and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms. Then all JudahThe phrase "Then all Judah" signifies a collective action by the people of Judah. Historically, this reflects a period of reformation and revival under Nehemiah's leadership. The Hebrew root for "Judah" is "Yehudah," which means "praise." This collective movement indicates a unified return to obedience and worship, emphasizing the importance of community in spiritual renewal. It highlights the role of leadership in guiding a nation back to God's statutes, as Nehemiah did after discovering the neglect of the temple services. brought a tenth
The act of bringing "a tenth" refers to the tithe, a practice deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 27:30-32). The Hebrew word for "tenth" is "ma'aser," which means a portion set apart for God. This practice was not merely a financial obligation but a spiritual act of worship and trust in God's provision. It underscores the principle of stewardship and the acknowledgment that all blessings come from God. In a conservative Christian perspective, tithing is seen as an act of faith and obedience, reflecting one's commitment to God's kingdom. of the grain, new wine, and oil
These items—grain, new wine, and oil—were staples of the ancient Near Eastern diet and economy. They symbolize God's provision and the sustenance of life. Grain represents the basic food supply, new wine signifies joy and celebration, and oil is often associated with anointing and healing. The inclusion of these specific items in the tithe highlights the comprehensive nature of God's blessings and the people's responsibility to honor Him with the firstfruits of all their increase. This practice is a reminder of the holistic nature of worship, involving every aspect of life. into the storerooms
The "storerooms" were chambers in the temple designated for storing the tithes and offerings brought by the people. The Hebrew term "lishkah" refers to these rooms, which were essential for the proper functioning of temple services. This phrase indicates a restoration of order and proper management of God's house. It reflects the importance of organization and accountability in the stewardship of resources dedicated to God's work. In a broader sense, it serves as a metaphor for the believer's heart, which should be a storeroom for God's word and blessings, managed with integrity and devotion. Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahThe governor of Judah who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and instituted reforms to restore the spiritual and social order of the Jewish community. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, representing the Jewish people who returned from Babylonian exile and were responsible for supporting the temple services. 3. StoreroomsDesignated areas in the temple where offerings such as grain, wine, and oil were stored for the Levites, priests, and temple workers. Teaching Points Faithful StewardshipNehemiah 13:12 highlights the importance of faithful stewardship of resources. Believers are called to support their local church and its ministries through tithes and offerings. Community ResponsibilityThe collective action of Judah in bringing their tithes underscores the responsibility of the community to support spiritual leaders and maintain the house of God. Spiritual RenewalThe act of bringing tithes was part of a broader spiritual renewal. Personal and communal revival often involves returning to foundational practices of faith, such as giving. Obedience to God's CommandsThe people of Judah's obedience in bringing their tithes reflects a heart aligned with God's commands. Obedience in giving is a tangible expression of faith and trust in God's provision. Prioritizing WorshipBy ensuring the storerooms were filled, the people prioritized worship and the functioning of the temple, reminding us to prioritize our spiritual commitments. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the act of bringing tithes in Nehemiah 13:12 reflect the spiritual condition of the people of Judah? 2. In what ways can we apply the principle of faithful stewardship in our own lives today? 3. How does the community's collective responsibility in supporting the temple challenge our view of church and community involvement? 4. What are some modern-day practices that can lead to spiritual renewal similar to the reforms seen in Nehemiah's time? 5. How can we ensure that our priorities align with God's commands, particularly in the area of giving and supporting our local church? Connections to Other Scriptures Malachi 3:10This verse speaks about bringing the full tithe into the storehouse, emphasizing the importance of supporting the temple and its services, similar to the actions taken in Nehemiah 13:12. 2 Chronicles 31:5-6These verses describe the people of Israel bringing in their tithes and offerings, paralleling the renewed commitment to temple support seen in Nehemiah's reforms. Leviticus 27:30This verse establishes the tithe as holy to the Lord, providing a foundation for the practice of tithing seen in Nehemiah 13:12. People Artaxerxes, Balaam, Eliashib, Hanan, Israelites, Joiada, Levites, Mattaniah, Pedaiah, Sanballat, Shelemiah, Solomon, Tobiah, Tobijah, Tyrians, ZaccurPlaces Ammon, Ashdod, Babylon, Jerusalem, MoabTopics Corn, Grain, Judah, Oil, Storehouses, Store-houses, Storerooms, Tenth, Tithe, Tithes, Treasuries, WineDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 13:12 4456 grain
4488 oil
4544 wine
8488 tithing Nehemiah 13:4-13 7266 tribes of Israel Nehemiah 13:10-13 5603 wages Library Sabbath Observance
'In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Two Famous Versions of the Scriptures
[Illustration: (drop cap B) Samaritan Book of the Law] By the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, on the coast of Egypt, lies Alexandria, a busy and prosperous city of to-day. You remember the great conqueror, Alexander, and how nation after nation had been forced to submit to him, until all the then-known world owned him for its emperor? He built this city, and called it after his own name. About a hundred years before the days of Antiochus (of whom we read in our last chapter) a company of Jews …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 The Formation of the Old Testament Canon
[Sidenote: Israel's literature at the beginning of the fourth century before Christ] Could we have studied the scriptures of the Israelitish race about 400 B.C., we should have classified them under four great divisions: (1) The prophetic writings, represented by the combined early Judean, Ephraimite, and late prophetic or Deuteronomic narratives, and their continuation in Samuel and Kings, together with the earlier and exilic prophecies; (2) the legal, represented by the majority of the Old Testament …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 13:12 NIVNehemiah 13:12 NLTNehemiah 13:12 ESVNehemiah 13:12 NASBNehemiah 13:12 KJV
Nehemiah 13:12 Commentaries
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