Nehemiah 11:23
in Nehemiah 11For there was a command from the king concerning the singers, an ordinance regulating their daily activities.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
KJV
For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
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This verse in Nehemiah 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseFor it was the king's commandment concerning them,.... Either of King David as some, see Neh 12:24 or rather of the king of Persia: that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day; he settled a daily salary for them, to be paid out of his treasury; having perhaps a peculiar respect for such sort of men, being a lover of music, by means of which they had a settled habitation in Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
The rest of the Israelites
on Nehemiah 11:20-24
"The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites," kept their inheritance in the villages of Judah. The singers had "an ordinance regulating their daily activities" by "a command from the king," the Persian court supporting Israel's worship. Pethahiah was "the king’s agent in every matter concerning the people."
This site's exposition
a command from the king concerning the singers
Gill records two readings of the king, David or the king of Persia, and prefers the king of Persia. Barnes traces the favor to Ezra 7:24, where Artaxerxes freed the singers and temple servants from tax, and reads this ordinance as a daily allowance. Gill calls it a daily salary.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin. 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The goodwill of Artaxerxes toward the ministers employed in the temple service, had been previously shown by his exempting them from taxation of every kind Ezr 7:24. Now, it would seem, he had gone further and assigned to the singers an allowance from the royal revenue.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
it was the king's commandment--It was the will of the Persian monarch in issuing his edict that the temple service should be revived in all its religious fulness and solemnity. As this special provision for the singers is said to have been by the king's commandment, the order was probably given at the request or suggestion of Ezra or Nehemiah.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
It was the king’s commandment - By the king some understand David, and others Artaxerxes. It is most probable that it was the latter; who wished that a provision should be made for these, a part of whose office was to offer up prayers also, as well as praises. For we know that Darius made an ample provision for the priests, that they might offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven; and pray for the life of the king and of his sons, Ezr 6:10. Some have thought that they had been Jewish singers employed in the service of the Persian king, to whom he had given a salary, and to whom he wished still to continue the same.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִצְוַ֥ת | mitzvat | [the] commandment of | H4687 → | 181 times |
| הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם | ʾaleihem | [was] on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וַאֲמָנָ֥ה | vaamanah | and a firm ordinance | H548 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים | hamshorerim | the singers | H7891 → | 86 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | [the] matter of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| י֥וֹם | yom | a day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃ | beyomo | in day its | H3117 → | 2304 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מִצְוַ֥ת[the] commandment of
mitzvatH4687 →181 times
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם[was] on them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
וַאֲמָנָ֥הand a firm ordinance
vaamanahH548 →
עַל־[was] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖יםthe singers
hamshorerimH7891 →86 times
דְּבַר־[the] matter of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
י֥וֹםa day
yomH3117 →2304 times
בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃in day its
beyomoH3117 →2304 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
1 Chronicles 9:33Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 6:31–33
These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there.
- 1 Chronicles 16:4–6
David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Psalms 134:1–2
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve by night in the house of the LORD!
- 1 Chronicles 25:1–31
Additionally, David and the commanders of the army set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The following is the list…
- Psalms 135:1–3
Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD,
- 1 Chronicles 6:31–33
Through
Nehemiah 12:47So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 13:10–12
I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
- Nehemiah 12:1
Now these are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
- Nehemiah 10:35–39
We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of the LORD year by year.
- Nehemiah 13:10–12
About Nehemiah
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); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.