“The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.”
Nehemiah 11:22-23
Last time we saw how the rest of the folk settled on their ancestral land, with Ziha and Gishpa in charge of the Temple Servants on the hill of Ophel, grateful for His generous hand and that He is at work doing a new thing. Today we see the chief officer of the Levites, his descendants, and the temple musicians’ portion.
Chief officer is the word paqid which means “governor, lieutenant, leader, deputy, commissioner.” It’s from paqad – to attend to, visit (with friendly or hostile intent), muster, appoint, indeed concerned, call to account, bring punishment, commit, deprive, entrust, examine, lack, longed, looked, numbered, put under, sought, summoned, surely take care, take notice, bestow, call to reckon.
Whew, that’s a mouthful of synonyms. And the variety speaks to all the roles someone in charge must fill. To both call to account and be concerned for those under leadership is vital. One without the other isn’t love, let alone leadership. To entrust, seek, summon, and take care are necessary before any of us have the relational currency needed to examine, take notice, or call to reckon others.
And this chief officer’s name itself is interesting: Uzzi, which means “forceful.” It’s from azaz – to be strong, become fixed, brazen, show bold, mighty, prevail, strengthen, harden, impudent. Again, several of these seem to have more positive connotations: strengthen, show bold, and prevail all speak to the above leadership synonym muster. We often need to summon courage to lead, say hard things, or allow God to strengthen us and simply do it scared.
Of course, when such skills turn negative, “brazen, become fixed, to harden, and impudent” could result. Unfortunately, pride is everyone’s daily death, the stakes are simply higher when given people for whom we will stand before God and give an account. I’m thinking anyone who finds that sweet spot of boldness with humility will not find it without lots of trial and error with a gracious God.
We have seen the next four names recently enough that we will move forward to Asaph. If you remember, Asaph means “gatherer” and his descendants were musicians (shir: to sing, a singing man or woman).
There’s something about music that can soften this whole conversation, huh? The way a melody, particularly one lifting high the Most High, can transcend differences and remind us of the point.
And these musicians were responsible for the service of the house of God. Responsible for is neged, meaning “in front of, in sight of, aloof, away, directly, opposite, resist, risk, sight, straight ahead, suitable.” It comes from nagad – to be conspicuous, answer, tell, confess, declare, disclose, fully report, give evidence, make known, messenger, stand boldly out opposite, manifest, to announce by word of mouth to one present, expose, predict, explain, expound, profess.
Well, we’re back to bold, aren’t we? The service referred to is melekah: our word for work meaning “business, cattle, labor, project.” The nitty gritty. So in the sight of others, conspicuously, the nitty gritty work of Temple was to be done. Things like sacrificing animals, lighting incense, cleaning up blood, baking bread.
What kind of nitty gritty is the Church to be directly responsible for in the sight of others in our day? Things like directly telling the glorious Good News, loving our enemies in a way opposite the world’s, fully making known the Living Word, and leaving the 99 to go after the one.
As the priesthood of believers, we are all messengers purposed to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. To fully report all of God’s statutes and allow our lives to give evidence that His ways are the only way to enjoy green pastures and quiet waters. And to expose evil, in whatever form it takes, in our own lives and in systems, standing boldly opposed to injustice.
So these musicians, knee deep in the nitty gritty of God’s House, were to be given a sure portion, a daily quota, as commanded by the king. It seems that most commentators believe this is referring to the king of Persia, Artaxerxes:
“It seems that Artaxerxes had gone beyond the exemption of Ezra 7:24, and given them a daily allowance, which it was the business of Uzzi to see to.” (Source)
The word for command here is mitzvah – prescribed terms. It comes from tsavah – conditions, law, ordinance, precept, lay charge upon. These prescribed terms hovered over (al) the singers, ensuring their portion (amanah – faith, support, something fixed, a covenant, sure portion, agreement, firm regulation; feminine of ‘amen [verily, truly, “amen, so be it.”])
And when? A quota day by day. Quota here is dabar – speech, word, account, act, advice, affair, because of, book, business.
I have to wonder how these worship leaders felt about a charge hovering over them for a daily quota from a secular king. Do you think they were grateful? It seems they would be, particularly if it indeed referred to some sort of financial stipend.
And what do we make of their portion being a feminine form of the word amen? It makes me think of azaz again, that forceful, possibly hardened, energy, somehow humbled and – while no less firm, fixed, or sure – given with a support.
It seems as though such a daily quota would be easy to receive. Either way, Uzzi’s job was to oversee it and the musicians were to praise Yahweh.
Amen. So be it.