Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 11:19
Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, [were] a hundred seventy and two.
19. Akkub, Talmon ] In 1Ch 9:17, ‘And the porters; Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief.’
that kept the gates ] R.V. that kept watch at the gate.
an hundred seventy and two ] 1Ch 9:22, ‘two hundred and twelve;’ the discrepancy may be another instance of error in transcription.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Moreover, the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were one hundred and seventy two. Of whom see 1Ch 9:17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) An hundred seventy and two.In 1 Chronicles 9 the number is 212. The difference between the two accounts may partly be explained by the fact that in the Chronicles the list is confined to those who came with Zerubbabel, while here addition is made of those who came with Ezra. But see the commentary on 1 Chronicles 9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
The Gate-keepers ( Neh 11:19 ).
The mention of the gate-keepers separately from the Levites does not necessarily mean that the gate-keepers were not seen as Levites. Only that they had a special role. Indeed Neh 11:20 suggests that they were seen as Levites (they are not there mentioned separately from the Levites). 1Ch 9:26 agrees. Nehemiah gives us minimal information about the gate-keepers, compared with 1Ch 9:17-29.
In some ways the title gate-keepers gives a wrong impression. These men did not just watch the gates. They held a position of trust and had responsibility for the treasury and the chambers in the Temple (1Ch 9:26), as well as the furniture and worship accessories (fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense and spices – 1Ch 9:29). They had overall responsibility for the security of the Temple area.
Neh 11:19
‘Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were a hundred and seventy two.’
Many of the gate-keepers had had part time residence in Jerusalem (1Ch 9:22; 1Ch 9:25 mentions the fact that many of the gate-keepers lived in villages and came into Jerusalem to perform their duties). Now these 172 came to reside there full time, under the leadership of Akkub and Talmon, in order to make their contribution towards the permanent safety of the holy city. Shallum, the chief gate-keeper, and Ahiman, already dwelt full time in Jerusalem (1Ch 9:17; 1Ch 9:19).
Neh 11:20
‘And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.’
This still left a residue, which included priests and Levites, living in the all the cities of Judah. We have learned earlier that this residue consisted of nine tenths of the men of Judah. We were not told what proportion of the priests and Levites resided there, but they were among the people as God’s representatives, teaching and guiding, and watching over the collection of tithes. This summary in Neh 11:20 possibly ended the record from which this information was taken, unless we include Neh 11:21. On the other hand what follows in Neh 11:25 onwards expands on this verse (and on Neh 11:3), and we must beware of applying what conforms to the modern mind with the methods of ancient writers. They may well not have been so systematic.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 11:19-21
19Also the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brethren who kept watch at the gates, were 172. 20The rest of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance. 21But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants.
Neh 11:19 the gatekeepers These were also ancient families who were appointed to this special task at the temple (cf. 1Ch 9:17-27; 1Ch 23:5; Ezr 2:42).
Neh 11:20 each on his own inheritance Originally the tribe of Levi did not inherit land. The Lord Himself was their inheritance (cf. Num 18:20; Num 18:24; Deu 10:9; Deu 18:1-2; Jos 13:14; Jos 13:33). The Levites asked Joshua for houses in certain special cities called Levitical cities (cf. Joshua 21) along with a small part of the surrounding pasture land. In this way they could grow vegetable gardens or raise an animal.
Neh 11:21 the temple servants See note at Ezr 2:43.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Neh 11:19-21
Neh 11:19-21
THE PORTERS AND GATEKEEPERS NUMBERED 172
“Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates were a hundred seventy and two. And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.”
The total number of the men living in the holy city is thus numbered at 3,044, not including women and children, nor the Nethinim. Whitcomb also gave this number as 3,044. Ophel was indeed part of the holy city, having a wall of its own; and it was sometimes counted in, sometimes counted out of the city, as here. “These were augmented by a 10% levy drawn from the surrounding areas, and an unspecified number of volunteers (Neh 11:2).”
Scholars disagree on the exact meaning of Neh 11:1. Some take it, as did Whitcomb, to mean that the population was readjusted, so that ten percent of the returnees lived in the city, and ninety percent in the Outlying areas. If so interpreted, it would mean that, “The population of Judea had increased considerably during the previous century; because the 50,000 who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon included women and children.” The approximately 3,000 men in Jerusalem before this adjustment took place would mean that there were 30,000 Jewish men then living in Palestine, besides women and children. At a ratio of four to one, this would make the number of Israelites then in Judea about 120,000. Keil, however, wrote that, “The passage can have no other meaning, but that the population of Jerusalem was increased by a 10% fraction of the population living outside the city.” He admitted, however, that, “The statement, taken by itself, is very brief, and its connection with Neh 7:5 not very evident.”
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 11:19. The gates of the city had to be opened and closed at proper times. They were also to be guarded against the entrance of questionable persons. The men with this job were called porters and there were 172 of them appointed.
Neh 11:20. Most of this chapter has dealt with the groups who were stationed inside Jerusalem. This short verse is given us to keep in mind the fact that the people of Judah not so employed were in order, each residing in his own inheritance.
Neh 11:21. The writer comes back into the city again to designate the location of some of the classes. Ophel is defined by Strong as “a ridge in Jerusalem.” Smith’s Bible Dictionary says it was evidently the residence of the priests. The Nethinims were a special class of servants so designated in the days of Solomon. There were some of them residing in this part of Jerusalem, and Ziba and Gispa supervised them.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Akkub: Neh 7:45, Neh 12:25, 1Ch 9:17-22
that kept: Psa 84:10
the gates: Heb. at the gates
Reciprocal: 2Ki 22:4 – the keepers Neh 8:7 – Akkub
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
11:19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the {f} gates, [were] an hundred seventy and two.
(f) Meaning of the temple.