Nehemiah 10-Support God’s Work

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1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,

These are the names of those that signed this promise with God.

2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,

4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.

9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;

10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.

14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,

15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,

18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,

19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,

24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes;

The people all made a solemn promise to serve and obey God.

30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:

They swore to stop the intermarriages.

31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

Those non-Jews that the Assyrians had settled in the land were bringing things into the city to sell on the Sabbath, which was against the Law of God. Not buying from them, giving the land rest every seventh year, and forgiving all debts every seventh year were all major parts of the Mosaic Law.

32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;

They agreed upon a tax (offering really) above what the king charged, this one to support the Temple. It wasn’t exactly a tax because it was voluntary.

33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

Many people do not realize that churches have expenses just like families. They think that all preachers are rich and out to “fleece the flock,” an idea TV ministers have reinforced.

The truth is that most ministers have to have a second job or an alternate form of income (retirement, disability, wife’s salary) in order to just survive, and that is usually at a near or below poverty level.

Churches have mortgages, utilities, insurance, and other bills that have to be paid. This is why God instituted the tithe; to keep the church’s doors open for us to go worship.


(I am the daughter of a minister and from a long line of ministers on my mother’s side. My own father worked full time [and often more] as an electrical lineman in order to not only support our family, but the church as well. My Assistant Pastor Husband also works full time outside the church [receiving no pay from the church itself], and the ministers I knew growing up included painters, construction workers, bus drivers, steel-mill workers, tax preparers, prison guards, and many other middle class jobs. None of them got rich off their work in the church. Most were the biggest contributors to their churches to keep the doors open.)

34 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:

They parceled out the different needs of the Temple; a wise way to handle these expenses.

35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord:

Another command of Moses.

Our tithe is supposed to be the first check we write each month, not the last.

36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

The firstborn cattle were sacrificed. The firstborn sons were redeemed with an offering of five silver coins.

37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

The Mosaic Law forbid Levites from owning property, so they had nothing to live on but the tithes. It is right for the ministry to be supported by those they serve.

38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.

“Tithe” means tenth. The Levites serving in the outlying towns were to live off of 90% of the tithes given them and to bring the other 10% to the Temple for its support. So, 1% of the people’s actual income went to the Temple, though they gave 10%. The rest supported the local ministry.

39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Tithes were paid on everything that came into your house, whether from the gardens, fields, barns, or your stall in the market place (money). This practice of taking the tenth to the Temple insured that those who ministered in the Temple could eat and that the Temple and those who worked there had all they needed to fulfill God’s commands, to devote themselves to meeting the spiritual needs of the nation.