Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 10:34
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring [it] into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as [it is] written in the law:
34. And we cast the lots ] R.V. And we cast lots. The use of the article in the Heb. does not here call attention to the use of any peculiarly sacred ‘lots,’ but generally to the means employed for ascertaining the Divine will. For decision by the casting of lots, cf. the choosing of the goat on the day of Atonement (Lev 16:8-10), the distribution of the Promised Land (Jos 14:2; Jos 18:10), the selection of the first king (1Sa 10:19), the distribution of offices among the 24 priestly houses ( 1Ch 24:5 ; 1Ch 25:8; 1Ch 26:13), and of the priestly duties among the individual members (Luk 1:9). Here the lot was to decide the succession of the houses, which took it in turn to supply the wood for the sacrifices of the Temple.
for the wood offering ] Cf. Neh 13:31. The supply of wood for the enormous number of sacrifices offered at the Temple of Jerusalem must have represented a large annual sum. The difficulty of procuring wood must have been very great: (1) the area of territory occupied by the Jewish community was small, (2) the trees in the neighbourhood must have suffered during the Chaldean invasion and siege.
after the houses of our fathers ] R.V. according to our fathers’ houses. Another translation, ‘even into the house of our fathers,’ i.e. ‘into the Temple’ would certainly be possible according to the Hebrew, but is not to be accepted, as its use occurs nowhere else, and after the mention of ‘the house of our God’ there would be no special appropriateness for the employment of another name.
at times appointed ] Cf. Neh 13:31; Ezr 10:14. According to the Talmud on nine days in the year.
as it is written in the law ] There is no statute in the Levitical code regulating the supply of firewood for the sacrifices. The only reference to the wood of the offering in ‘the Law’ is contained in Lev 6:12-13, ‘And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereon, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.’ If the words ‘as it is written in the law’ contain a reference to a passage in the Pentateuch, it must be looked for in connexion with ‘the burning on the altar’ (e.g. Lev 6:12-13), not with ‘the wood-offering.’ Against this it may fairly be urged that ‘the wood offering,’ being the principal subject of the verse, is also the most probable subject for this quotation from Scripture. But if ‘as it is written in the law’ alludes to ‘the wood offering,’ ‘the law’ must be understood in a general sense of the traditional regulations of the priests, which apparently were not all embodied in our Pentateuch. New circumstances necessitated new regulations; and we have to suppose that among the new written regulations of the priests was one relating to ‘the wood offering.’ We may conjecture that after the return from the exile the scarcity and expensiveness of fuel for the sacrifices made it necessary to draw up special regulations by which ‘the houses’ took it in turn to supply the wood. The burden was thus distributed over the community. The new regulation had been committed to writing; but, as appears from our Pentateuch, it was never incorporated in the canonical ‘Thora,’ perhaps from the reason that its history was known to be recent. Josephus ( Bell. Jud. ii. 17. 6) mentions that on the 14th day of the 5th month Loos (Ab) was the Festival of Wood-bringing ( ), at which every Jew used to bring wood for the altar of burnt offering, that there never might be wanting a supply of fuel for the sacred fire.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
No special provision was made by the Law, by David, or by Solomon, for the supply of wood necessary to keep fire ever burning upon the altar. Nehemiah established a system by which the duty of supplying the wood was laid as a burden in turn on the various clans or families, which were regarded as constituting the nation. The lot was used to determine the order in which the several families should perform the duty. A special day (the 14th of the fifth month, according to Josephus) was appointed for the bringing in of the supply; and this day was after a time regarded as a high festival, and called the feast of the wood-offering.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. Cast the lots -for the wood-offering] There does not appear to have been any wood-offering under the law. It was the business of the Nethinim to procure this; and hence they were called hewers of wood and drawers of water to the congregation. But it is very likely that after the captivity few Nethinim were found; for as such, who were the descendants of the Gibeonites, were considered only as slaves among the Israelites, they would doubtless find it as much, if not more, their interest to abide in the land of their captivity, than to return with their former masters. As there was not enough of such persons to provide wood for the fires of the temple, the people now cast lots, not who should furnish the wood, but what class or district should furnish it at a particular time of the year, so that there might be a constant supply. One district furnished it for one whole year, or for the first month or year; another, for the second month or year; and so on. Now the lot was to determine which district should bring the supply on the first month or year; which on the second; and so on. When the wood was brought, it was delivered to the Levites: they cut, prepared, and stacked it; and when wanted, delivered it to the priests, whose business it was to lay it upon the altar. Perhaps this providing of the wood was done only once a year by one district, the next year by another district, and so on: and this bringing the wood to the temple at last became a great day; and was constituted into a feast, called by Josephus , the carrying of the wood.-See De Bell. Jud. lib. ii., cap. xvii., sec. 6, p. 194. This feast is not mentioned in the sacred writings: then there was no need for such an institution, as the Nethinim were sufficiently numerous.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We cast the lots, to determine the time and order in which each of them should take the care of the business.
For the wood-offering; for the wood, which was to be spent in great quantity, being used in every sacrifice, and formerly had been supplied out of the temples treasures, or by the king; which could not now be done.
Into the house of our God, i.e. into the place appointed to receive it in the buildings adjoining or belonging to the temple.
After the houses of our fathers, i. e. according to our several families, which were to take the charge of it by course.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
34. we cast the lots . . . for thewood offeringThe carrying of the wood had formerly been thework of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty wasassigned as stated in the text. The practice afterwards rose intogreat importance, and JOSEPHUSspeaks [The Wars of the Jews, 2.17, sect. 6] of theXylophoria, or certain stated and solemn times at which the peoplebrought up wood to the temple.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people,…. The priests and Levites were in one lot, and the people in another, as Aben Ezra:
for the wood offering; for providing wood to burn upon the altar continually, concerning which Maimonides c thus writes:
“what is the wood offering? there was a time fixed for families to go out unto the forests, and bring in wood of disposition (to be laid in order on the altar); and the day when it came to the turn of a family to bring the wood, they offered up freewill burnt offerings, which were called a wood offering; and it was to them as a good day (or festival), and they were forbid to mourn, fast, or do any work on it;”
and he observes, that if a single person brought wood of his own free will, he was obliged to the same; and Josephus d speaks of a feast called , when it was customary for all to bring wood to the altar, to keep alive the sacred fire, that it might not go out, which, according to him, was on the fourteenth of the month Lois, or August; but this was not the business of all the people, lots were cast, as here said, who should do it, and when:
to bring it into the house of our God; the temple, where there was a place called the “wood room”, into which the wood was brought after it had been wormed by the priests e
after the houses of our fathers; or families on whom the lot fell to do it: some render it,
into the house of our fathers, meaning the same as before; the temple so called, because they built it, and worshipped God in it; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra:
at times appointed, year by year; as the lot directed; these, according to the Jewish doctors f, were nine times in the year; on the first of Nisan (or March), the sons of Arach, of the tribe of Judah, brought the wood; on the twentieth of Tammuz (or June), the posterity of David, of the tribe of Judah; on the fifth of Ab (or July), the children of Parosh, of the tribe of Judah; on the seventh of the same month, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab; on the tenth of the same month, the posterity of Senaah, of the tribe of Benjamin; on the fifteenth of the same month, the children of Zattu, and with them the priests and Levites, and all who were of an uncertain tribe, c. on the twentieth of the same month, the posterity of Pahathmoab, of the tribe of Judah on the twentieth of Elul (or August), the children of Adin, of the tribe of Judah; on the first of Tebeth (or December), the posterity of Parosh again brought the wood:
to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law; the wood should be burnt upon it, and fire kept on it continually, Le 6:12, for this refers only to that, the wood offering is nowhere spoken of in the law.
c Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 6. sect. 9, 10. Vid. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Taanith, c. 4. sect. 5. d De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 17. sect. 6. e See Lightfoot’s Prospect of the Temple, ch. 25. f Misn. Taanith, c. 4. sect. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. The people also arranged support for the Levites, who in turn would support the priests.
TEXT, Neh. 10:34-39
34
Likewise we cast lots for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites, and the people in order that they might bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the law;
35
and in order that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the LORD annually,
36
and bring to the house of our God the first-born of our sons and of our cattle, and the first-born of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God.
37
We will also bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine and the oil to the priests at the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns.
38
And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse.
39
For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine and the oil, to the chambers; there are the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers, and the singers. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.
COMMENT
Neh. 10:34 makes provision for a supply of wood. A fire was to be kept constantly burning on the altar (Lev. 6:12 f). There is no previous mention of where this wood came from; what has been everybodys business may have become nobodys business; so now they made a personal pledge outside the framework of the Law, and arrived at a fair means for replenishing the supply periodically through the year. Wood was always in short supply in Israel; houses of stone were much less expensive than those made of wood; so this was no small item. All the clans (fathers households) would draw straws or use some other random method merely to determine the part of the year in which they would fulfill this obligation.
In Neh. 10:35 they accepted a similar obligation to supply food. A part of each field crop, and one years crop from each new tree, had been specified by the Law as the Lords portions (Exo. 23:16; Lev. 19:24; Lev. 23:14). They recognized this as a necessity for the support of the Levites.
Neh. 10:36 reflects their knowledge of the law that all firstborn belonged to the priests; for sons, a redemption price of five shekels was substituted (Num. 18:15 f).
Neh. 10:37 indicates that certain rooms of the Temple were used for the storage of these crops. A distinction is made between the first fruits, which went to the priests, and the tithes, the tenth portion of all their yearly increase, which were designated for the Levites. It was the responsibility of the Levites to teach religion throughout the land and not in Jerusalem only.
Neh. 10:38 adds a new detail to facilitate these collections. A priest would be on hand so that the Levites could quickly take a tenth of the tithe which they received and pass it along to the priests (Num. 18:26). Thus those who received tithes would in turn give tithes.
In Neh. 10:39 the people pledged to relieve the priests of the responsibility of collecting or transporting the contributions; they would bring them to the storage chambers of the Temple where all the utensils used in the service of worship (see Ezr. 1:9-10) were kept. Priests, gate keepers, and singers would be available to add in handling the produce.
The pledge is closed with the peoples promise not to neglect any of these things, which would be tantamount to neglecting the house of God.
WORD STUDIES
DOCUMENT: see AMEN, in the Word Studies for chapter 8. SABBATH (Neh. 10:31): the basic idea is to cease, interrupt, stop; thus the manna ceased (the verb form of this word): Jos. 5:12. If work stops, there is rest (Exo. 23:12).
The word applied to the seventh day (Exo. 20:11); to the seventh years, when no crops were to be sown (Lev. 25:2); to the first and last day of the festivals that lasted for a week, regardless of the day of the week (Lev. 23:39); to the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:32) or Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24); or in the plural as a synonym for weeks (Lev. 23:15) or for seven-year periods (Lev. 25:8).
SUMMARY
A document was drawn up and sealed with the names of Nehemiah, the heads of priestly families, Levites, and leaders of the people, in behalf of all the adult religious community, male and female. This pledged them to walk in Gods Law, specifically to keep all His commandments and not to intermarry with foreigners nor to violate the Sabbath or holy days by trading with them on those days. They would also keep the Sabbatical year.
They pledged also to support the Temple with money and materials, to provide wood for the continual fire on the altar, to bring the firstfruits of their crops and herds to the priests, to offer their tithes to the Levites who in turn would give a tenth to the priests, and to see that the needs of the house of their God were not neglected.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(34) As it is written in the law.Lev. 6:12 prescribes that the fire on the altar should be kept burning by wood. But here we have the origin of the feast of the wood-offeringa special day, subsequently substituted for the times appointed year by year. The lot determined the order in which the various classes should supply the wood.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. Cast the lots See note on Jos 13:6.
The wood offering Large quantities of wood were necessary to the continual burnt offerings, and some provision must have been made for it from the first. The law (Lev 6:12) said, “The fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every mornings,” etc.; but we find in the law no specific precept for providing wood for the altar. Josephus ( Wars of the Jews, Neh 2:17 ; Neh 2:6) mentions “the festival of Xylophory, ( , wood-bearing,) upon which the custom was for every one to bring wood for the altar, that there might never be a want of fuel for that fire which was to be always burning.”
At times appointed year by year Probably several days each year were set apart for this purpose, for Bertheau’s opinion, that there was but one day in the year for bringing wood, has no support. Keil thinks that “the order was settled for several years, and not that all the different houses contributed in each year.” The Mishna, as quoted by Lightfoot, ( Hor. Hebrews, on Mat 1:1,) says: “The seasons for wood-carrying by the priests and people were nine. The first of Nisan, for the sons of Erach, the son of Judah; the twentieth of Tammuz, for the sons of David, the son of Judah; the fifth of Ab, for the sons of Parosh, the son of Judah; the seventh of the same month for the sons of Jonadab, the son of Rechab; the tenth of the same for Sennaah, the son of Benjamin,” etc.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 10:34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring [it] into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as [it is] written in the law:
Ver. 34. And we cast lots for the wood offering] Heb. Kurban, or Korban, as the Gospel calleth it, because by offerings they came near to God. This wood offering we read not of till now: the prophet Isaiah telleth us, that if we should sacrifice unto God according to his excellent greatness, Lebanon would not be sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering, Isa 40:16 . There was much use of fuel about the temple; and it was formerly provided out of the public treasury. But that now failing, they take another order, as here; that God might not be unserved, and the daily sacrifice neglected, which they held and called, The abomination of desolation.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 10:34-39
34 Likewise we cast lots for the supply of wood among the priests, the Levites and the people so that they might bring it to the house of our God, according to our fathers’ households, at fixed times annually, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law; 35and that they might bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all the fruit of every tree to the house of the LORD annually, 36and bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God. 37We will also bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine and the oil to the priests at the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground to the Levites, for the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns. 38The priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine and the oil to the chambers; there are the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers and the singers. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.
Neh 10:34 we cast lots for the supply of wood The casting of lots was a mechanical way (like the Urim and Thummim) to discern God’s will. In this case the lots help divide the responsibility for wood for the burnt offerings among the returnees. Each family was responsible for a period of time. This later turns into a feast (cf. Josephus, Wars 17.6).
Neh 10:35 the first fruits Giving God the first ripened fruit was a way to show God’s ownership of the entire harvest. These offerings helped support the priests. See Exo 22:29; Exo 23:19; Exo 34:26; Deu 26:1-11; and Eze 44:30.
Neh 10:36 the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle this was a way to show God’s ownership of all things. See Exodus 13.
Neh 10:37 we shall also bring the first of our dough See Lev 23:17.
and the tithe of our ground to the Levites See Lev 27:30.
Neh 10:38 the priest. . .shall be with the Levites This was one of the checks and balances procedures installed to insure the taxation system.
the tenth of the tithes The Levites were required to tithe to the priests (cf. Num 18:26). In the OT there were many Levites so the priests got all they needed from their tithe, but in these days there were few Levites. The priests, however, did not want to alter the Mosaic regulations.
There is some confusion about exactly how the tithing system in Israel worked. From Deu 14:22-29
1. individuals brought a tithe to the central sanctuary for two years
2. the third year the tithe was paid locally to benefit the poor
3. every seventh year the fields lay fallow so there was no tithe of produce
In this passage (Neh 10:32-39), all non-produce items were brought to the priests in Jerusalem, but the produce was brought to the Levites in the local towns, who then tithed that to Jerusalem. The special offerings like the first fruits or first born were also taken to Jerusalem. See Special Topic: Tithe in the Mosaic Legislation .
Neh 10:39 new wine See Special Topic: Biblical Attitudes Toward Alcohol and Alcoholism .
Thus we will not neglect the house of God All of the provisions mentioned in Neh 10:34-39 were to equip the temple and its personnel for its regular duties.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. What is the relationship between the books of Ezra and Nehemiah?
2. Can you name the post-exilic prophets?
3. Why is the Day of Atonement left out of this section?
4. Outline Nehemiah 9 concerning God’s relationship to Israel through the years.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the wood offering. Hebrew the offering of wood. Figure of speech Hypallage. App-6. Not prescribed by the law. Josephus calls it Xylophory, or wood-bearing. A feast kept on the 22nd of Ab, and at other times.
burn. Hebrew. ba’ar, to consume. Not yazath (as in Neh 1:3; Neh 2:17); or saraph (as in Neh 4:2. App-43.)
written in the law. See note on Exo 17:14, and App-47.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Neh 10:34-39
Neh 10:34-39
THE WOOD-OFFERING; THE FIRST-FRUITS; AND THE TITHES
“And we cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is written in the law; and to bring the first-fruits of our ground, and the first-fruits of all fruit of all manner of trees, year by year, unto the house of Jehovah; also the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God; and that we should bring the first-fruits of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the new wine, and the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites; for they, the Levites take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure-house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.”
This paragraph merely spells out, very briefly, the obligations which had existed from the times of Moses in the Pentateuch; and for comments on these various kinds of gifts and offerings, our writings on all of these are somewhat extensive in our commentaries on the Pentateuch. There is no need whatever to rehearse such comments here.
The only thing new here is the casting of lots to determine who would bring the wood for use in the temple, and when they would bring it. Wood was probably much more plentiful in the early years of the monarchy; but, “The times had changed. Judah had been stripped of her forests; the Temple was relatively poor, and some permanent arrangement for the supply of wood was necessary. Lots were cast to determine who would bring it, and when they would do it.”
Another arrangement, which this writer does not remember from the Pentateuch is that of requiring the Levite to take the tithe in the presence of a priest. That, of course, was to prevent the Levite from cheating on the tithe of the tithe he paid to the priesthood!
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 10:34. The Levites were not required to produce any materials, because they were not given an allotted portion of the land as were the others of the tribes. But this verse included the people, which accounts for the mention of the wood to be furnished After it was furnished by the people, the priests and Levites took charge of it and made the proper use in the service of the house of the Lord. Not all of the eligible men would be needed at one time, hence they cast the lots to decide the turns of service. The lot was one of the means used in Biblical times to decide questions. See Pro v. 16:33 and Heb 1:1.
Neh 10:35. The law had required that the first of everything be devoted to the Lord. It would include the first of the fruit of trees and of the ground.
Neh 10:36. Firstborn of our sons. The Lord never did require human sacri fices, but he did claim all the firstborn of their sons as his special possession (Exo 13:2). He later exchanged them for the entire tribe of Levi (Num 3:12). After that the Lord required a certain offering to be made upon the birth of the first child (Num 18:14-32). That is what these people meant to do when they agreed to devote the firstborn of our sons. Also, they owed a certain consideration to the Lord upon the increase of their beasts. All of these things were to be placed at the disposal of the priests that minister in. the house of our God.
Neh 10:37. Grain that had been made ready for dough was not to be exempt from the contribution. In addition to the first of everything, the tithe or tenth of all crops of the ground must be devoted. It was turned over to the Levites because they had no ground of their own for farming.
Neh 10:38. Tithes of the tithes. The Levites had no means of productive income, so they lived on the tithes of the other tribes. They in turn were required to contribute a tithe or tenth of what had been given them by the other tribes.
Neh 10:39. All of these products were to be brought to the house of the Lord; not expect the priests to come after them. Priests that minister. Not all eligible men were acting at one time. Those who were needed for the service at any given time were the ones meant by these words.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
cast: 1Ch 24:5, 1Ch 24:7, 1Ch 25:8, 1Ch 25:9, Pro 18:18
the wood offering: It was the business of the Nethinim to procure the wood for the fires of the temple, but it is probable few of them returned to their former masters after the captivity; and therefore they found it necessary to cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people, who should furnish the wood at appointed times. This bringing of the wood to the temple at last became a great day; and was constituted into a feast, called by Josephus, , “the carrying of the wood” (Bell. 1. ii. c. 17. sec.6). Neh 13:31, Lev 6:12, Jos 9:27, Isa 40:16
at times: Heb 10:3-7
as it is written: Lev 6:12, Lev 6:13
Reciprocal: Deu 12:19 – Take Neh 11:1 – cast lots
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 10:34. And we cast lots among the priests, &c. They now determined, by casting lots, how much wood every one should bring in, for his share, to maintain the fire continually upon the altar to burn the sacrifices; and in what order it should be brought; and at what times of the year.