Neh. 10 The names of those that sealed the covenant, Neh. 10:1–27. The rest of the people cleave to them: the covenant, Neh. 10:28–39.

Those that sealed, both in their own names, and in the name of all the rest. It may seem strange that Ezra doth not appear among them. But that might be because he was prevented, either by death, or by some sickness, or other extraordinary impediment, for which we have this presumption, that…

The chief of the people, i.e. their elders, or representatives, acting in the stead and by the appointment of all the rest; for it had been troublesome and unnecessary for every one of the people to seal.

The rest of the people; those who did not write and seal with their own hands, but only by their deputies above-mentioned.

They clave to their brethren; they owned and ratified what the others had done in their names, declaring their assent to it by their words, or by the lifting up of their hands, as the manner was. Into an oath, i.e. an oath bound with a curse or imprecation upon themselves, in case they violated it.

We would not give our daughters, to wit, in marriage. Having sworn obedience to God’s laws in the general, they now do so to some particulars, wherein they had lately transgressed, or were most prone to transgress.

That we would leave the seventh year, i.e. leave the land at rest from ploughing or tilling it in that year, according to God’s command, Ex. 23:10–11, Lev. 25:4. The exaction of every debt, Heb.

To charge ourselves, i.e. every particular head or person among us; which they had warrant to do, both from the nature of the thing, because this was necessary to be done for the upholding of God’s worship, and from the warrant of former examples in the like case, 2 Chron. 24:5.

Formerly the shew-bread, and the continual meat-offering, and the continual burnt-offering, were provided out of the treasuries of the temple, 1 Chron. 26:20; and when those failed, out of the king’s treasure, 2 Chron. 31:3. But now, both these failing, provision is here made for them another way.

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 temple’s treasures, or by the king;…

The first-fruits of our ground, i.e. of the fruits of our ground. All the particulars of the first-fruits are exactly and distinctly mentioned, that none might pretend ignorance when they withheld any part of the priests’ dues; which at that time especially the people were very prone to do, through…

i.e. The tithes of all the fruits of the ground belonging to our several cities.

The priest the son of Aaron, i.e. some priest or priests appointed to this work, that so neither the people might wrong the Levites, nor the Levites defraud the priests of their dues.

Unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary; where other things belonging to the temple are laid up, and therefore these things also shall be put there. And the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers, i.e.