Nehemiah 13:10

I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah addresses the post-exilic community in Jerusalem, reporting his discovery during a period of renewed temple worship and civic reform.

The words — The Hebrew מְנָי֥וֹת (menayot) denotes the allotted portions or shares, while וַ/יִּבְרְח֧וּ (va/yiv'rechu) literally means "and they fled," describing the Levites and singers abandoning their duties.

The thread — The text states that withheld portions caused temple workers to abandon their posts, which aligns with the covenant warnings in Malachi 3:8 regarding neglected tithes and offerings, while Numbers 35:2 outlines separate provisions for Levitical land.

Why it lands — The passage demands immediate restoration of the support system for temple workers, showing that neglecting their portions directly causes the collapse of worship and service.

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

וָאֵ֣דְעָ֔הva./'E.de.'A/hand/ I perceived/ !כִּֽי־ki-that מְנָי֥וֹתme.na.Yot[the] portions of הַלְוִיִּ֖םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levites לֹ֣אlo'not נִתָּ֑נָהni.Ta.nahit had been given וַיִּבְרְח֧וּva/i.yiv.re.Chuand/ they had fled אִישׁ־'ish-each one לְשָׂדֵ֛הוּle./sa.De./huto/ own field/ his הַלְוִיִּ֥םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levites וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖יםve./ha/m.sho.re.Rimand/ the/ singers עֹשֵׂ֥י'o.Sei[who] did הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ha./me.la.Khah<of> the/ work

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Nehemiah 10:37 Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. A tenth of our produce belongs to the Levites, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.
Numbers 35:2 “Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.
Deuteronomy 12:19 and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
Nehemiah 12:28 The singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,
Nehemiah 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.
Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’
1 Timothy 5:17 Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.