Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 13:8
And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
8. it grieved me sore ] Cf. Neh 2:10, ‘it grieved them exceedingly.’
all the household stuff ] Literally, ‘all the vessels of the house.’ ‘Stuff’ = the furniture, an old English word. For ‘stuff’ in this sense cf. Gen 31:37; Gen 45:20 ; 1Sa 10:22. Aldis Wright ( Bible Word-Book, ed, 1, p. 463) cites, in illustration of this word, Hall ( Hen. IV. fol. 26 b), ‘Sir Thomas Rampston knight the kynges vice-chamberlain with all his chamber stuffe, And apparell;’ and Shakespeare ( Com. of Errors IV. 4), ‘Therefore away to get our stuffe aboard.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah] He acted as Jesus Christ did when he found the courts of the Lord’s house profaned: He overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of those who sold doves.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It grieved me sore, that so sacred a place should be polluted by one who in many respects ought not to have come there, being no priest, a stranger, an Ammonite, and one of the worst of that people; and that all this should be done by the permission and order of the high priest, who by his office should have punished and reformed these things in others.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And it grieved me sore,…. That such a sacred place should be converted to common use, and to that of an Heathen, and of an enemy to the Jews and their religion:
therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber; as being chief magistrate, and acting by commission under the king of Persia, and to regulate everything amiss, according to the Jewish laws, as well as those of the king, his power being, no doubt, as large as Ezra’s, Ezr 7:25, by “household stuff” is meant what is movable in the house, as chairs, tables, vessels for dressing, caring, drinking, &c. there are various opinions about this with the ancients e.
e Vid. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This so greatly displeased him, that he cast out all the household stuff of Tobiah, and commanded the chamber to be purified, and the vessels of the house of God, the meat-offering and the frankincense, and probably the tenths and heave-offerings also, the enumeration being here only abbreviated, to be again brought into it. From the words household stuff, it appears that Tobiah used the chamber as a dwelling when he came from time to time to Jerusalem.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(8) It grieved me sore.The second time we read of Nehemiahs deep emotion: first, because of the utter dissoluteness of which this was a token; and secondly, because it was a priestly desecration.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. I cast forth all the household stuff The violence of the act was expressive of his indignation and grief. The mention of household stuff shows that Tobiah had used the chamber for his residence while at Jerusalem.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 13:8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
Ver. 8. And it grieved me sore ] Such was his zeal for God that he could not bear it; no more could Phineas those two naughty packs, nor Paul the idolatry of Athens, Act 17:16 , his spirit was moved, he was in a fit, yea, almost besides himself, as the word signifieth. This the mad world counteth madness, 2Co 5:13 , but madness in this case is better than mopishness, and the true zealot may answer his adversaries as David did Michal, 2Sa 6:21 , or as Basil did the threatening prefect, who told him that he was mad, Opto me in aeternum sic delirare, I wish I may be so mad to my life’s end.
Therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
See Neh 13:4 for a special note.
I cast forth. His authority was not disputed. Malachi (2-4) also rebukes the People.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
it grieved: Ezr 9:3, Ezr 9:4, Ezr 10:1, Psa 69:9
I cast: Mar 11:15-17, Joh 2:13-17
Reciprocal: Neh 5:6 – General Pro 24:25 – them Pro 28:4 – but Ecc 9:10 – thy hand Jer 35:2 – into one Mar 3:5 – grieved
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 13:8. It grieved me sore That so sacred a place should be polluted by one who, on many accounts, ought not to have come there, being no priest, a stranger, an Ammonite, and one of the worst of that people; and that all this should be done by the permission and order of the high-priest.