Nehemiah 13:5 - had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.
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What does "Nehemiah 13:5" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 13:5 is describing a misuse of a sacred space and the displacement of religious offerings. Let's break it down:
"had prepared for him a great room": This refers to Eliashib, the high priest (mentioned in Nehemiah 3:1 and 13:4). He had allocated a large room within the temple complex for Tobiah, a man described as an Ammonite official and an enemy of the Jews (Nehemiah 2:10, 4:3, 6:17-19). This room was originally intended for storing sacred items.
"where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil": These were all crucial components of the temple worship and the support system for the religious staff. They represented the offerings given to God and the resources used to sustain the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests.
"which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests": These items (tithes and wave offerings) were specifically designated by God's law for the support of these various groups of religious personnel. This was their provision for serving in the temple.
In essence, the verse highlights:
1. Profanation of sacred space: A room meant for storing offerings and supporting the temple staff was given to an outsider, an enemy of the Jewish people.
2. Diversion of resources: The tithes and offerings, meant for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests, were now inaccessible or misused, likely depriving them of their rightful sustenance.
3. Disobedience to God's law: Eliashib, the high priest, violated the commandment to properly care for the temple and its personnel.
4. Corruption and compromise: This act of Eliashib demonstrated a compromise of religious integrity, favoring personal relationships or political alliances over obedience to God's law and care for the temple and its servants.
The verse sets the stage for Nehemiah's righteous anger and his subsequent actions to rectify the situation, cleanse the temple, and restore the proper order of worship and support for the religious personnel. It exemplifies the recurring theme in Nehemiah of guarding against outside influences and maintaining the purity of worship and covenant obedience.
Nehemiah 13:5 - had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.
What does "Nehemiah 13:5" mean?
This verse from Nehemiah 13:5 is describing a misuse of a sacred space and the displacement of religious offerings. Let's break it down:
"had prepared for him a great room": This refers to Eliashib, the high priest (mentioned in Nehemiah 3:1 and 13:4). He had allocated a large room within the temple complex for Tobiah, a man described as an Ammonite official and an enemy of the Jews (Nehemiah 2:10, 4:3, 6:17-19). This room was originally intended for storing sacred items.
"where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil": These were all crucial components of the temple worship and the support system for the religious staff. They represented the offerings given to God and the resources used to sustain the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests.
"which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests": These items (tithes and wave offerings) were specifically designated by God's law for the support of these various groups of religious personnel. This was their provision for serving in the temple.
In essence, the verse highlights:
1. Profanation of sacred space: A room meant for storing offerings and supporting the temple staff was given to an outsider, an enemy of the Jewish people.
2. Diversion of resources: The tithes and offerings, meant for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests, were now inaccessible or misused, likely depriving them of their rightful sustenance.
3. Disobedience to God's law: Eliashib, the high priest, violated the commandment to properly care for the temple and its personnel.
4. Corruption and compromise: This act of Eliashib demonstrated a compromise of religious integrity, favoring personal relationships or political alliances over obedience to God's law and care for the temple and its servants.
The verse sets the stage for Nehemiah's righteous anger and his subsequent actions to rectify the situation, cleanse the temple, and restore the proper order of worship and support for the religious personnel. It exemplifies the recurring theme in Nehemiah of guarding against outside influences and maintaining the purity of worship and covenant obedience.