Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 11:22
The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem [was] Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers [were] over the business of the house of God.
22. Uzzi ] Uzzi’s position as overseer of the Levites ‘over the business of the house of God’ is parallel to that of Shabbethai and Jozabad (Neh 11:16).
Micha ] R.V. Mica. Cf. Neh 11:17.
Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over &c.] R.V. of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over &c. The R.V. rightly takes the whole verse to be one sentence, defining firstly the descent and then the duties of Uzzi. The word ‘overseer’ must be joined with ‘over the business’: while ‘the singers’ is in apposition to ‘the sons of Asaph.’
The A.V. in dividing the sentence probably followed the LXX. and Vulg. (‘De filiis Asaph cantores in ministerio domus Dei’). The purpose of the division may have been to secure to ‘the singers’ a separate mention of their office. But (1) they were tacitly included in Neh 11:17, (2) ‘the singers’ would not be over ‘the business of the house of God.’
the business of the house of God ] See note on Neh 11:16. The ‘business’ is that of the liturgical worship and the organization necessary for the regular rotation of Levitical service.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The business intended was probably the internal business, as distinct from the outward business Neh 11:16 : a part of which was the apportionment of the royal bounty among the members of the choir Neh 11:23.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. The overseer also of the Levites] pekid, the visitant, the inspector; translated , bishop, both by the Septuagint and Vulgate.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Were to take care at Jerusalem for the supply of such things as were necessary for the temple and the service of God, from time to time, whilst others minded the outward business, Neh 11:16. And this office was very proper for them, both as they were Levites, to whose care those things belonged; and as they were singers, who were not to come to Jerusalem by turns, as other Levites, and as the priests did, but were constantly to reside there, and therefore were more capable of minding this business. Besides, their employment was not so frequent nor so great as some others were, and therefore they had more leisure for it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. the sons of Asaph, the singerswere over the business of the house of GodThey were selectedto take charge of providing those things which were required for theinterior of the temple and its service, while to others was committedthe care of the “outward business of the house of God” (Ne11:16). This duty was very properly assigned to the sons ofAsaph; for, though they were Levites, they did not repair in rotationto Jerusalem, as the other ministers of religion. Being permanentresidents, and employed in duties which were comparatively light andeasy, they were very competent to undertake this charge.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani,…. He was the supervisor of them, that looked after them that they did their work in ministering to the priests, as they had occasion for them; this man’s genealogy is further traced through Hashabiah and Mattaniah, to Micha the son of Asaph, Ne 11:17,
of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God; which, according to Jarchi, was to take care of the repairs of the temple and other things; but one would think rather that part of the service of the house which lay in singing the songs of it is respected.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(22) The overseer.Pakid, or visitor.
Of the sons of Asaph.It requires no disturbance of the original to read the whole of Uzzis pedigree: the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, the singers in the service of the house of God. Thus with the prayer of Neh. 11:17 there is a parallel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Extra Details Concerning The Singers/Musicians ( Neh 11:22-24 ).
The singers/musicians have already been mentioned in Neh 11:17. Now further details are given concerning them.
Neh 11:22
‘The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God.’
Head over the singers/musicians was Uzzi, a ‘son of Asaph’. Asaph was the chief musician in David’s day (1Ch 16:5). Uzzi, along with his fellow-musicians, had responsibility for the use of music in the worship in the Temple. His pedigree, which is listed, was impeccable.
Neh 11:23
‘For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.’
If we translate like this these singers were maintained by the Persian royal house, ‘as every day required’. The king’s expectation would thus be that thereby God would be pleased and would bless the Persian kings. We can compare how they were also relieved from taxes (Ezr 7:24). The Persian kings went to great lengths to keep on the right side of the gods.
However, it may be translated ‘the command of the king was over them in the matters of every day’. It may therefor relate, not to provisioning, but to the duties required of them by the king as part of their worship, including the duty to intercede on behalf of him and his sons (see Ezr 6:10).
Neh 11:24
‘And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.’
The kings of Persia took an interest in the religious affairs of their subjects (they wanted to ensure that their gods would honour the Persian royal family) and therefore had to hand a representative for Jewish affairs, at this time one named Pethahiah, who presumably lived at the Persian court but maintained a close watch on Jewish affairs on the king’s behalf.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Neh 11:22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem [was] Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers [were] over the business of the house of God.
Ver. 22. The overseer ] The Vulgate has it, the bishop.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 11:22-24
22Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the sons of Asaph, who were the singers for the service of the house of God. 23For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a firm regulation for the song leaders day by day. 24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king’s representative in all matters concerning the people.
Neh 11:22 There are so many lists of people in Ezra and Nehemiah. Often the names are common. The only way to try to tell them apart is to
1. check which group they are a part of (e.g., lay persons, priests, Levites, etc.)
2. check the tribe
3. check the order of the names
Here in Neh 11:22 it is obvious that Uzzi is from the same family of Asaph mentioned in Neh 11:17.
Neh 11:23 the king This refers to David, not Artaxerxes I (cf. Neh 12:24; Neh 12:45-46). These temple personnel were appointed special tasks to perform in the temple on a regular basis, many of the tasks going back to David’s day.
Neh 11:24 Pethahiah This is the name of a priest in David’s day who was involved in the twenty-four divisions (cf. 1Ch 24:16).
There is another man by this same name mentioned in Neh 11:24. The interpretive question is (1) do Neh 11:23-24 go together and, thereby the king refers to David or (2) is the man a representative of Artaxerxes I, the Persian king during Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s day?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Neh 11:22-24
Neh 11:22-24
ARTAXERXES SUPPORTED THE LEVITES
“The overseer also of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God. For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.”
Artaxerxes was indeed a friend of Israel; and here we find that he had allotted a regular payment for the Levites and singers. He had already exempted them from all tolls, tribute, custom and taxes of every kind (Ezr 7:24); and his cooperation with both Ezra and Nehemiah in all of the things done for the Chosen People is the sine qua non of everything in both of these Biblical books. “Now he had even gone further and assigned an allotment from the royal revenue for the support of the persons mentioned here.” It is also of interest that the king showed in this action a definite preference for the Levites, as compared with the priests. Artaxerxes was probably aware of the general corruption of the priesthood, a corruption that merited and received a curse from Almighty God Himself (Mal 2:2) because of their detestable immorality. The king must have been aware that, if any prayers were to be offered for, “the king and his sons” (Ezr 6:10), the Levites, not the priests, would be the ones who did it.
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 11:22. Uzzi was a sort of overseer-at-large in Jerusalem, to direct the services of the Levites. The singers, men following the practice instituted by the sons of Asaph in the days of David, had charge of that service in the house of God.
Neh 11:23. The singers were to serve in turns and the change was to be made daily. That made it necessary for a goodly number of them to be in the city all the time. King’s commandment. We do not suppose that Artaxerxes was personally concerned with the religious activities of the Jews. But he had become favorably disposed toward them, and had given orders (Ezra 8, 9) that their wishes should be carried out.
Neh 11:24. At the king’s hand means about the same as the remarks in the preceding verse. Moffatt’s translation expresses the thought in this verse by saying the work was “in the hands of the king’s representatives.”
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
overseer: Neh 11:9, Neh 11:14, Neh 12:42, Act 20:28
Uzzi: Neh 12:42
Bani: Neh 3:17, Neh 8:7, Neh 9:4, Neh 9:5, Neh 10:13
Hashabiah: Neh 10:11, Neh 12:24, Ezr 8:19
Mattaniah: Neh 11:17, Neh 12:25, Neh 12:35, Neh 13:13, 1Ch 9:15
Of the sons: Neh 11:17, Neh 12:46, 1Ch 25:1-6
were over: Neh 11:11, Neh 11:16, 1Ch 9:16-32
Reciprocal: 1Ch 6:39 – Asaph 1Ch 9:33 – were free 1Ch 23:4 – set forward Neh 12:8 – Mattaniah
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 11:22. The sons of Asaph were over the business of the house of God Were to take care at Jerusalem for the supply of such things as were necessary for the temple and the service of God, from time to time, while others minded the outward business, Neh 11:16. And this office was very proper for them, both as they were Levites, to whose care those things belonged; and as they were singers, who were not to come up to Jerusalem by turns, as other Levites, and as the priests did, but were constantly to reside there, and therefore were more capable of minding this business. Besides, their employment was not so frequent nor so great as some others were, and therefore they had more leisure for it.