“Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the storehouses. I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues.
Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.”
Nehemiah 13:12-13
Last time we saw Nehemiah rebuke the officials for not giving the workers their allotment, and round up the Levites and musicians to leave the fields and, once again, fulfill their calling in Temple. Today we see the people follow suit.
“And all Judah brought (Kol Yehudah bo) the tithe (masser) of the grain and the new wine and the oil (dagan and tirosh and yitshar) to the storehouses (otsar – a treasury, storehouse, cellar)…”
And what was the result of kicking out Tobiah and his things, along with purifying the temple storerooms? All of Judah bringing the tithe of their produce to the treasury. Obedience can inspire obedience.
“And I appointed treasurers over the storehouse…”
Appointed is atsar – to lay up, store up, appointed, hoard, make treasurer. And over the storehouse is al – hover over.
And I appointed people whose job was to hover over the treasury.
Sounds like a smart move after such misuse. Let’s hear who he appointed.
“the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites…”
Shelemiah means “friend of Yah” or “thank offering of Yah”; from Yah and shelem – a sacrifice for alliance or friendship, peace offering, properly, requital, a voluntary sacrifice in thanks. Zadok is Tsadoq, from tsedeq – rightness, righteousness. Scribe is saphar – to count, recount, relate; teacher of the law, assigned, declare, measure, number, proclaim, relate, taken account. And Pediah means “Yah has ransomed.”
Friend of Yah, Righteousness the Scribe, and Yah has Ransomed were appointed treasurers.
“And next to them, was Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful…”
Here next to them is yad – hand; right-hand man. Hanan means “gracious/favor,” and Zaccur means mindful, from zakar – to remember. And Mattaniah means “gift of Yah.” Considered is chashab – to think, account, calculate, consider, devise, esteem, purposed, reckoned, skillful workman, think, value, make account of, conceive, consider, count, cunning man, work, workman, devise, to weave or to fabricate; to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); find out, forecast, imagine, regard. And faithful is aman – to confirm, support, believe, enduring, established, faithful, firm, guardians, lasting, put your trust, reliable, trustworthy, assurance, steadfast; to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain.
And their right hand man was Hanan (gracious), the son of Zaccur (mindful) the grandson of Mattaniah (gift of Yah). These men were esteemed and regarded as firm, enduring, trustworthy guardians.
To be considered firm, enduring, and trustworthy. Such a reputation can only come from faithfulness over time.
“And their task was to distribute to their brothers…”
Their task is al – what hovered over them; distribute is chalaq – to deal, divide, share, distribute, flatter, give, have, take away a portion; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate, separate self. And brothers is ach.
And what hovered over them was to share, give away, to their brothers.
The people obeyed and brought in their tithes and offerings. These appointed treasurers, then, were to distribute them to all the workers who’d recently returned from the fields.
Don’t you like that very practical picture of making sure obedience continues? That Temple is never left destitute again?
It’s our calling, too, friends. What hovers over us is to give away the love, forgiveness, and acceptance we’ve been given.
Finally we have almost an aside from Nehemiah. A glimpse into his prayer to Yahweh:
“Remember me, my God, concerning this…”
Remember – zakar – remember, bring to mind
My God (Elohim) concerning (al)
Bring to mind, Creator God, what hovers over me about this…
“And do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its services.”
Wipe out is machah – abolish, wipe, wipe out, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, utterly, wipe away, to erase; to smooth (as if with oil). Good deeds is checed – favor, goodness, kindness, good deed, kindly, loving-kindness, merciful kindness, mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing; from chacad: kindness, by implication (towards God) piety: Beauty. And for (the house of God/bayith Elohim) and its services is mishmar – a place of confinement, jail, prison, division, diligence, keeping watch…sentry, the post; Preservation.
Do not wipe away the good deeds of piety and beauty I’ve done for the house of God, its post in Jerusalem, and its preservation.
This one is interesting to me. I don’t think Nehemiah is actually concerned a perfect God has a bad memory. Nor do I think a man who intimately understood the temple sacrificial system thought his work as governor is what put him right before a holy God. So what do we think he means by this prayer? And why do you think it was recorded for us to see thousands of years later?
Personally, I think it’s there because obedience can be hard.
God, don’t forget what I’ve done despite opposition. Remember how I’ve been zealous for Your glory. Keep in mind how hard it’s been.
It sounds like intimacy to me.
The good news is, God blesses our obedience. Maybe not always in tangible ways, but often in a sweet experience of His presence. His kindness evident, a lightness of heart, a sense of Him saying, Well done.
Nehemiah gives us permission to pray the same thing.
Don’t forget, don’t wipe it away, let me sense Your delight in my work.
To look up and say, “This is hard. Are you pleased?” and let Him answer our weary hearts.
He doesn’t forget, friends. May we not grow weary in doing good. We will reap a harvest at the right time.