The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 107

rosponsiblo ; he was removablo ; he was Ver. 34.-We caat the Iota for the wood hound to remit tho gre11t bulk of thl) taxes offering. The "wood offering" is now first to the court. Under these circumstances, heard of. Fuel had probably been more 1tnd prob11bly in connection with an im- plentiful in the times of the monarchy than medi11te need, the idea arose of a special it had now become, and the temple treasury (voluntary) tax, to be p11id annually by all had been rich enough to provide what was adult males, for the support of the service, the needed in order to keep the altar fire per- continual provision of the morning and even- petually burning (Levit. vi. 13). But times ing sacrifice, the incense, the shew-brea<l, had changed. The hill-country of J udrea the red heifers, the scape-goat, the numerous had gradually been stripped of its forests. victims, and the numerous meat and drink The temple was, comparatively speaking, offerings required on various occasions, and poor, and some permanent arrangement for especially at each of the great festivals. It the supply of the required fuel had become was felt that the provision in the law ruled necessary. It would seem, from the present two things-I. The uniformity of the tax ; passage, that the arrangement actually made and, 2. The sphere of its incidence-that it was one by which different families or dis- should be paid by all adult males. With tricts undertook the duty of furnishing the ,regard to its proper amount, that had to wood in turn, and lots were cast to deter- be fixed by a consideration of existing needs mine the order in which they should dis- in comparison with existing means. The charge the office. According to Josephus third part of a shekel was determined on, as (' Bell. J ud. ,' ii 17, § 6), the wood needed sufficient at the time ; but it was not long for a year was brought in on a particular ere for the third part the half-shekel was day-the fourteenth day of the fifth month substituted, a return being thus made to the -which was kept as a festival, and known standard fixed by the law, and an ample as the "Xylophoria." At times appointed provision made for the maintenance of the year by year. It may be gathered from thi<1 established rites in full completeness and that, originally, no single day was selected efficiency (comp. Matt. xvii. 24-27). for bringing in all the wood ; much less one Ver. 33.-For the shew-bread. See Levit. and the same day appointed for every year. xxiv. 5-8. Small as the cost of the The original system was variable and shew-bread was, consisting, as it did, of no elastic ; but in course of time a rigid uni- more than twelve cakes "f fine flour weekly, formity was introduced and established. As it is yet placed first on account of its import- it ia written in the law. See Levit. vi. 12. ance, being the bread of God's presence, the Ver. 35. And to bring the firat-fruita type of the sacramental bread of the new . . . . unto the house of the Lord. The covenant. The continual meat offering is idea of offering ''first-fruits" may be ascribed that offering of flour mingled with fine olive to natural piety. They were well known to oil which God had required to be offered the Greeks and Romans (a,rapxai, primi- twice a day, at morning and at evening, in tiai). But in the Mosaic law they were com- conjunction with the two lambs, which con- manded (Exod. xxii. 29 ; xxiii. 19 ; Levit_ stituted the continual burnt offering (Nu.m. xxiii. 10, 17, &c.), and thenceforth became x.xviii. 6). Of the sabbaths. I. e. "for a matter of religious obligation. The pre- the offering of the sabbath days," which con- sent passage furnishes, however, distinct sisted of two lambs with appropriate meat evidence that the obligation had now for and drink offerings, in addition to the some time been disregarded. The first-fruits offering of every day (Nu.m. xxviii. 9, 10). of all fruit. First-fruits were required not Of the new moons. 'fwo bullocks, one ram, merely of wheat and other grain, but also seven lambs, with appropriate meat and expressly of wine and oil, the produce of the drink offerings (ibid. vers. 11-14). For vine and olive, ruid by implication of all the set feasts. The passover, the feast of other fruit trees (see Nu.m. xviii. 12; Deut. Pentecost, the feast of trumpets, and the xviii. 4, &c.). feast of tabernacles. The offerings required Ver. 36.-The first-born of our sons and at each are given with great exactness in of our cattle, as it is written in the law. Num. x.xviii. and x.xix. The hol;y things. See Exod. x.xii. 29 ; xxxiv. 19. The first- ''Wave-offerings" and '' peace - offerings" born children were to be " redeemed." (Lev. xxiii. 10, 17, 19) are probably intended. Ver. 37.-The first-fruits of onr dough. They were " holy to the Lol'd for the piiest " See Num. xv. 18-21. Aud our offerings. (ibid. ver. 20 ). The sin offerings are those Literally, "our heave offerings" (Num. xv commanded in Num. xxviii. 15, 22, 30 ; 20; Levit. xxiii. 11, 17). To the chambers x.xix. 5, 11, 16, 19, &c. And for all the of the house. The store-chambers attached work of the house. The internal '' work" to ithe temple-building (see eh. :Xiii. 4, 5). of cleansing and keeping in proper order the The tithes of our sround. As with the law apparatus of worship is prob11bly intended, of first-fruits, so with that of tithes (which not external ropnirs. wns morr burthensome), there had grown up  112 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [CH. X. 1-30