Nehemiah 10 5

Nehemiah 10:5 kjv

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:5 nkjv

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:5 niv

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:5 esv

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:5 nlt

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10 verses

Nehemiah 10 5 Meaning

Nehemiah 10:5 is a list of seven men's names: Attai, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, and Nebai. These individuals are presented as part of a comprehensive roster of the "chiefs of the people" who sealed a solemn covenant. This covenant, formalized in response to the reading of the Law and a communal confession of sins, marked a renewed commitment by the returned exiles in Jerusalem to walk in God's Law, refrain from intermarriage with foreign peoples, keep the Sabbath, and support the temple. The inclusion of these names signifies their personal agreement and public declaration of faithfulness, representing the collective resolve of the community.

Nehemiah 10 5 Context

Nehemiah chapter 10 records the official sealing of the covenant following the great assembly in Jerusalem. After hearing the Law read by Ezra in chapter 8 and engaging in a national confession of sins and worship in chapter 9, the community, comprising priests, Levites, and various heads of the people, formalizes their commitment to Yahweh. This covenant was a public and binding agreement to uphold God's commandments, especially concerning separation from foreign influences, observance of the Sabbath and festivals, and the support of the temple and its services. Verse 5 lists seven men from "the chiefs of the people" (lay leaders), indicating the broad participation beyond just the religious hierarchy. Historically, this occurred during the post-exilic period, around 444 BC, as the Judeans were striving to reestablish their identity as God's chosen people in the Persian province of Judah, contending with both internal failings and external pressures that threatened their faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant. The act of publicly listing names underscored personal responsibility and corporate solidarity in their pledge to walk in God's Law.

Nehemiah 10 5 Word analysis

• Attai (עַתָּי - `Attay):
  • Meaning: "opportune," "timely," or "my times."
  • Significance: While the specific meaning of this individual's name isn't elaborated in context, its inclusion emphasizes the individual participation of diverse members of the community.
• Hodiah (הוֹדִיָּה - Hodiyāh):
  • Meaning: "praise ye the Lord" or "majesty of Yah."
  • Significance: This name reflects themes of worship and divine honor, aligning with the spiritual renewal of the covenant, which stemmed from a profound appreciation of God's steadfast love and past actions (Neh 9).
• Hashum (חָשֻׁם - Ḥashûm):
  • Meaning: "hushed," "silent," or "fat" (indicating abundance).
  • Significance: It often refers to a prominent family (Ezra 2:19; Neh 7:22). His presence underscores the representation of influential family lines and their commitment to the covenant, potentially signifying communal blessing and rest under God's favor.
• Bezai (בֵּיצַי - Beṭzay):
  • Meaning: Possibly "eggs" (a tribal name, or derived from a root suggesting "shining").
  • Significance: Like Hashum, Bezai likely represents another returned family or clan head (Ezra 2:17; Neh 7:23). Their formal endorsement lent significant weight to the covenant's binding nature on future generations within their family lines.
• Hariph (חָרִיף - Ḥarı̂ph):
  • Meaning: "sharp," "biting," "cutting" (possibly indicating sharpness of intellect or courage).
  • Significance: Another head of a family (Ezra 2:18; Neh 7:24), his presence contributes to the breadth of participation from established groups in Judah.
• Anathoth (עֲנָתוֹת - ʿAnāthôth):
  • Meaning: "answers (to prayer)" or "afflicted ones." This is notably a place name (a city of Benjamin), meaning this person either came from Anathoth or bore its name as a family designation.
  • Significance: Jeremiah the prophet was from Anathoth. This individual’s presence may symbolize the covenant commitment of those associated with particular geographical regions or ancestral priestly families (if referring to the city Anathoth from which many priests returned). The name's meaning "answers to prayer" might metaphorically reflect God's answer to their longing for a renewed relationship.
• Nebai (נֵיבַי - Nēbay):
  • Meaning: "my sprouts" or "my prophets."
  • Significance: This name is unique to this specific list in the biblical text. Its meaning could metaphorically speak to new growth or fresh spiritual beginnings after the desolation of exile, aligning with the covenant's intention to re-establish faithful generations.

Words-group analysis:

• "Attai, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai":
  • Significance: This direct listing of individual names (without familial designations in this particular verse, although many represent family heads mentioned elsewhere in Ezra/Nehemiah) underscores the deeply personal and public nature of the covenant. Each name represents an individual or a familial branch that publicly endorsed and became accountable for the agreement. This meticulous record keeping serves as both a historical witness and a theological affirmation that God records the names of those who commit themselves to Him. It establishes individual and corporate responsibility before God and the community for adhering to the stipulations of the renewed Law. This group's listing emphasizes that commitment to God's law requires concrete, individual pledge and not merely passive assent.

Nehemiah 10 5 Bonus section

• Personal and Corporate Identity: The detailed lists of names throughout Ezra and Nehemiah are not just historical records but theological statements about the reconstitution of Israel's identity after the Babylonian exile. The individuals sealing the covenant represented a conscious return to a covenant relationship with God as His chosen people, distinct from surrounding nations.
• Witness and Accountability: The public naming of those who signed created a permanent witness. In ancient Near Eastern legal contexts, lists of witnesses or parties to an agreement lent authority and enforced accountability. This covenant, written and signed, acted as a divine and human witness to their renewed resolve.
• From Abstract to Concrete: While Nehemiah 8-9 deals with spiritual conviction and communal repentance, Nehemiah 10 translates those powerful experiences into concrete, actionable steps. The act of sealing, beginning with leadership and extending to the entire community (Neh 10:28-29), demonstrates that genuine spiritual renewal always culminates in practical, visible obedience to God's will.
• Continuity and Discontinuity: The sealing of the covenant reaffirmed the ancient Mosaic Law, ensuring continuity with Israel's past covenant relationship. However, it also marked a significant point of discontinuity with past failures, emphasizing separation from ungodly practices and renewed focus on God's commands as the basis for national existence in a post-exilic world.

Nehemiah 10 5 Commentary

Nehemiah 10:5 is part of a comprehensive register of individuals who formally affixed their signatures or marks to a binding covenant. Far from a mere genealogical footnote, this verse highlights the deeply personal nature of corporate worship and commitment to God's Law. Following a powerful reading of the Law (Neh 8) and a profound confession of national sin (Neh 9), the people demonstrated their repentance and renewed allegiance through concrete action: publicly pledging to walk in God's statutes, reject foreign idolatry, keep the Sabbath holy, and financially support the temple. The specific names listed, though not accompanied by detailed biographies here, represent the heads or prominent members of families and groups among the returned exiles. Their signatures ensured accountability not only for themselves but also for those they represented, establishing a foundation for community identity rooted in obedience to God. This act served as a strong polemic against the pervasive syncretism and religious laxity of the time, emphasizing purity and singular devotion to Yahweh as a distinctive marker of God's people.