Nehemiah 12:30 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. The priests and the Levites purified themselves - This consisted in washings, abstinence from wine, and other matters, which, on all other occasions, were lawful. And as to the purifying of the gates and the walls, nothing was requisite but to remove all filth from the former, and all rubbish that might have been laid against the latter.