Ezra 8:33

Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) Meremoth the son of Uriah . . .—These names of priests and Levites, who had officially received the treasures, occur again in Nehemiah.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:31-36 Enemies laid wait for the Jews, but God protected them. Even the common perils of journeys, call us to go out with prayer, and to return with praise and thanksgiving. But what shall we render when the Lord has led us safely through the pilgrimage of life, through the gloomy vale of death, out of the reach of all our enemies, into everlasting happiness! Among their sacrifices they had a sin-offering. The atonement sweetens and secures every mercy to us, which will not be truly comfortable, unless sin be taken away, and our peace made with God. Then had the church rest. The expressions here used, direct us to the deliverance of sinners from spiritual bondage, and their pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem, under the care and protection of their God and Saviour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Jews with Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month Ezra 7:9. They reached Ahava in nine days, and, having remained there three Ezra 8:15, quitted it, and resumed their journey on the twelfth. They reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month Ezra 7:9, four months after the departure from Babylon.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

33-36. Now on the fourth day was the silver … weighed in the house of our God—The first three days after their arrival in Jerusalem were undoubtedly given to repose; on the next, the treasures were weighed and handed over to the custody of the officiating priests of the temple. The returned exiles offered burnt offerings, and Ezra delivered the royal commission to the satraps and inferior magistrates; while the Levitical portion of them lent all the assistance they could in performing the additional work which the arrival of so many new worshippers occasioned.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now on the fourth day,.... After their arrival at Jerusalem:

was the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, weighed in the house of our God; the temple, that it might be seen and known that the exact weight which had been deposited with them was now faithfully delivered:

this was done by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; these were priests:

and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites; two priests and two Levites; for since there were of both that were charged with the above things, it was proper there should be some of both, when weighed, that they might be witnesses of their fidelity.

Geneva Study Bible

Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, {l} Levites;

(l) This was a token of a good conscience and of his integrity that he would have witnesses of his fidelity.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33, 34. The Presentation of the Gifts and Offerings

33. weighed … by the hand of] R.V. weighed … into the hand of. Marg. by. The expression “into the hand” has occurred in Ezra 8:26, and is probably right both here and in chap. Ezra 1:8. Meremoth and his three companions were probably deputed by ‘the chiefs of the people’ to receive the treasure, upon its being weighed and found to tally with the ‘invoice’, and to convey it to the sacred treasury. These official receivers, consisting of two priests and two Levites, corresponded with the priestly and Levitical commissioners appointed by Ezra for the transport.

The rendering “by the hand of” supposes that the act of weighing was performed by a special body of four men, two priests and two Levites, appointed by the people.

But the other rendering is more suitable. The names not of those who weighed the treasure, but of those who were deemed worthy to be entrusted with its charge were most likely to be preserved.

Meremoth the son of Uriah] is mentioned also in Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:21; Nehemiah 12:3.

Eleazar, &c.] See Nehemiah 12:42.

Jozabad] Perhaps mentioned in Ezra 10:23; Nehemiah 8:7. ‘The son of Jeshua’, see on Ezra 2:40.

Noadiah the son of Binnui] The name of Binnui occurs in Nehemiah 10:10; Nehemiah 12:8. The first two names are those of priests; the latter two those of Levites.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - Meremoth the son of Uriah, or Urijah, was one of the heads of the priestly order, both under Ezra and under Nehemiah. He is mentioned as repairing two pieces of the wall of Jerusalem when Nehemiah was governor (Nehemiah 3:4, 21), and also as one of those who set their seal to the covenant with God which the whole people entered into, under Ezra's and Nehemiah's guidance, shortly after the completion of the wall, in B.C. 444. Eleazar the son of Phinehas is perhaps the Eleazar mentioned as taking part in the dedication of the wall (Nehemiah 12:42). Like Meremoth, he was a priest. Jozabad and Noadiah, chief Levites, occur again in ch. 10:23, and Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 10:9; and Nehemiah 12:3. Ezra 8:33

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

They arrived at Jerusalem, as stated Ezra 7:9, on the first day of the fifth month, the journey consequently occupying three months and a half. The particulars of the journey are not communicated; and as we do not even know the locality of the place of meeting at the river Ahava, the length of road to be traversed cannot be determined. After their arrival at Jerusalem, they abode, i.e., remained, as Nehemiah subsequently did, quiet and inactive three days, to recover from the fatigues and hardships of the journey, Nehemiah 2:11, before they undertook the arrangement of their affairs. On the fourth day, the gifts they had brought with them were delivered in the house of God (נשׁקל, like אשׁקלה, Ezra 8:16) into the hand of Meremoth and Eleazar the priests, and Jozabad and Noadiah, two Levites, who took charge of them, the chiefs of the priests and Levites being, according to Ezra 8:29, also present. Meremoth Ben Uriah reappears in Nehemiah 3:4, Nehemiah 3:21, and is also intended Nehemiah 12:3. Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and the Levite Noadiah, are not again met with. Jozabad, of the sons of Jeshua (Ezra 2:40), may be the Levite Jozabad mentioned Nehemiah 10:23. Binnui is named among the Levites, Nehemiah 10:10 and Nehemiah 12:8.