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Nehemiah 10:34

in Nehemiah 10

We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And we cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn upon the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is written in the law;

KJV

And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:

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This verse in Nehemiah 10

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Cast the lots - for the wood-offering - There does not appear to have been any wood-offering under the law. It was the business of the Nethinim to procure this; and hence they were called hewers of wood and drawers of water to the congregation.

This site's exposition

cast lots among the priests

The fourth ordinance casts lots "among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood". Clarke notes that the law of Moses names no wood offering and that the temple servants had supplied the wood. The lots spread a duty the old order had assigned to the lowest hands.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

When Israel was first brought into covenant with God it was done by sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood, Exod. xxiv. But here it was done by the more natural and common way of sealing and subscribing the written articles of the covenant, which bound them to no more than was already their duty.
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

2, 11, 12 (this was given to the priests, Num. xviii. 15, 16 ), also the first-fruits of their dough ( Num. xv. 21 ), concerning which there is a particular order given in the prophecy concerning the second temple, Ezek. xliv.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

we cast the lots . . . for the wood offering--The carrying of the wood had formerly been the work of the Nethinims. But few of them having returned, the duty was assigned as stated in the text.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

A minute and particular enumeration of the first-fruits was made, that all might be made fully aware of their obligations, and that none might excuse themselves on pretext of ignorance from withholding taxes which the poverty of many, and the irreligion of others, had made them exceedingly prone to evade.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

No special provision was made by the Law, by David, or by Solomon, for the supply of wood necessary to keep fire ever burning upon the altar. Nehemiah established a system by which the duty of supplying the wood was laid as a burden in turn on the various clans or families, which were regarded as constituting the nation. The lot was used to determine the order in which the several families should perform the duty. A special day (the 14th of the fifth month, according to Josephus) was appointed for the bringing in of the supply; and this day was after a time regarded as a high festival, and called “the feast of the wood-offering.”

The words behind it

24 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְהַגּוֹרָל֨וֹתand the lots

    vehagoralotH1486 →

  • הִפַּ֜לְנוּwe have cast

    hipalnuH5307 →435 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • קֻרְבַּ֣ן[the] offering of

    kurbanH7133 →

  • הָעֵצִ֗יםthe wood<s>

    haetzimH6086 →328 times

  • הַכֹּהֲנִ֣יםthe priests

    hakohanimH3548 →750 times

  • הַלְוִיִּם֮the Levites

    halviyimH3881 →291 times

  • וְהָעָם֒and the people

    vehaamH5971 →1873 times

  • לְ֠הָבִיאto bring [it]

    lehavi'H935 →2568 times

  • לְבֵ֨יתto [the] house of

    leveitH1004 →2046 times

  • אֱלֹהֵ֧ינוּGod our

    ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times

  • לְבֵית־to [the] house of

    leveit-H1004 →2046 times

  • אֲבֹתֵ֛ינוּancestors our

    ʾavoteinuH1 →1212 times

  • לְעִתִּ֥יםto times

    leitimH6256 →296 times

  • מְזֻמָּנִ֖יםappointed

    mezumanimH2163 →

  • שָׁנָ֣הa year

    shanahH8141 →877 times

  • בְשָׁנָ֑הin a year

    veshanahH8141 →877 times

  • לְבַעֵ֗רto burn [it]

    levaerH1197 →

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • מִזְבַּח֙[the] altar

    mizbachH4196 →

  • יְהוָ֣הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּGod our

    ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times

  • כַּכָּת֖וּבaccording to <the> [what] is written

    kakatuvH3789 →224 times

  • בַּתּוֹרָֽה׃in the law

    batorahH8451 →219 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Nehemiah 13:31I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.6 worksNehemiah 11:1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.4 worksIsaiah 40:16Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.3 worksLeviticus 6:12–13The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.3 works1 Chronicles 25:8–9They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.2 works1 Chronicles 24:7The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,2 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 18:18Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.2 worksHebrews 10:3–7Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,2 worksJoshua 9:27On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.2 works1 Chronicles 24:5Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Nehemiah 13:31

    I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.

    it leads to

    • Nehemiah 13:14

      Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.

    • Nehemiah 13:22

      Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according…

    • Psalms 106:4

      Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,

    • Psalms 26:8–9

      O LORD, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides.

  • Through

    Isaiah 40:16

    Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.

    it leads to

    • Micah 6:6–7

      With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

    • Psalms 40:6

      Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.

    • Psalms 50:9–12

      I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens,

  • Through

    1 Chronicles 24:7

    The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

    it leads to

    • Ezra 2:36

      The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;

Where this verse is studied

About Nehemiah

Nehemiah Views the Ruins of Jerusalem's Walls, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Nehemiah Views the Ruins of Jerusalem's Walls, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Nehemiah: the study guide →Read Nehemiah 10 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Nehemiah 10 →