Nehemiah 13:9

Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah narrates his actions as governor in Jerusalem immediately after expelling Tobiah’s goods from a temple room, before addressing the departure of the Levites and singers.

The words — `וַֽיְטַהֲרוּ` (va/y.ta.ha.Ru) = and/ they purified, and `כְּלֵי בֵית אֱלֹהִים` (ke.Lei beit ha.'E.lo.Him) = utensils of the house of God.

The thread — The restoration of sacred vessels and purification of temple spaces echoes the temple cleansing reforms in 2 Chronicles 29:5, 29:15 and the reestablishment of Levitical service in Nehemiah 12:45.

Why it lands — The text requires the physical removal of unauthorized occupants from worship areas and the immediate reinstatement of ordained provisions for temple 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

וָאֹ֣מְרָ֔הva./'O.me.Ra/hand/ I said/ !וַֽיְטַהֲר֖וּva/y.ta.ha.Ruand/ people purified הַלְּשָׁכ֑וֹתha./le.sha.Khotthe/ store-rooms וָאָשִׁ֣יבָהva./'a.Shi.va/hand/ I brought back/ !שָּׁ֗םShamthere כְּלֵי֙ke.Lei[the] utensils of בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house of הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַמִּנְחָ֖הha./min.Chahthe/ grain offering וְהַלְּבוֹנָֽה׃ פve./ha./le.vo.Nahand/ the/ frankincense

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 29:5 “Listen to me, O Levites,” he said. “Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove from the Holy Place every impurity.
2 Chronicles 29:15 When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the command of the king by the words of the LORD.
Nehemiah 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.