39" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Neh.10.32-Neh.10.39">
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<h4 id="Neh.xi-p7.10">The Renewal of Sacred Rites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.xi-p7.11">b. c.</span> 444.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Neh.xi-p8">32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge
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ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of
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the house of our God; 33 For the showbread, and for the
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continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of
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the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the
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holy <i>things,</i> and for the sin offerings to make an atonement
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for Israel, and <i>for</i> all the work of the house of our God.
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34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and
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the people, for the wood offering, to bring <i>it</i> into the
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house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times
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appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.xi-p8.1">Lord</span> our God, as <i>it is</i> written in the
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law: 35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the
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firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house
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of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Neh.xi-p8.2">Lord</span>: 36 Also the
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firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as <i>it is</i> written
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in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to
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bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in
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the house of our God: 37 And <i>that</i> we should bring the
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firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all
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manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the
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chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto
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the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the
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cities of our tillage. 38 And the priest the son of Aaron
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shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the
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Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of
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our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. 39 For
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the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the
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offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the
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chambers, where <i>are</i> the vessels of the sanctuary, and the
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priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we
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will not forsake the house of our God.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p9">Having covenanted against the sins they had
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been guilty of, they proceed in obliging themselves to revive and
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observe the duties they had neglected. We must not only <i>cease to
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do evil,</i> but <i>learn to do well.</i></p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p10">I. It was resolved, in general, that the
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temple service should be carefully kept up, that the work of the
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house of their God should be done in its season, according to the
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law, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.33" parsed="|Neh|10|33|0|0" passage="Ne 10:33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Let not
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any people expect the blessing of God unless they make conscience
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of observing his ordinances and keeping up the public worship of
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him. Then it is likely to go well with our houses when care is
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taken that the work of God's house go on well. It was likewise
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resolved that they would never <i>forsake the house of their
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God</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.39" parsed="|Neh|10|39|0|0" passage="Ne 10:39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>), as
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they and their fathers had done, would not forsake it for the house
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of any other god, or for the high places, as idolaters did, nor
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forsake it for their farms and merchandises, as those did that were
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atheistical and profane. Those that forsake the worship of God
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forsake God.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Neh.xi-p11">II. It was resolved, in pursuance of this,
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that they would liberally maintain the temple service, and not
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starve it. The priests were ready to do their part in all the work
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of God's house, if the people would do theirs, which was to find
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them with materials to work upon. Now here it was agreed and
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concluded, 1. That a stock should be raised for the furnishing of
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God's table and altar plentifully. Formerly there were treasures in
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the house of the Lord for this purpose, but these were gone, and
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there was no settled fund to supply the want of them. It was a
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constant charge to provide show-bread for the table, two lambs for
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the daily offerings, four for the sabbaths, and more, and more
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costly, sacrifices for other festivals, occasional sin-offerings,
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and meat-offerings, and drink-offerings for them all. They had no
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rich king to provide these, as Hezekiah did; the priests could not
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afford to provide them, their maintenance was so small; the people
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therefore agreed to contribute yearly, every one of them, the third
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part of a shekel, about ten pence a-piece for the bearing of this
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expense. When every one will act, and every one will give, though
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but little, towards a good work, the whole amount will be
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considerable. The tirshatha did not impose this tax, but the people
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made it an ordinance for themselves, and charged themselves with
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it, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.32-Neh.10.33" parsed="|Neh|10|32|10|33" passage="Ne 10:32,33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. 2.
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That particular care should be taken to provide wood for the altar,
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to keep the fire always burning upon it, and wherewith to boil the
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peace-offerings. All of them, priests and Levites as well as
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people, agreed to bring in their quota, and cast lots in what order
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they should bring it in, which family first and which next, that
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there might be a constant supply, and not a scarcity at one time
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and an overplus at another, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.34" parsed="|Neh|10|34|0|0" passage="Ne 10:34"><i>v.</i>
|
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34</scripRef>. Thus they provided the fire and the wood, as well as
|
||
the lambs for the burnt-offerings. 3. That all those things which
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the divine law had appointed for the maintenance of the priests and
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||
Levites should be duly paid in, for their encouragement to mind
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||
their business, and that they might not be under any temptation to
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||
neglect it for the making of necessary provision for their
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||
families. Then the work of the house of God is likely to go on when
|
||
those that serve at the altar live, and live comfortably, upon the
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||
altar. First-fruits and tenths were then the principal branches of
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||
the ministers' revenues; and they here resolved, (1.) To bring in
|
||
the first-fruits justly, the first-fruits of their ground and trees
|
||
(<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.19 Bible:Lev.19.23" parsed="|Exod|23|19|0|0;|Lev|19|23|0|0" passage="Ex 23:19,Le 19:23">Exod. xxiii. 19; Lev. xix.
|
||
23</scripRef>), the first-born of their children (even the money
|
||
wherewith they were to be redeemed) and of their cattle, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.2 Bible:Exod.13.11 Bible:Exod.13.12" parsed="|Exod|13|2|0|0;|Exod|13|11|0|0;|Exod|13|12|0|0" passage="Ex 13:2,11,12">Exod. xiii. 2, 11, 12</scripRef> (this was
|
||
given to the priests, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.15-Num.18.16" parsed="|Num|18|15|18|16" passage="Nu 18:15,16">Num. xviii.
|
||
15, 16</scripRef>), also the first-fruits of their dough (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.21" parsed="|Num|15|21|0|0" passage="Nu 15:21">Num. xv. 21</scripRef>), concerning which there
|
||
is a particular order given in the prophecy concerning the second
|
||
temple, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.30" parsed="|Ezek|44|30|0|0" passage="Eze 44:30">Ezek. xliv. 30</scripRef>.
|
||
(2.) To bring in their tenths likewise, which were due to the
|
||
Levites (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.8" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.37" parsed="|Neh|10|37|0|0" passage="Ne 10:37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>), and
|
||
a tenth out of those tenths to the priest, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.9" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.38" parsed="|Neh|10|38|0|0" passage="Ne 10:38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. This was the law (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.10" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.21-Num.18.28" parsed="|Num|18|21|18|28" passage="Nu 18:21-28">Num. xviii. 21-28</scripRef>); but these dues
|
||
had been withheld, in consequence of which God, by the prophet,
|
||
charges them with <i>robbing him</i> (<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.11" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.8-Mal.3.9" parsed="|Mal|3|8|3|9" passage="Mal 3:8,9">Mal. iii. 8, 9</scripRef>), at the same time
|
||
encouraging them to be more just to him and his receivers, with a
|
||
promise that, if they brought the <i>tithes into the
|
||
store-house,</i> he would <i>pour out blessings upon them,</i>
|
||
<scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.12" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.10" parsed="|Neh|10|10|0|0" passage="Ne 10:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. This
|
||
therefore they resolved to do, that there might be meat in God's
|
||
house, and plenty in the store-chambers of the temple, where the
|
||
vessels of the sanctuary were, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.13" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.39" parsed="|Neh|10|39|0|0" passage="Ne 10:39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. "We will do it (say they) <i>in
|
||
all the cities of our tillage,</i>" <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.14" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.37" parsed="|Neh|10|37|0|0" passage="Ne 10:37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>. <i>In all the cities of our
|
||
servitude,</i> so the LXX., for they were servants in their own
|
||
land, <scripRef id="Neh.xi-p11.15" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.36" parsed="|Neh|9|36|0|0" passage="Ne 9:36"><i>ch.</i> ix. 36</scripRef>. But
|
||
(as Mr. Poole well observes), though they paid great taxes to the
|
||
kings of Persia, and had much hardship put upon them, they would
|
||
not make that an excuse for not paying their tithes, but would
|
||
render to God the things that were his, as well as to Cæsar the
|
||
things that were his. We must do what we can in works of piety and
|
||
charity notwithstanding the taxes we pay to the government, and
|
||
cheerfully perform our duty to God in our servitude, which will be
|
||
the surest way to ease and liberty in God's due time.</p>
|
||
</div></div2> |