MPV Commentary

Upon the Reading of the Law Separation Is Made from the Mixed Multitude.

On that day, the people were reminded of their obligations to God through a public reading of the law. This occasion was likely one of the regular times when the community gathered to hear the Scriptures read and applied to their lives. The reading of the law served as a means of instruction, promoting reverence for the sacred text and correcting errors that had crept in over time.

The people were reminded that the Ammonite and Moabite should not be part of God's congregation forever, meaning they should not be incorporated into Israel or married to its people (Deuteronomy 23:3-4). This appeal to the law led to a separation from all heathen alliances (Nehemiah 9:2; Ezra 10:3).

The practice of intermarriage with these nations had become so common that even the high priest's household was affected. Eliashib, the high priest, was allied with Tobiah, an enemy of Israel (Nehemiah 13:28). This relationship was not only a personal failing but also reflected in his actions as high priest. To accommodate Tobiah during his visits to Jerusalem, Eliashib had provided him with a luxurious apartment within the temple.

The introduction of such impropriety can be explained by the fact that, in the absence of the priests and the cessation of services, the temple was seen as a common public building rather than a sacred space. This view allowed for the misuse of its facilities.

However, when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem after his extended absence, he found that Eliashib had taken advantage of his departure to engage in unbecoming behavior. The high priest's actions were unworthy of his office and would not have been tolerated during Nehemiah's tenure as governor. It is likely that a significant amount of time had passed since Nehemiah's initial departure, given the extent of the corruption and disorder he found.

Nehemiah was particularly disturbed by Eliashib's permission to use the best apartments in the temple for Tobiah, an idolatrous Ammonite. This outrage was a clear indication of Eliashib's compromised character as high priest. The first reform Nehemiah implemented upon his return was to stop this profanation and restore the chamber to its proper use – a storehouse for sacred vessels – after it had undergone ritual purification (Numbers 15:9).