Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 12:45
And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, [and] of Solomon his son.
45. And both the singers and the porters kept ] R.V. And they kept and so did the singers and the porters. The verse, according to the rendering of the R.V. states first that the priests and Levites performed the due ceremonial obligations, and then that the same strict conformity to rule was practised by the singers and porters. The verb ‘kept’ has to be supplied in the second clause.
This is preferable to the suggestion that the second clause is one of a different character, = ‘and the singers and the porters were at their post according to the commandment of David’ &c. The ground for this alternative rendering is the supposition that the singers and porters would not be subject to the same laws of purification.
kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification ] The word rendered ‘ward’ means here ‘that which has to be observed,’ ‘a charge,’ in the same sense in which it occurs in Num 9:23 ‘they kept the charge of the Lord;’ 2Ch 13:11 ‘For we keep the charge of the Lord our God.’ Cf. Gen 26:5.
It is therefore to be distinguished from its more concrete use in Neh 12:9; Neh 12:24; Neh 13:30, where it refers to the ‘posts’ of the Levites.
according to the commandment and of Solomon his son ] The reference is one of a general character to the regulations of the Temple services ascribed by the Chronicler to David (1 Chronicles 23-26) and Solomon (2Ch 8:14).
‘And of Solomon.’ The word ‘and’ must have accidentally dropped out of the Hebrew text, and must be restored.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The ward of the purification – The observances with respect to purification. Compare 1Ch 23:28.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Neh 12:45-47
And both the singers.
Thanks-giving and thanks-living
We have here the effects of the joy that was at the dedication of the wall.
I. The ministers were more careful than they had been of their work. Ii. The people were more careful than they had been of the maintenance of their ministers. The surest way for ministers to recommend themselves to their people, and gain an interest in their affections, is to wait on their ministry, to be humble and industrious, and to mind their business; when these did so, the people thought nothing too much for them to encourage them.
1. Care is here taken for the collecting of their dues.
2. Care is taken that, being gathered in, it might be duly paid out. (Matthew Henry.)
For in the days of David and Asaph of old.
The good old times
I. Nothing is necessarily good because it is old. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? Habit, education, tradition, prejudice, play an important part in history.
II. That which is old is presumptively valuable. Good lasts. Truth is as old as the hills. Application: Prove all things. Despise nothing. The present is a huge borrower from the dead past. (Homiletic Commentary.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The ward of their God, i.e. that ward, or charge, or business which God had prescribed to them.
And the ward of the purification; and in particular
the charge of purification, i.e. of taking care that no unclean person or thing might enter into the house or courts of the Lord; which care did certainly belong to the porters, as is expressed, 2Ch 23:19, and at this time, and in some sort, as it seems to the singers, who, besides their proper employment,
were also over the business of the house of God, as is affirmed, Neh 11:22; which being a general expression, may well comprehend, if it doth not principally design this, that they should take care to keep the house of God free from all pollution. And possibly as the porters were to take care that no unclean thing might enter there, so if it should through their inadvertency enter in, the singers were to remove it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
45. the singers and the porters kept. . . the ward of the purificationthat is, took care that nounclean person was allowed to enter within the precincts of thesacred building. This was the official duty of the porters (2Ch23:19), with whom, owing to the pressure of circumstances, it wasdeemed expedient that the singers should be associated as assistants.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of their purification,…. The singers kept their turns in course in the temple, and were not wanting to officiate on all occasions, besides morning and evening services; and the porters they diligently kept the gates of the temple, that no impure person or thing in a ceremonial sense entered:
according to the commandment of David, and Solomon his son; who made very good rules and orders relative to the better and more regular performance of service by them; see 1Ch 25:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And they cared for the care of their God, etc.; i.e., they observed all that was to be observed, both with respect to God and with respect to purification, i.e., they faithfully and punctually performed their office. On , see rem. on Gen 26:5 and Lev 8:35. “And (so also) the singers and doorkeepers,” i.e., they, too, observed the duties incumbent on them. This must be mentally supplied from the beginning of the verse. “According to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son;” comp. 2Ch 8:14 and 1Ch 24:26. must be inserted before , as in the lxx and Vulgate, after the analogy of 2Ch 33:7 and 2Ch 35:4; for an asyndeton would be here too harsh. As is here omitted, so does it also appear superfluously before , Neh 12:46, probably by a clerical error. The verse can be only understood as saying: “for in the days of David, Asaph was of old chief of the singers, and of the songs of praise, and of the thanksgiving unto God.” before Asaph is here out of place; for to take it as introducing a conclusion: in the days of David, therefore, was Asaph … seems unnatural. The probably came into the text through a reminiscence of 2Ch 29:30 and 2Ch 35:15. The matter, however, of these passages is consistent with the naming of David and Asaph, while such a co-ordination is unsuitable in the present passage. The Masoretes have indeed attempted to make sense of the words by altering the singular into the plural ; but the Keri is nothing more than a worthless conjecture, arising partly from the unsuitableness of before , and partly from the consideration that Henan and Ethan were, as well as Asaph, chiefs of bands of singers. Nehemiah, however, was not concerned in this passage about exactness of statement, – the mention of Asaph as chief of the singers being quite sufficient for the purpose of his remark, that from the times of David onward orders of singers had existed. – In Neh 12:47 this subject is concluded by the general statement that all Israel, i.e., the whole community, in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, gave the portions prescribed in the law for the ministers of the sanctuary, singers, doorkeepers, Levites, and priests. , they were sanctifying, i.e., consecrabant . , to sanctify, said of the bringing of gifts and dues to the ministers of the sanctuary; comp. 1Ch 26:27; Lev 27:14. On the matter itself, comp. Neh 10:38. and Num 18:26-29.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(45) Kept the ward.This should be read differently. The priests and Levites kept the ward of their God, and the ward of purification, and the singers and porters, &c. To keep the ward is to observe the regular times and seasons of sacrifice and thanksgiving.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
45. Kept the ward of their God Or, kept the charge of their God; looked after all the sacred interests committed to their oversight and care. Compare Lev 8:35.
The ward of the purification The charge of “the purifying of all holy things.” 1Ch 23:28. The rooms and vessels of the temple were to be purified, and called for the special appointment of persons for that work.
According to the commandment of David See 2Ch 8:14; and comp. 1 Chronicles 25-26.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
ward = charge.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the singers: 1Ch 25:1 – 1Ch 26:32
the ward: That is, they suffered no unclean person to enter the temple. 1Ch 23:28, 2Ch 23:6
Reciprocal: 1Ch 6:32 – and then 1Ch 9:23 – the oversight Neh 13:9 – they cleansed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 12:45. Both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God That ward or charge which God had prescribed them. And, in particular, the charge of purification, of taking care that no unclean person or thing should enter into the house or courts of the Lord. Or, the meaning may be, the singers sung orderly in their courses, as they were appointed, and thereby kept the ward of their God; and the porters kept the ward of the purification, that is, duly observed the orders about it, in preventing the temple from being defiled by any unclean person or thing. According to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son Who had regulated all things belonging to the duty of these persons.