Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Nehemiah 13:5

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Nehemiah’s later reforms (13:4-31)

After serving twelve years as governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to Persia for a period (see 5:14; 13:6). During his absence the religion of the Jews deteriorated, while the Jews’ old enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah, gained some influence in Jerusalem. The high priest Eliashib was especially blameworthy in this. He allowed a member of the high priestly family to marry the daughter of Sanballat (see v. 28), and gave permission to Tobiah to live in one of the temple rooms. This was directly against the law that Nehemiah tried to uphold, for Tobiah was an Ammonite (see 4:3; 13:1). On his return Nehemiah quickly corrected the disorders (4-9).
Nehemiah discovered also that the people had broken an important covenant promise made at the time of the dedication of the city wall. They had not paid tithes, with the result that the Levites had to leave the service of the temple and work for their living in the fields (10-14; cf. 10:35-39).
People were also working and trading on the Sabbath, thereby breaking another of the covenant promises (15-18; cf. 10:31). Nehemiah quickly put an end to this. By closing the city gates on the Sabbath, he prevented people from bringing their goods into the city to sell. He also stopped them from selling outside the gate or waiting there in preparation for selling as soon as the Sabbath was past (19-22).

In Ezra’s day the people had taken an oath to put away their foreign wives, and in fact had done so (Ezra 10:19,Ezra 10:44). Now the practice was widespread again, and threatened to corrupt Israel’s religion. With characteristic fearlessness, Nehemiah soon corrected the situation (23-29). There is no doubt that he, more than anyone else, helped the people of his day establish their way of life on a proper religious basis according to the law of God (30-31).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

TOBIAH, THE AMMONITE ENEMY, THROWN
OUT OF THE TEMPLE CHAMBERS

“Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied with Tobiah, had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they had laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests. But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king, and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal-offerings and the frankincense.”

We find it hard to understand the claims of some that they do not know whether or not Eliashib was high priest, or whether or not Nehemiah returned as governor. Eliashib is listed as a high-priest in Nehemiah 12:10; and, besides that, only the High Priest had sufficient authority to have done for Tobiah what was done here. And, as for Nehemiah, of course, he returned as governor; how else could he have “commanded” as stated in Nehemiah 13:9? The High Priest would not have obeyed him or permitted the disruption of that fancy nest he had made for Tobiah in the temple chambers, unless Nehemiah, indeed, was governor, backed up by the full authority of the king of Persia.

There is much diversity of scholarly opinion on how long Nehemiah had been gone from Jerusalem prior to his return to find wholesale rebellion against God’s laws. Keil believed that, “Nehemiah’s absence must have lasted longer than a year, because so many illegal acts by the people could not have occurred in so short a time.”C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, Nehemiah, p. 288. Nevertheless, “Nehemiah probably went to the court in Babylon in 433 B.C., and returned to Jerusalem in 432 B.C.”F. C. Cook, Barnes’ Commentary Series, Nehemiah, p. 483. Regarding such a sudden and complete apostasy by Israel, the scholars may scream, “Incredible,”Arthur S. Peake’s Commentary, p. 334. as did Oesterley; but a careful reading of this chapter supports the reality of it. If Nehemiah left early in 433 B.C. and returned in late 432 B.C., he might have been gone as long as eighteen months or a little longer. “Artaxerxes died in 423 B.C.”;Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 445. and the very longest that Nehemiah could have been absent was about eight or nine years. Israel did not need years to rebel against God; for they, in their hearts, were in a continual state of rebellion from the times of Hosea and afterward. It is this writer’s opinion that Nehemiah was not halfway on his way back to Babylon, when Elisashib and his evil followers were dismantling all of the reforms Nehemiah had made.

“It is possible that Malachi was prophesying during this period,”Ibid. and from him, we understand that the whole priesthood of Israel was wicked (Malachi 2:2).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The offerings of the priests - i e “the portion of the offerings assigned for their sustenance to the priests.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 13

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of all the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but they hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude ( Nehemiah 13:1-3 ).

So they're discovering things all the time in the law of God. As they're reading the law of God, they're discovering things and then they're seeking to inaugurate them. And so reading again, they came across the passage that a Moabite or an Ammonite were not to come into the house of God forever because of the treatment that they gave to the children of Israel when they were coming from Egypt into the Promised Land. They would not allow them to pass through their land. They would not help them with food. King Balak hired Balaam to come and curse them and all. And so God said, "Don't let them in the house of the Lord throughout all their generations."

So they separated all the mixed multitude out of them.

Before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah ( Nehemiah 13:4 ):

Now Tobiah was this rat who gave Nehemiah so much trouble when he was trying to rebuild the wall, but here the priest was a friend of his.

And so he had prepared for him a great chamber ( Nehemiah 13:5 ),

In the temple a place where they used to keep the meal offerings or all of the wheat for the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, and the new wine and the oil. One of the storage rooms the high priest gave to this guy Tobiah and put his furniture in there. Let it become his living quarters. And here was this guy that gave such a hard time to Nehemiah in the building of the walls and so forth. Now this priest, because he's his friend, patronizing him and all, gives him a place to live in the temple. And so we read that,

But in all of this time I was not at Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 13:6 ):

When these things were happening. For he had returned back to Persia and he didn't know that the priest had given this place to Tobiah there in the temple. And so he said, "This time I wasn't in Jerusalem."

for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came unto the king, and after certain days I obtained leave of the king ( Nehemiah 13:6 ):

So after twelve years in Jerusalem rebuilding the walls, setting things up, governing, Nehemiah returned back to Persia. Came back to the king and no doubt gave him reports and all. And after a period of time, and we don't know how much time, the king of Persia allowed Nehemiah to come back to Jerusalem. And when he got back to Jerusalem, what does he find? But this rat Tobiah that had done so much to hinder the work of God, here he's got sumptuous quarters right in the temple of God. The priest has given him these quarters. They took out the area where they stored the corn and so forth and they said, "Here, you move right in, you know, Brother Rat."

And so I came to Jerusalem, and when I found out the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: therefore I tossed all of his furniture out and Tobiah out of the chamber. And I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and brought again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense ( Nehemiah 13:7-9 ).

So man, he's coming back and he's cleaning house. He finds Tobiah's set up house, his furniture and all, and man, he just tossed him out with his goods. Put him out.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field ( Nehemiah 13:10 ).

So remember just a little while back, everybody had read the law and they said, "Oh, we're going to serve God. We're going to write the covenant. We're going to sign. We're going to tithe, you know. We're going to support the temple. We'll give the shekel and so forth, their part of the shekel annually. We're going to do these things. God, we're going to keep Your law. God, we're going to keep Your Sabbaths and all." Didn't take them long to fall away from that commitment.

Isn't it interesting how quickly we can turn away from the vows that we have made to God? How easily we can break vows? Now the vows are really made in sincerity. Oh, how many vows I have broken! Growing up as a child, wanting to be better, wanting to be good, wanting to do the right thing. "Oh God, I'm going to pray everyday this week. Oh God, I'm going to live for You this week. Oh God, I'm just going to serve You." And then it doesn't come. It doesn't happen. And the following Sunday night I feel so guilty I'd have to get saved again. And then I'd say, "Oh God, this week is going to be different. Lord, I'm going to really serve You this week." And I would mean it. I was sincere.

As Jesus said to Peter, "The spirit indeed is willing" ( Matthew 26:41 ). And that was so true. My spirit was willing. I loved the Lord. I wanted to serve the Lord. But my flesh was weak. The will to do was with me, but how to perform I could not find. I desired to serve God and with my heart I did serve the Lord. But with my mind, when my flesh, I just couldn't bring it in. The flesh was weak. But yet in my heart, in my mind, I loved God and I wanted to serve God. And I made so many promises. And I was just like the children of Israel. Making the promises. And, "Lord, we're going to do it. We're going to sign. Here we are."

And I even signed covenants. Every summer camp we had covenant signing up there. I'm going to live a victorious life for Jesus Christ all year long. I'll never drink. I'll never smoke. I'll never go to the devil's places, the whole thing. And standing around the campfire, tears flowing down my face. "God, this year I'm going to serve You." The will was there. The desire was there. The problem came in the performance. How to perform. How to do. Oh how I thank God for the day in which I discovered the grace of God. And that the blessings of God upon my life were not predicated upon my faithfulness to my promises or vows. But the blessings of God upon my life were bestowed because He is a God of grace, full of mercy.

And I began to experience then the work of God in my life, His grace, His mercy. Don't make promises anymore. I found out making promises to God really wasn't to trust in His grace, but it was to trust in my flesh. I always thought I could do better. And every vow that I made was expressing to God some confidence in my flesh. "Lord, I'm going to do this for You." And I meant it. But my flesh is weak. I know that in me, that is in my flesh, there doesn't dwell a single good thing.

So I do not challenge the sincerity of these people when they signed this covenant. "God, we're going to serve You and all." But Nehemiah the leader goes and soon the people are back to their old tricks. They are not paying, and thus, the Levites had to all go back out into their fields. They all had to go back and get their jobs again. They had to go to work. And thus, the temple worship was forsaken.

So Nehemiah said,

I contended with the rulers, and I said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all of Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. And I made treasurers over the treasuries ( Nehemiah 13:11-13 ),

He names those that he made as treasurers.

Remember me, O my God concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading their wine presses on the sabbath day, and they were bringing in the sheaves, and they were loading down their donkeys; and also their wine, and their grapes, and their figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold these victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of goods, and they sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 13:14-16 ).

Now they had said earlier, "Lord, we're not going to buy on the Sabbath and all. We're going to keep Your Sabbath." Here they violated that.

So I contended with the nobles of Judah, and I said unto them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers do likewise, and God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet they bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that they should allow no burdens to be brought in on the sabbath day ( Nehemiah 13:17-19 ).

So Nehemiah, to correct this violation of the Sabbath, ordered in the evening before the Sabbath began, close and lock the gates. And don't unlock them until the Sabbath is over. Stop the trafficking on the Sabbath day.

Now it is interesting that the Jews actually start closing down on Friday afternoon about two o'clock for the Sabbath, just as Nehemiah established. Before it gets dark, they start taking off now for their Sabbath. About two o'clock in the afternoon they close their shops and also that everything is over. By the time the sun goes down, the family is all gathered in the home and the mother offers her little prayer. She lights the Sabbath candle and they begin then their Sabbath worship. Also there are some areas of Jerusalem where they're seeking to enforce the Sabbath and they don't want any cars driven through their area on the Sabbath day. And so they put barricades up in front of some of the streets. So that there are some streets in Jerusalem where you can't even drive a car on the Sabbath day.

And then there are boys who have their piles of stones. And if you decide that you're going to drive a car there anyhow, you'll find your car stoned on the Sabbath day. Now that's a violation of the Sabbath day to bear a burden, hurl a stone, but they feel righteous in doing it, and they actually stone the cars that would drive through their neighborhoods on the Sabbath day.

Now Nehemiah was forcing the Sabbath. He said, "Close the gates! In the evening before it gets dark go ahead and lock the gates and don't open them up until the Sabbath is over."

So some of the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares were lodged outside of Jerusalem [for a couple of weeks] once and then twice. So I testified against them, and I said unto them, Why are you lodging about the wall? if you do this again, I'm going to lay hands on you. From that time forth they did not come anymore on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy ( Nehemiah 13:20-22 ).

Lord, remember my good deeds.

In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives from Ashdod, and Ammon, and Moab: and the children spoke half the speech of Ashdod, and they could not speak the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and I smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons, or for yourselves ( Nehemiah 13:23-25 ).

So Nehemiah's really straightening things out. Pulling out their hair, cursing them and, of course, going back they entered into a curse. "We're not going to do this." And they said, "Let us be cursed if we do this thing." And they made their vows and said let us be cursed if we violate this, back a couple of chapters. And now they have violated, so he curses them. Because they said let us be cursed if we do it. So he went ahead and cursed them and plucked off their hair and smote them. He's tough. He said,

Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin ( Nehemiah 13:26 ).

So one of the greatest problems is outlandish women. And even a guy as wise as Solomon and loved as Solomon was, outlandish women were his downfall. You know, there is something here. Solomon had quite a bit to say about it in the book of Proverbs concerning that woman who flatters with her lips, winks with her eyes. Says, "Come, my husband is on a journey. My bed is all perfumed." He said, "Don't go into her house for it is the gate of hell." Many strong men are destroyed. Solomon was speaking perhaps out of personal experience. As wise as he was, as blessed of God as he was, yet outlandish women. His downfall was women, actually. And it was a curse and it was his downfall. It caused his downfall.

So Nehemiah is reminding them. "Look, you guys, you can't handle. A guy as wise as Solomon was destroyed by outlandish women and you're going to be destroyed, too."

Shall we then hearken unto you and do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat ( Nehemiah 13:27-28 ):

Now Sanballat was the other guy. Tobiah was one, Sanballat was the other that gave Nehemiah a bad time.

therefore I chased him out of there. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus I cleansed them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; and for the wood offering, and for the times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good ( Nehemiah 13:28-31 ).

So the story of Nehemiah; very remarkable person, very honorable person. I like him. I like his spirit. I like his spunk. I like his dedication to God, his commitment. It would be fun meeting him. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

D. The Reforms Instituted by Nehemiah ch. 13

To understand when the events described in this chapter took place, it is necessary to read Nehemiah 13:1-7, not just Nehemiah 13:1. Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes in 432 B.C. (Nehemiah 13:6). It was customary in the ancient Near East for kings to require their servants to return to them periodically to reaffirm their allegiance. "Some time" later Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 13:6). The text does not say how much later this was. The prophet Malachi reproved the Jews in Judah for the same sins Nehemiah described in this chapter, and conservative scholars usually date his prophecies about 432-431 B.C. Therefore Nehemiah may very well have returned to Jerusalem about 431 B.C. Undoubtedly he would have wished to return as soon as possible.

Each of the following reforms dealt with a violation of the covenant these people had made with God (cf. Nehemiah 10:29-32).

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. The expulsion of Tobiah 13:4-9

Eliashib was the high priest (Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah 3:20; Nehemiah 13:28). He was evidently a close relative of Tobiah, the Jewish Ammonite leader who had opposed Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild the walls (Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 6:1; Nehemiah 6:17-18). Probably Eliashib cleaned out one of the temple storerooms and converted it into an apartment for Tobiah because he was an influential relative (Nehemiah 13:7). Nehemiah was very angry when he returned to Jerusalem and discovered this enemy of the faithful remnant living in the temple, so he threw him out.

"With this incident Nehemiah set the example of his new approach to an unnecessarily close relationship with foreigners. The purity of religion had to be maintained at any cost. This was absolutely necessary if the small community, beset as it was with all the temptations of paganism, was to be prevented from reverting to a compromise with the neighboring nations and bringing their ancestral religion into danger." [Note: Ibid., p. 261.]

Nehemiah could legitimately call Artaxerxes the king of Babylon in 431 B.C. Artaxerxes was, of course, a Persian king, not one of the kings of the Babylonian Empire. However, in 431 B.C., Persia ruled Babylon.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And he had prepared for him a great chamber,.... In the temple, by throwing together several chambers, as Piscator observes:

where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and to the singers, and the porters, and the offerings of the priests; see Nehemiah 10:37.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;   2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.   3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.   4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:   5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.   6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:   7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.   8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.   9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

      It was the honour of Israel, and the greatest preservation of their holiness, that they were a peculiar people, and were so to keep themselves, and not to mingle with the nations, nor suffer any of them to incorporate with them. Now here we have,

      I. The law to this purport, which happened to be read on that day, in the audience of the people (Nehemiah 13:1; Nehemiah 13:1), on the day of the dedication of the wall, as it should seem, for with their prayers and praises they joined the reading of the word; and though it was long after that the other grievances, here mentioned, were redressed by Nehemiah's power, yet this of the mixed multitude might be redressed then by the people's own act, for so it seems to be, Nehemiah 13:3; Nehemiah 13:3. Or, perhaps, it was on the anniversary commemoration of that day, some years after, and therefore said to be on that day. They found a law, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not be naturalized, should not settle among them, nor unite with them, Nehemiah 13:1; Nehemiah 13:1. The reason given is because they had been injurious and ill-natured to the Israel of God (Nehemiah 13:2; Nehemiah 13:2), had not shown them common civility, but sought their ruin, though they not only did them no harm, but were expressly forbidden to do them any. This law we have, with this reason, Deuteronomy 23:3-5.

      II. The people's ready compliance with this law, Nehemiah 13:3; Nehemiah 13:3. See the benefit of the public reading of the word of God; when it is duly attended to it discovers to us sin and duty, good and evil, and shows us wherein we have erred. Then we profit by the discovery when by it we are wrought upon to separate ourselves from all that evil to which we had addicted ourselves. They separated from Israel all the mixed multitude, which had of old been a snare to them, for the mixed multitude fell a lusting,Numbers 11:4. These inmates they expelled, as usurpers and dangerous.

      III. The particular case of Tobiah, who was an Ammonite, and to whom, it is likely, the historian had an eye in the recital of the law (Nehemiah 13:1; Nehemiah 13:1), and the reason of it, Nehemiah 13:2; Nehemiah 13:2. For he had the same enmity to Israel that his ancestors had, the spirit of an Ammonite, witness his indignation at Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:10) and the opposition he had given to his undertakings, Nehemiah 4:7; Nehemiah 4:8. Observe,

      1. How basely Eliashib the chief priest took this Tobiah in to be a lodger even in the courts of the temple. (1.) He was allied to Tobiah (Nehemiah 13:4; Nehemiah 13:4), by marriage first and then by friendship. His grandson had married Sanballat's daughter, Nehemiah 13:28; Nehemiah 13:28. Probably some other of his family had married Tobiah's, and (would you think it?) the high priest thought the alliance an honour to his family, and was very proud of it, though really it was his greatest disgrace, and what he had reason to be ashamed of. It was expressly provided by the law that the high priest should marry one of his own people, else he profanes his seed among his people,Leviticus 21:14; Leviticus 21:15. And for Eliashib to contract an alliance with an Ammonite, a servant (for so he is called) and to value himself upon it, probably because he has a wit and a beau, and cried up for a fine gentleman (Nehemiah 6:19; Nehemiah 6:19), was such a contempt of the crown of his consecration as one would not wish should be told in Gath or published in the streets of Ashkelon. (2.) Being allied to him, he must be acquainted with him. Tobiah, being a man of business, has often occasion to be at Jerusalem, I doubt upon no good design. Eliashib is fond of his new kinsman, pleased with his company, and must have him as near him as he can. He has not a room for him stately enough in his own apartment, in the courts of the temple; therefore, out of several little chambers which had been used for store-chambers, by taking down the partitions, he contrived to make one great chamber, a state-room for Tobiah, Nehemiah 13:5; Nehemiah 13:5. A wretched thing it was, [1.] That Tobiah the Ammonite should be entertained with respect in Israel, and have a magnificent reception. [2.] That the high priest, who should have taught the people the law and set them a good example, should, contrary to the law, give him entertainment, and make use of the power he had, as overseer of the chambers of the temple, for that purpose. [3.] That he should lodge him in the courts of God's house, as if to confront God himself; this was next to setting up an idol there, as the wicked kings of old had done. An Ammonite must not come into the congregation; and shall one of the worst and vilest of the Ammonites be courted into the temple itself, and caressed there? [4.] That he should throw out the stores of the temple, to make room for him, and so expose them to be lost, wasted, and embezzled, though they were the portions of the priests, merely to gratify Tobiah. Thus did he corrupt the covenant of Levi, as Malachi complained at this time, Nehemiah 2:8; Nehemiah 2:8. Well might Nehemiah add (Nehemiah 13:6; Nehemiah 13:6), But all this time was not I at Jerusalem. If he had been there, the high priest durst not have done such a thing. The envious one, who sows tares in God's field, knows how to take an opportunity to do it when the servants sleep or are absent, Matthew 13:25. The golden calf was made when Moses was in the mount.

      2. How bravely Nehemiah, the chief governor, threw him out, and all that belonged to him, and restored the chambers to their proper use. When he came to Jerusalem, and was informed by the good people who were troubled at it what an intimacy had grown between their chief priest and their chief enemy, it grieve him sorely (Nehemiah 13:7; Nehemiah 13:8) that God's house should be so profaned, his enemies so caressed and trusted, and his cause betrayed by him that should have been its protector and patron. Nothing grieves a good man, a good magistrate, more than to see the ministers of God's house do any wicked thing. Nehemiah has power and he will use it for God. (1.) Tobiah shall be expelled. He fears not disobliging him, fears not his resentments, or Eliashib's, nor excuses himself from interposing in an affair that lay within the jurisdiction of the high priest; but, like one zealously affected in a good thing, he expels the intruder, by casting forth all his household stuff. He did not seize it for his own use, but cast it out, that Tobiah, who it is probable was now absent, when he came again, might have no conveniences for his reception there. Our Saviour thus cleansed the temple, that the house of prayer might not be a den of thieves. And thus those that would expel sin out of their hearts, those living temples, must throw out its household stuff and all the provision made for it, strip it, starve it, and take away all those things that are the food and fuel of lust; this is, in effect, to mortify it. (2.) The temple stores shall be brought in again, and the vessels of the house of God put in their places; but the chambers must first be sprinkled with the water of purification, and so cleansed, because they had been profaned. Thus, when sin is cast out of the heart by repentance, let the blood of Christ be applied to it by faith, and then let it be furnished with the graces of God's Spirit for every good work.