The Enrolling Of The Nethinim (Nehemiah 7:46-56).
The Nethinim (given ones) probably had their initial origin in the Gibeonites who were forced to become ‘hewers of wood and drawers of water' for the Tabernacle (Joshua 9:27). Whoever they were they were seen as ‘given to God'. (Compare the same description of the Levites in Numbers 8:16 where the word is ‘nethunim'). They would later be supplemented by prisoners of war and other slaves, as Ezra 8:29 makes clear when it speaks of them as ‘those whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites'. Others were no doubt ‘given' later by various kings. The Nethinim are distinguished in the list from ‘Solomon's servants' (Nehemiah 7:57), but included with these in the final total of two (Nehemiah 7:60), they thus clearly had similar functions. Nevertheless their status was such that they were exempt from taxes (Ezra 7:24), had their own quarters in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 3:31), and took the oath connected with the sure covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:28-31).
With regard to the Gibeonites, many of them had probably merged into Israel and would no doubt for this purpose at some stage have become of those who were circumcised. They might well therefore have been relieved from the most onerous duties, being replaced by prisoners of war and slaves. But there were certainly others who retained their identity as Gibeonites, and they clearly had an element of freedom (2 Samuel 21:2-9). And this at the time when David introduced the prisoners of war and slaves into the Temple. No doubt the slaves and prisoners of war, being required to work in the Temple, were also circumcised, and that not all of them saw their position as humiliating and undesirable comes out in the fact that so many of them chose to return from Exile as compared with the generality of Levites (Nehemiah 7:43), although we do not know how far they were free to choose. Further Nethinim would return with Ezra (Ezra 8:29). The Nethinim had their quarters in Ophel (‘eminence'), a district in Jerusalem near the Temple and near the old Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 11:21). The only mention of them outside Ezra/Nehemiah is in 1 Chronicles 9:2.
‘The Nethinim:'
The families of the Nethinim are now listed. There are thirty two of them (in Ezra 2 thirty five), and therefore, in view of the small total number (Nehemiah 7:58), there were a limited number in each family. This ties in with them as not having a long ancestry. The number of non-Israelite names is very illuminating. As both lists, Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7, give the same number for ‘the Nethinim and the servants of Solomon' it would appear that the three families which dropped out (Akkub, Hagab, and Asnah) were either accidentally omitted, or were counted as part of three of the other families. (Note how Hagab closely relates to Hagaba).
As has been stated, whilst having a lowly place among the Temple personnel, these, along with the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, were exempted from taxes (Ezra 7:24), had their own quarters in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 3:31), and took the oath connected with the sure covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:28-31). Slight differences of the names in the Ezra 2 list are noted in brackets.
‘The sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,' 7:47 ‘The sons of Keros, the sons of Sia (Siaha), the sons of Padon,' 7:48 ‘The sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Salmai (Shamlai),' 7:49 ‘The sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,' 7:50 ‘The sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,' 7:51 ‘The sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah.' 7:52 ‘The sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim (Nephisim),' 7:53 ‘The sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,' 7:54 ‘The sons of Bazlith (Bazluth), the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,' 7:55 ‘The sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,' 7:56 ‘The sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.'
Tabbaoth, possibly the people of Tabbath (Judges 7:22). Meunim (compare 2 Chronicles 26:7) and Nephisim (compare 1 Chronicles 5:19) may well be the names of enemy tribes (note the plural ending) from which these were captured. The sons of Akkub, Hagab and Asnah are omitted here, possibly because they were seen as sub-families. For Salmai Ezra 2 has Shamlai (such deliberate transpositions were common with names). For Nephusheism Ezra 2 has Nephisim, a related alternative name. The other variations relate only to differences of form.