of the Levites, the chief fathers were recorded in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, and the priests, until the reign of Darius the Persian.
A list of names closes this section of Nehemiah: Levites and priests registered as heads of families across the days of four high priests. Why does Scripture keep such a list of names, and why does it run on past Nehemiah's own day?
The four names are not random. Read them with the family line given a few verses earlier, and they mark generations descending from Jeshua, the high priest at the head of the line.
Comparing this with verses 10, 11, we find that this goes five generations down from Jeshua; that is, the names above are the high-priestly line of descent to the fifth generation from Jeshua.
The verse says these men were "recorded," and the next verse names the book that held the record. One writer traces how far it reached, and why the paragraph sits here.
In its proper place the Levites follow. First they come in a general way, down to the days of the latest high priest named (verse 22). Verse 23 records them "in the book of the chronicles" until the days of the high priest before him, Jonathan or Johanan. Then in verses 24, 25, we have the specific services, first of the chief Levites, next of door-keepers keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates. This was in the days of Joiakim, Jeshua's son, and in the days of Nehemiah and of Ezra. This gives the connection, if not the reason, for putting the paragraph here.
The last name in the list reaches past Nehemiah's own lifetime, which is why writers treat this sentence as an addition made after the book's main account was finished.
Jaddua is the last priest named in the Old Testament. He carried out his duties under the reign of Darius the Persian (336–330 B.C.). If we go by history, he was still high priest when Alexander the Great invaded Palestine. This happens often in the historical and prophetic books: this passage, inspired like all the rest, was added later to the book of Nehemiah, to complete the information the sacred writer gives.
Another writer notes how the Jewish people came to date their history, and tells what happened when Jaddua met Alexander.
From now on in the history of the Jewish people, time was no longer measured by the reigns of kings, but by the successions of the high priests. Jaddua is without question the same man mentioned by Josephus, the Jewish historian. In his high-priestly robes he met Alexander the Great as he besieged Jerusalem, and was the means of saving Jerusalem... Jaddua was not in office until a long time after the death of Nehemiah. So the name Jaddua must have been added later, with the sanction of the Spirit of God, to preserve his line of descent.
Commentators differ on which Persian king is meant. Rossier dates him to the 330s B.C. A Bible dictionary names an earlier king:
DARIUS THE PERSIAN. Darius Ochus (Nothus) of the historians, B.C. 424–405. Only mentioned in Neh. 12:22.
A register of family heads looks like dry bookkeeping. One writer reads it as evidence of what God values, and of how He handles the failures of the very men He names.
It seems as if God had a special delight in those who served His house in this time of sorrow. In such a day, devotion to the interests of His people took more faith and more spiritual energy. He has had these names recorded — recorded, no doubt, mainly for Israel, yet holding lessons for us whose lot falls in similar times. True, there was failure, very sad failure, with some named here. God is never indifferent to the failure of His people. Yet in His sight they were robed with the beauty which He in His own grace had put upon them. In preserving their names, He would remember nothing but the fact of their service among His people in this sorrowful time when they were brought so low.
One writer draws the lesson out for anyone serving in a small place.
It is good to serve the Lord in the position He assigns each, and for the purpose of showing His glory; and it is full of cheer to know that He remembers each, and would have all of us forget not even the least one who serves Him.
- Recorded — the verse lists Levites and priests as heads of families under four high priests, five generations down from Jeshua.
- Reaching — the book of the chronicles went only as far as Johanan. The names here run on to Jaddua, the last high priest the Old Testament names.
- Ratified — Jaddua served long after Nehemiah died. So writers hold that a later hand added this sentence, with the sanction of the Spirit of God, to keep his line on record. They differ over which Darius is meant.
- Remembered — God took special delight in those who served His house in a day of sorrow, when such service cost more faith. He has had their names recorded.
- Robed — some of these men failed sadly. God still chose to remember only their service, seeing them clothed in the beauty His grace had put on them. He would have us forget not even the least one who serves Him.
The children of Levi, the chief fathers, were recorded in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
The chapter's long list of priests and Levites pauses here to point at an official register. The sons of Levi were entered in "the Book of the Chronicles," and that record stopped at Johanan. Two questions follow. What was this book, and why does Scripture keep such lists at all?
The verse sets a limit. Jeshua stands at the head of this priestly line. One commentator counts the generations and marks where the written record stopped. (Older translations read "the chief of the fathers" where the ESV has "their heads of fathers' houses.")
Verse 22 records that the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were listed as chief of the fathers, and the priests too, down to the reign of Darius the Persian. Compare this with verses 10 and 11, and we find that it goes five generations down from Jeshua. In other words, these names are the high-priestly line of descent to the fifth generation from Jeshua. Verse 23 says that the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers' houses, were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib — that is, only as far as the great-grandson of Jeshua.
The list can look like an interruption. One writer follows the order of the paragraph and finds the thread that ties it to the verses after it.
The Levites come next, in their proper place. At first they are listed in a general way, down to the days of the last high priest named in verse 22. Verse 23 records them "in the book of the chronicles" until the days of the high priest before him, Jonathan or Johanan. Then in verses 24 and 25 we have the specific services: first of the chief Levites, and next of the gatekeepers who kept watch at the storehouses of the gates, in the days of Joiakim, Jeshua's son, and in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra. This shows the connection, if not the reason, for putting the paragraph here.
These names did more than fill a family tree. They became the nation's calendar. One of them joined the list after Nehemiah's lifetime.
This is the important register of the high priests, the descendants of Jeshua, or Joshua. From this point on, the Jewish people no longer dated their history by the reigns of kings, but by the succession of the high priests… Jaddua did not hold office until a long time after Nehemiah died, so his name must have been added later, with the sanction of the Spirit of God, so that his descent might be preserved.
The register marks work, not status. One commentator asks what God valued in these men.
In the early part of this chapter (verses 1-26) the Lord singles out by name those who took a direct part in the service of the house of God. In a day of weakness it was no small thing in God's sight to keep the service of the house going, and, while His people were in sorrow, to lead the praise and thanksgiving to Himself.
Failure touched some of the men on this list. The register keeps their names and leaves the failure out.
There was failure, very sad failure, with some named here. God is never unaware of the failure of His people. Yet in His eyes they were clothed with the beauty that He in His own grace had put on them. In keeping their names, He would remember nothing but the fact of their service among His people in this sorrowful time of their low condition.
A city register is one thing. The same names standing in God's word are another. One writer links these names in Scripture to a day still coming.
There is little to comment on here except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants… He has been a dwelling place for His own in all generations. But more than that, He honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, and He will glorify their persons in the great day that is coming quickly.
- Recorded — the reach. The register carried the sons of Levi only as far as Johanan, the great-grandson of Jeshua. The names beside it run five generations down the priestly line.
- Recorded — the reason. The paragraph ties the Levites of the first return to the men serving in Nehemiah's and Ezra's day. Then it names their duties.
- Recorded — the calendar. The people came to date their history by the succession of high priests. Jaddua's name came in after Nehemiah died, so that his descent would be kept.
- Recorded — the service. What God marks is not rank but the upkeep of His house and the leading of praise at a low point in His people's history.
- Recorded — the reward. The failures of some are left unwritten, and the names God keeps in His word now He will honour in the day that is coming.