Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 12:23
The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, [were] written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
23. The sons of Levi ] Here we have the heading or title of another enrolment. The expression ‘the sons of Levi’ is to be noted, and compared with the mention of ‘the Levites’ in Neh 12:8 ; Neh 12:22. The whole house of Levi is probably intended, priests and Levites together.
in the book of the chronicles ] Clearly not the same as our ‘Chronicles,’ although the title is the same; ‘the words of the days’ was the regular Hebrew term for annals of any kind. The book here referred to seems to have been an official document, and to have been brought down to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, hence presumably down to the close of the fifth century b.c.
even until the days Eliashib ] Some connect with the following verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. The book of the chronicles] This is not the book of Chronicles which we have now, no such list being found in it; but some other book or register, which is lost.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the book of the chronicles, i.e. in the public annals or registers, in which the genealogies of the several families were set down by the Jews with great exactness, as all persons agree.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. The sons of Levi . . . werewritten in the book of the chroniclesthat is, the publicregisters in which the genealogies were kept with great regularityand exactness.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles,…. Some think this refers to 1Ch 9:14, c.
until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib from whence Dr. Lightfoot p concludes, that the Chronicles were written by Ezra in the times of this Johanan.
p Works, vol. 1. p. 146.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. The sons of Levi This expression comprehends both priests and Levites, and is therefore more general than the term the Levites, which is used in distinction from the priests.
The book of the Chronicles Not our present book of “Chronicles,” but the public annals of the Jewish nation, from which all these registers were probably derived.
Until the days of Johanan The preceding verse mentions registers kept until the reign of Darius the Persian, a date apparently later than the time of Johanan; and this favours the opinion of some that the mention of Darius and Jaddua is a later interpolation. But if this Persian king were Darius Nothus, then his reign and the days of Johanan were contemporaneous, and Nehemiah himself may have written these words.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 12:23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, [were] written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
Ver. 23. In the book of the chronicles ] sc. 1Ch 9:10 , &c.
Johanan the son of Eliashib
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the book of the chronicles: i.e. the public records or registers.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the book: 1Ch 9:14-44
Reciprocal: Neh 3:20 – Eliashib
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 12:23-25. Written in the book of the Chronicles That is, in the public annals or registers, in which the genealogies of the several families were recorded by the Jews with great exactness, as all persons agree. Ward over against ward Or, by turns, one coming in when another went out, to attend in their courses, which are called wards. At the thresholds of the gates To wit, of the temple, where the holy things were laid up, their watching-place being close by the thresholds of the gates.