Nehemiah 13:5
prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just about a room being cleared out; it highlights a shocking desecration. Eliashib, the high priest, not only removed sacred temple provisions like grain offerings and frankincense, but he made this space specifically for Tobiah, an outsider who was hostile to God's people. This wasn't just a housing switch; it was an active displacement of God's designated supplies for His ministers to make way for an enemy within the very courts of the Temple.
Nehemiah has just returned to Jerusalem and discovered some disturbing things, including the high priest Eliashib wrongly giving Tobiah, a foreigner and an enemy of God's people, his own large chamber within the Temple courts. This chamber had previously been used to store essential provisions and tithes for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests who served in the Temple.
Imagine your most sacred place being used for something completely out of bounds. That's exactly what happened in the Temple, and this verse shows a disturbing example.
In Nehemiah's time, the Temple was the heart of Israel's worship and community. Specific chambers within its complex were designated for holy purposes: storing grain offerings, frankincense, sacred vessels, and the tithes meant for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests. These were not just storerooms; they were spaces sanctified by their purpose, directly linked to worship and the sustenance of God's servants.
But here, Eliashib the high priest, showing a shocking disregard for these sacred provisions, 'prepared for Tobiah a great chamber.' This wasn't an empty room; it was a space already holding the vital offerings and tithes. Eliashib literally cleared out the holy supplies to make way for Tobiah, an Ammonite official who was an enemy of God's people. This act was a profound violation, not just of Temple protocol, but of the covenant and the people's trust.
A 'great chamber' made for a friend... sounds innocent, right? But this seemingly small act of hospitality had massive, damaging consequences.
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Eliashib's accommodation of Tobiah is a stark warning about the insidious nature of compromise. Tobiah was an outsider, actively opposed to Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts and, by extension, to God's work among His people. Eliashib, as high priest, held a position of immense spiritual authority and responsibility. Instead of safeguarding the Temple and its sacred duties, he prioritized a relationship with an adversary.
This accommodation wasn't just a breach of protocol; it was a strategic move. Commentaries suggest Eliashib likely combined several smaller chambers to create this large room for Tobiah. This implies a deliberate effort to elevate Tobiah's status and facilitate his access within the Temple complex. The implication is clear: Eliashib was making it easier for an enemy to be inside and potentially influence or undermine the very heart of Israel's spiritual life. This shows how quickly a seemingly minor concession can lead to a major spiritual defilement.
Understand the original words
minchah · Hebrew Noun
A cultic offering of ground grain, usually presented with oil and frankincense, symbolizing the dedication of the people's labor and livelihood to God.
lebonah · Hebrew Noun
An aromatic substance used in incense for the Tabernacle and Temple, representing the sweetness of prayer and the fragrance of acceptable worship before God.
ma'aser · Hebrew Noun
The tenth part of produce or income set apart by divine command to support the service of God, the priests, and the needy, acknowledging God's ownership of all things.
This verse reveals a shocking betrayal of trust where sacred space within the Temple, meant for storing vital offerings, was defiled by the high priest for the convenience of a foreign enemy, highlighting the intense spiritual and political struggles Nehemiah faced.
c. 538 BC
First Return from Exile
Following the decree of Cyrus the Great, the first wave of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, beginning the process of rebuilding the Temple and the city.
c. 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem was dedicated, marking a significant milestone in the restoration of Jewish worship and national identity after the exile.
458 BC
Ezra's Return to Jerusalem
The scribe Ezra led a group of exiles back to Jerusalem, bringing with him laws and a renewed emphasis on religious observance and adherence to the Torah.
c. 445-433 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Governorship and Reforms
Nehemiah served as governor of Judah, leading efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and enacting significant religious and social reforms, often in opposition to local officials and foreign influences.
c. 433 BC
Eliashib's Compromise
During a period when Nehemiah was temporarily away from Jerusalem, the high priest Eliashib made a significant compromise, allowing Tobiah, a prominent Ammonite official hostile to the Jewish restoration, to occupy a chamber within the Temple complex, desecrating its sacred space.
This passage speaks directly to the sin of robbing God through withheld tithes and offerings, mirroring the misuse of sacred storehouses seen in Nehemiah 13:5.
Leviticus 27:30This verse establishes the principle that tithes belong to the Lord, providing the foundational understanding for why the misuse of these provisions in Nehemiah was so egregious.
1 Corinthians 9:13The Apostle Paul references the Old Testament principle that those who serve in the temple should live from the temple, highlighting the rightful use of these tithes and offerings for the Levites and priests.
Nehemiah 10:37-39This passage outlines the very commandment to bring tithes of grain, wine, oil, and livestock, providing the direct scriptural context for what was stored in the chamber that Eliashib desecrated.
Exodus 30:34-36This passage details the sacred use of frankincense in worship, underscoring the profanity of its removal from its designated sacred space for the accommodation of an outsider like Tobiah.
barnesNehemiah 13:5: "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."
The offerings of the priests - i e "the portion of the offerings assigned for their sustenance to the priests."
pooleNehemiah 13:5: "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."
He had prepared for him a great chamber; by removing the things which were in it, and uniting divers small chambers into one, and furnishing it for thee use of Tobiah when he came to Je…
This verse isn't just about a room being cleared out; it highlights a shocking desecration. Eliashib, the high priest, not only removed sacred temple provisions like grain offerings and frankincense, but he made this space specifically for Tobiah, an outsider who was hostile to God's people. This wasn't just a housing switch; it was an active displacement of God's designated supplies for His ministers to make way for an enemy within the very courts of the Temple.
Nehemiah has just returned to Jerusalem and discovered some disturbing things, including the high priest Eliashib wrongly giving Tobiah, a foreigner and an enemy of God's people, his own large chamber within the Temple courts. This chamber had previously been used to store essential provisions and tithes for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests who served in the Temple.
Nehemiah has just returned to Jerusalem and discovered some disturbing things, including the high priest Eliashib wrongly giving Tobiah, a foreigner and an enemy of God's people, his own large chamber within the Temple courts. This chamber had previously been used to store essential provisions and tithes for the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests who served in the Temple.
"prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the…" — This verse isn't just about a room being cleared out; it highlights a shocking desecration. Eliashib, the high priest, not only removed sacred temple provisions like grain offerings and frankincense,…
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