Nehemiah 12:38-43 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Two Companies Meet And Great Sacrifices Are Offered (Nehemiah 12:38-43).

The other procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks' (the singers and musicians) followed by Nehemiah himself, leading the other half of the aristocrats, seven named leading priests and nine named leading Levites, exactly paralleling the first procession. This went northwards from the Valley Gate, following the west wall and then turning along the northern wall, until it reached the Sheep Gate from whence it would proceed to the Temple.

The fact that the company led by Nehemiah is given less prominence tends to confirm that we have here an extract from Nehemiah's own record. Anyone else would surely have given him greater prominence.

Nehemiah 12:38-39

‘And the other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall, and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.'

The second procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks' (the singers and musicians) who were followed by Nehemiah and ‘half the people' (i.e. the aristocrats including priests and Levites - see Nehemiah 12:40-42). These proceeded northward from the Valley Gate, past the Tower of the Furnaces (Ovens), reaching the Broad Wall. Then onwards past the Gate of Ephraim (not mentioned as rebuilt in chapter 3 and possibly therefor a ruin). Reaching the north-west corner they turned eastwards, and passed along the north wall by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Hammeah, until they reached the Sheep Gate (for these compare Nehemiah 3:1-11). They then proceeded to the gate of the guard. This was probably within the city giving entrance to ‘the court of the guard' so well known as the place where Jeremiah was restrained (Jeremiah 38:13; Jeremiah 38:28). It was probably here that they awaited, and met up with, the first procession (they ‘stood still' there), before proceeding to the Temple.

Nehemiah 12:40

‘So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God.'

The two companies were now united together for the purpose of giving thanks in the house of God. This was towards the end of a long day of continual worship. And there, in and around the outer court of the Temple, they worshipped YHWH because of all that He had done for them, and all that they believed that He was going to do for them. It would have been a time of great expectancy. And why should it not have been so? Jerusalem was now purified and defensible. It was ‘the holy city', the city through which YHWH would do great things.

Related Commentaries of Nehemiah 12:38

Nehemiah 12:38-43

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;

39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:

41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.