Ratifiers of the covenant—stipulations of the covenant—The document now ratified and signed—it was a binding oath—to keep and carry out all the commandments of God. This document with all of its regulations and stipulations will be discussed in detail in the exposition.
Uncovering the Sacred Vows of the Covenant Ratification
The Signatories of the Document
Eighty-four names appear on the legal document endorsed and ratified by these men. It would not be uncommon for the Governor to affix his name at the top of the list. Three other familiar names appear on the document viz. Daniel, Jeremiah, Obadiah, all of these men were deceased and the ones with that name on this document were namesakes. From verses one through eight are the Priests that sign the document.
Nehemiah 10:1-8
Those who sealed it were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah. Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
This list of names represents the Levites. All Priests are Levites but not all Levites were Priests. The Priests had to come from Aaron. Both had to be from the tribe of Levi. The Levites assisted the Priest who was of the Aaron household.
Nehemiah 10:9-13
The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.
This group of leaders is what I keep referring to as clan leaders.
Nehemiah 10:14-27
The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim and Baanah.
The rest of the people who sign the document are—priests—Levites—gatekeepers—singers—temple servants. It is evident that not all the priests and Levites are in the first list, they are probably the most outstanding and responsible of the group. However, this group will affix their name and seal to the document. There are many reasons that we could speculate on as to why they were not in the first signing.
Nehemiah 10:28-29
"The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand- all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.
The entire group is all put under oath and bind themselves with a curse if they do not fully carry out their intentions. They have now committed themselves to obey all that the Law of God through Moses has commanded, including regulations and decrees.
Nehemiah 10:30
"We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.
Nehemiah lists the main abuses on the document so that everyone will have a clear understanding of what they have sworn to. The first abuse was marrying the very people that God had forbidden them to. They now swear that this will never happen again—they further swear that none of their daughters will be allowed to marry any foreign men.
Nehemiah 10:31
"When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
This verse reaffirms the commitment to the Sabbath and the Sabbatical year (Shemittah).
- Ex. 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy...”
- Deut. 5:12-15 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy...”
- Jer. 17:19-27 “...Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem...”
- Amos 8:5 “saying, When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?...”
Land Idle:
- Ex 23:10,11 “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused...”
- Lev 25:4 “But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest...”
Cancel all debts:
- Deut. 15:1-3 “At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts...”
Nehemiah 10:32
"We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God:
See Ex 30:12-14 regarding the ransom for life. The following extract from the book of Josephus serves to illustrate how this money was collected and the purpose of use:
Josephus Ant. 3.8.2 “...he ordained that they should offer half a shekel for every man, as an oblation to God... and what was collected was spent in the uses of the tabernacle.”
Nehemiah 10:33
for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moon festivals and appointed feasts; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.
They took an oath that the showbread would be baked consisting of 12 loaves and set on the table in the new temple. They further assume the responsibility of the grain and burn offerings (2 lambs daily).
- Ex. 29:38-42 “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old...”
- Num. 28:9 “On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs...”
- Num. 10:10 “Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals...”
The appointed feasts are the 3 annual feasts described in Lev. 23. They pledge themselves to be responsible for all the duties of the house of God.
Nehemiah 10:34
"We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.
They further pledge to provide the wood and make sure that there was always an ample supply. The responsibilities were divided by lot.
Nehemiah 10:35-36
"We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree. "As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.
- Ex. 13:2,13 “...The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are...”
- Num. 3:12 “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring...”
- Num. 18:14-16 “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the LORD is yours... But you must redeem every firstborn son...”
They were required to offer the firstborn of an ox, a sheep or goat and these animals were sacrificed.
Nehemiah 10:37-39
"Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.
These offerings were placed in storerooms in the towns occupied by the Priests and Levites and also in the Temple storerooms. This supply of food was available for the Priests and Levites and was distributed to the poor, widows, orphans, and strangers. It was a type of a welfare system administrated by the Priests, Levites and their staff.
A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.
Accompanied by a Priest of the tribe of Aaron the tithes were collected and kept in the cities where the Priest’s and Levites lived and then a tenth of the tithe was to be deposited at the temple and placed in the treasury there. This money was used to support the Priest’s and Levites as they had no income from the land.
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
Storerooms were in the Temple complex and in these rooms were an abundant supply of grain, new wine and oil, which was used for sacrifice and the excess, was distributed under the supervision of the Priests.