Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. NOw those that sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha, &c.] To wit, in the name of all the rest, both of the magistrates, priests, Le∣vites, and people.

Vers. 8. These were the priests.] That is, all those above mentioned whose names are added after Nehemiahs; for we cannot hence inferre, as some do, that Ne∣hemiah was of the stock of the priests; his name being set in the first place onely, because he was at that time the governour of Judea.

Vers. 28. And the rest of the people, the priests, &c.] Here generally it is added, that all the rest that did not seal the covenant, did yet consent to that the o∣thers had sealed in their names, to wit, the rest of the people, the Levites, the por∣ters and singers, (and why the porters and singers are mentioned severally from the Levites, see chap. 7.1.) The Nethinims and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands, unto the law of God; that is, all of other nations con∣verted to the Jewish religion called usually Proselytes, their wives, &c. they clave to their brethren their nobles, vers. 29. that is, they consented to stand to this cove∣nant, which the others had sealed in their name as well as in their own.

Vers. 30. And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, &c.] Besides the generall covenant, that they would carefully observe all the com∣mandements of God, these following heads they do particularly adde, because in these they had hitherto been exceeding faulty.

Vers. 31. And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sab∣bath day, to sell, that we would not buy it, &c.] Though it were not in their power to force the neighbouring nations to observe the Jewish laws, yet they bound them∣selves by covenant, that they would not buy any thing they brought to sell on the sabbath day; which notwithstanding many of them brake soon after, chap. 13.15, 16. In those dayes saw I in Judah some treading wine▪ presses on the sabbath, &c. there dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem.

And that we would leave the seventh yeare, and the exaction of every debt.] That is, that they would leave the land every seventh yeare to lie at rest, not sowing their fields, nor dressing their vineyards, nor gathering that which grew of it self, but leaving it free for others as for themselves; and that they would not exact that yeare their debts of those that were indebted to them, all which was enjoyned by the law, Levit. 25.3▪ 4, 5. &c. and Deut. 5.2. but had not been of later times ob∣served by them.

Vers. 33. For the holy things, and for the sinne-offerings.] Hereby I conceive is meant the peace-offerings, which were offered in the name of the whole congre∣gation and people of Israel; which therefore were provided, as here it is said, by a common contribution of all the people.

Vers. 34. And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, &c.] That is, because there was much wood to be spent in the service of the Temple, and there were not those treasures in the Temple, as had been formerly, wherewith it seems the wood had been in those times provided, both priests, Levites, and people, did unanimously at this time agree to undertake the charge and care of providing and bringing in wood for the service of the Temple; and so having equally divided the charge among them according to their families, and assigned to each family what they should bring in, the time assigned to every one when they should bring in that which they were appointed to provide, was deter∣mined by lot.

Vers. 36. Also the first born of our sonnes and of our cattell, &c.] That is, the price that was to be paid for their redemption, Numb. 18.15, 16. and conse∣quently also the redemption-money for the firstlings of all beasts that were not fit for sacrifice, and all this was for the priests that minister in the house of God, that is, for the priests that did at that time attend upon the service of the Temple; for the priests did onely attend there in their courses.

Vers. 38. And the priests the sonnes of Aaron, shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes.] That is, the priests were also to have their share in the tithes together with the Levites, to wit, the tenth of tithes, Numb. 18.26. Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them when ye take of the children of Israel tithes, which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave-offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe: yea per∣haps, one of the priests the sonnes of Aaron was alwayes to be present when the Levites received the tithes of the people, as a witnesse that the priests portion was faithfully set out for them.

Vers. 39. And we will not forsake the house of our God.] That is, we will not fail to frequent the Temple, to serve the Lord there, and we will not leave it desti∣tute of any requisite provision for the service there to be performed.