Bible Strands
Nehemiah 10:8
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nehemiah 10:8 is situated within a formal covenant renewal list where community leaders record their commitments to the Law. The verse identifies three specific men as priests within this broader group of signatories.
The words — The text lists מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה (maʿăz-yāh, Maaziah), בִלְגַּ֖י (bil-gāy, Bilgai), and שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה (šə-maʿ-yāh, Shemaiah), then states אֵ֖לֶּה (ʾē-lēh, these) are הַ/כֹּהֲנִֽים (ha-kō-hă-nîm, the priests).
The thread — These names appear in parallel postexilic records, including Ezra 10:21, Nehemiah 3:29, and Nehemiah 12:5.
Why it lands — The verse functions as an administrative identifier, distinguishing the priestly signatories from the Levites and other officials in the covenant document. It requires the reader to recognize the structured recording of religious office during the restoration period.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Cross-references
- Ezra 10:21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
- Nehemiah 3:29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East Gate, made repairs.
- Nehemiah 12:5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
- Nehemiah 12:18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jonathan;
- Nehemiah 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the choirs sang out under the direction of Jezrahiah.