Nehemiah 13:10-11
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Nehemiah saw not just a lack of provision, but a tangible consequence: the very workers of God's house had left. Their absence from their sacred duties, forced by financial neglect, meant the temple's vital functions had ground to a halt, highlighting how essential proper stewardship is to worship itself.
I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah has just returned from Persia to find that the reforms he established have unraveled, particularly concerning the proper use of the temple and the care of its ministers. He discovers that the appointed high priest, Eliashib, had defiled the temple by giving storage rooms to a foreign enemy and that the people had stopped bringing their tithes. This verse reveals the direct consequence: the Levites and singers, who were responsible for worship, were not receiving their rightful provisions and had been forced to abandon their sacred duties to work their own fields for survival.
Imagine showing up for work only to find your paycheck isn't coming. This is exactly what happened to the Levites, the dedicated servants of God's temple.
The Levites' Sacred Duty
The Levites, along with the singers, were a vital part of worship in the Old Testament. Their job wasn't just to show up; it was to actively conduct the services and maintain the holiness of God's house. This work was their calling and their livelihood, supported by the tithes and offerings the people brought to the temple.
The Breakdown of Support
When Nehemiah returned, he discovered a shocking neglect: "the portions of the Levites had not been given them." This meant the people, or perhaps corrupt leaders, had failed to provide the promised support. The consequence was immediate and devastating: the Levites and singers, the very people tasked with leading worship, had to abandon their posts and seek sustenance elsewhere, toiling in their fields.
When leaders fail to uphold God's standards, it doesn't just affect them—it erodes the faith of everyone involved. Nehemiah found a faith community in disarray.
Corrupt Leadership and Misused Resources
Commentaries point to a breakdown in leadership, particularly the high priest Eliashib, as a major cause for the Levites' plight. Resources meant for God's service were likely diverted for personal gain or to entertain foreign allies, like Tobiah the Ammonite. This wasn't just a minor oversight; it was a severe abuse of sacred trust.
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The People's Response to Corruption
This corruption led to public disillusionment. The people may have withheld their tithes not out of stinginess, but out of a sense of disgust. They saw their offerings being perverted and likely felt it was pointless to contribute if the money wouldn't be used for its intended purpose. This neglect then led to a wider abandonment of God's house and service, creating a cycle of spiritual decay.
Understand the original words
mânâh · Hebrew Noun
The tithes and offerings designated by the Law of Moses to support those set apart for priestly and temple ministry.
lêvîy · Hebrew Noun
Members of the tribe of Levi set apart by God for the service of the Tabernacle and later the Temple, assisting the priests in religious functions.
bayith elohiym · Hebrew Noun
The physical place where God dwells among His people, often used to refer to the Temple in Jerusalem. It symbolizes God’s presence, the site of worship, and the focal point of the covenant community.
This verse highlights a breakdown in the faithful support of God's ministers, a direct consequence of spiritual apathy and corrupt leadership that emerged after Nehemiah's initial reforms and his temporary absence.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Commission and Return
Ezra the scribe leads a large group of Jews returning from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem, bringing with him reforms and a renewed focus on the Law. This sets the stage for spiritual renewal.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah Appointed Governor
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, is granted permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls, facing significant opposition from surrounding peoples.
c. 444-443 BC
Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem
Nehemiah oversees the rapid reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls despite intense hostility and sabotage attempts from groups like Sanballat and Tobiah.
c. 443 BC
Covenant Renewal
Following the wall's completion, the people, led by Nehemiah and Ezra, renew their covenant with God, pledging to uphold the Law and support the temple service, including tithing.
c. 432 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Second Governorship Begins
After a period back in Persia, Nehemiah returns to Judah and discovers significant spiritual and social decay, including corrupt practices within the temple and neglect of the Levites' support.
c. 432 BC
Abuses in the Temple
High Priest Eliashib has allied with Tobiah, an Ammonite enemy, and has even allowed him a chamber within the temple courts, further contributing to the neglect of sacred duties and the people's offerings.
This passage speaks directly to the sin of withholding tithes, which is the root cause of the Levites' suffering in Nehemiah. It highlights the consequence of robbing God through neglect of His provision for worship.
1 Samuel 2:17This verse shows a similar spiritual decay where the sons of Eli dishonored God and the people grew to despise the offerings. It parallels the corruption and neglect of God's house seen in Nehemiah's time.
Numbers 35:2-5This passage establishes the principle that Levites were given cities and surrounding fields for their sustenance. Nehemiah finds them returning to these fields because their appointed portions from the tithes were not provided.
Nehemiah 10:37This verse records the very covenant that the people and Levites made to bring tithes and offerings to the house of God. Nehemiah's discovery highlights their failure to uphold this solemn vow.
Hebrews 7:1-4This New Testament passage uses Abraham giving tithes to Melchizedek as an example of the importance of tithing. It underscores the ancient and foundational nature of supporting those who serve God.
clarkeNehemiah 13:10: "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."
The portions of the Levites had not been given - Hence we find they were obliged to abandon the sacred service, and betake themselves to cultivate the land for their support. This was the fault of the rulers, who permitted all these abuses.
barnesNehemiah 13:10: "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."
etc. During Nehemiah's absence there had been a general falling away, and there was danger of a complete national apostasy.
Nehemiah saw not just a lack of provision, but a tangible consequence: the very workers of God's house had left. Their absence from their sacred duties, forced by financial neglect, meant the temple's vital functions had ground to a halt, highlighting how essential proper stewardship is to worship itself.
Nehemiah has just returned from Persia to find that the reforms he established have unraveled, particularly concerning the proper use of the temple and the care of its ministers. He discovers that the appointed high priest, Eliashib, had defiled the temple by giving storage rooms to a foreign enemy and that the people had stopped bringing their tithes. This verse reveals the direct consequence: the Levites and singers, who were responsible for worship, were not receiving their rightful provisions and had been forced to abandon their sacred duties to work their own fields for survival.
Nehemiah has just returned from Persia to find that the reforms he established have unraveled, particularly concerning the proper use of the temple and the care of its ministers. He discovers that the appointed high priest, Eliashib, had defiled the temple by giving storage rooms to a foreign enemy and that the people had stopped bringing their tithes. This verse reveals the direct consequence: the Levites and singers, who were responsible for worship, were not receiving their rightful provisions and had been forced to abandon their sacred duties to work their own fields for survival.
"I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” An…" — Nehemiah saw not just a lack of provision, but a tangible consequence: the very workers of God's house had left. Their absence from their sacred duties, forced by financial neglect, meant the templ…
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Last reviewed October 2026
