Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 10:2
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
The names are not personal, but designate families. The seal of the high-priestly house of Seraiah was probably appended either by Ezra or Eliashib, both of whom belonged to it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
[See comments on Ne 10:1].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10:3-10)
At the head of the signatures stood Nehemiah the Tirshatha, as governor of the country, and Zidkijah, a high official, of whom nothing further is known, perhaps (after the analogy of Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:17) secretary to the governor. Then follow (in vv. 3-9) twenty-one names, with the addition: these, the priests. Of these twenty-one names, fifteen occur in Neh 12:2-7 as chiefs of the priests who came up with Joshua and Zerubbabel from Babylon, and in Neh 12:11-20 as heads of priestly houses. Hence it is obvious that all the twenty-one names are those of heads of priestly classes, who signed the agreement in the names of the houses and families of their respective classes. Seraiah is probably the prince of the house of God dwelling at Jerusalem, mentioned Neh 11:11, who signed in place of the high priest. For further remarks on the orders of priests and their heads, see Neh 12:1.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(2) Seraiah.The family name of the high-priestly house to which Ezra and Eliashib belonged, one of whomprobably Ezraaffixed its seal.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Seraiah is called in Neh 11:11, “the ruler of the house of God,” and Keil supposes he signed the document in place of the high priest. Azariah is probably a clerical error, or corruption of Ezra. Compare the list in Neh 12:1-7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Priestly Families ( Neh 10:2-8 ).
Following the governor were named the priestly families, who would clearly be important in anything involving an agreement with God. It was they who represented Israel before God.
One problem we have in comparing these names with those used elsewhere is firstly that some of those who sealed the agreement may well have been using the family name, and secondly that at that time names were passed down in families by custom from grandfather to grandson. We can compare how the names given to the priestly houses in the time of Zerubbabel and Joshua over fifty years previously (Neh 12:1-7) included names such as Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra (Azariah), Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah (Shebaniah), Rehum ( Harim), Meremoth, Ginnethol (Ginnethon), Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah (Maaziah), Bilgah (Bilgai), and Shemaiah. It will be noted that these are paralleled below. Hattush and Harim were also the names of priestly families which arrived with Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel (Neh 7:41-42; Ezr 2:38-39). But as some of those below would have sealed in the family name this is not as surprising as it might at first appear. Indeed, they may well have taken the family name on becoming head of the family. Others may have followed the custom at the time of being named after their grandfathers. Compare how the names reoccur in the list of fathers in the generation after the return (Neh 12:12-21). The fact that Ezra is missing from the list is explained in terms of the fact that he was a son of Seraiah (Ezr 7:1), the latter sealing on behalf of the family. Unique to the list here are Passhur, Malchijah (see Neh 3:11; Neh 3:14; Neh 3:31), Obadiah, Daniel, Baruch and Meshullam (see Neh 3:4; Neh 3:6; Neh 3:30). But Daniel (of the sons of Ithamar) was a leading priest in Ezra’s expedition (Ezr 8:2)
The names of the priestly families are now given:
Neh 10:2
‘Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 10:3 ‘Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,’ 10:4 ‘Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,’ 105 ‘Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,’ 10:6 ‘Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,’ 10:7 ‘Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,’ 10:8a Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah;’
Neh 10:8
‘These were the priests.’
It is unusual in these lists to find the explanation for those listed following their names. Elsewhere it is prior to the giving of their names (Neh 7:39; Neh 12:1; Neh 12:12). But this may well have been done deliberately here because the writer wants to see them as sharing equal authority with the governor and his scribe, in view of the nature of the document. It is an agreement with God through His representatives. And indeed was probably prepared by the priests as the religious experts. To have headed them with ‘these were the priests’ would have relegated them rather to rank with those who followed, and separated them off from Nehemiah’s authority and from their prime part in the agreement. We can also compare how Jeshua, the High Priest, is named with others alongside Zerubbabel (Neh 7:7).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Seraiah: Neh 3:23, Neh 11:11, Neh 12:1, Neh 12:33, Neh 12:34
Reciprocal: 1Ch 9:11 – Azariah Neh 8:7 – Azariah