Commentary - Nehemiah 12:10-11

Bird's-eye view

In these two verses, Nehemiah provides a concise, multi-generational list of the high priests, beginning with Jeshua, who returned with Zerubbabel, and extending down to Jaddua. At first glance, this might seem like little more than a dry list of names, the kind of passage that modern readers are tempted to skim. But we must not do that. The Holy Spirit included this genealogy for a reason, and that reason is bound up with the faithfulness of God. This is not just a list of names; it is a golden chain of God's covenant promise. Each name represents a link, a generation through whom God preserved the priestly line, ensuring that the ministry of sacrifice and intercession would continue, all of it pointing toward the great and final High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The list serves a crucial historical and theological purpose. Historically, it establishes the legitimacy of the priesthood after the exile, demonstrating an unbroken succession from the time of the return. This was vital for the integrity of Temple worship. Theologically, it is a testament to God's long-suffering faithfulness. Despite Israel's sin, which led to the exile, God did not abandon His covenant people or His covenant promises. He brought them back to the land and restored the central institution of their worship, the priesthood. This list is a receipt, a proof of purchase, showing that God keeps His Word across the centuries.

Outline

Context In Nehemiah

This passage sits within a larger section of Nehemiah (chapters 11 and 12) that is concerned with resettling Jerusalem and consecrating the restored community. After the wall is built, the people need to be organized. Lists of residents, priests, and Levites are provided to establish order and to demonstrate that this is a true and proper restoration of Israel's civic and religious life. This particular genealogy of high priests anchors the entire project. The wall is not just a military defense; it is a defense for the worship of the living God. And that worship is impossible without a legitimate priesthood.

This list connects the present work of Nehemiah and Ezra back to the initial return under Zerubbabel and Jeshua. It provides continuity. The God who started the work of restoration is the same God who is seeing it through. This is not a haphazard affair. God is meticulously, generation by generation, rebuilding His people, and the preservation of the high priestly line is central to that task. It is the spiritual backbone of the restored nation.

Key Issues

Beginning: The Importance of Genealogies

Modern Christians often get bogged down in the genealogies of the Old Testament. They seem tedious, full of hard-to-pronounce names, and irrelevant to our lives. But this is a profound mistake. The biblical authors, under the inspiration of the Spirit, placed enormous weight on these lists. Why? Because our faith is a historical faith. It is not a collection of abstract principles or timeless myths. It is rooted in God's real actions with real people in real time.

Genealogies are the skeleton of that history. They demonstrate God's faithfulness over long stretches of time. They trace the line of promise, whether it is the royal line leading to King David and ultimately to Jesus, or, as here, the priestly line leading to the restoration of worship. When the Bible says so-and-so begat so-and-so, it is not just giving us trivia. It is saying, "See? God kept His promise to Abraham. He preserved a people. He maintained the line." Every name is a testimony to the fact that God does not forget. These lists are sermons in shorthand, declaring the long-term, patient, and unstoppable plan of God.

Verse by Verse Commentary

10a. Jeshua became the father of Joiakim,

The list begins with Jeshua, who is a foundational figure in the post-exilic community. He was the high priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2). He was instrumental in rebuilding the altar and restarting the sacrificial system, which was the very heart of Israel's worship. To begin with Jeshua is to begin at the beginning of the restoration. He represents that first generation of faith, the ones who took God at His word and left Babylon to return to a ruined city. He is the headwaters of this stream of priestly succession. And the fact that he had a son, Joiakim, to carry on the line is the first exhibit of God's ongoing faithfulness. The work would not die with the first generation.

10b. and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib,

The chain continues. The baton is passed. Joiakim takes his place and, in turn, fathers Eliashib. We know Eliashib from earlier in Nehemiah's account. He was the high priest during the time of the wall-building (Neh. 3:1). He and his fellow priests consecrated the Sheep Gate, the very gate through which the sacrificial lambs were brought. However, Eliashib was also a compromised figure. He was related to Tobiah the Ammonite, one of Israel's chief enemies, and even gave him a chamber in the temple courts (Neh. 13:4-7). This is a stark reminder that this priestly line, while preserved by God, was still made up of sinful men. Their personal failings did not derail God's ultimate plan, but they do highlight the desperate need for a better, perfect High Priest who would not be compromised by sin.

10c. and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,

The line moves forward again. Despite Eliashib's compromises, God's purpose stands. God ensures that the office continues. Joiada is mentioned later in Nehemiah as having a son who married into the family of Sanballat the Horonite, another of Israel's great antagonists (Neh. 13:28). Nehemiah, in his righteous zeal, chased that son away. This again underscores the constant battle for purity within the restored community and even within the high priestly family itself. God preserves the office, but the men who hold it are constantly being tested, and some fail spectacularly. The glory belongs to God for preserving the line, not to the men themselves.

11a. and Joiada became the father of Jonathan,

Another link is forged. Each "became the father of" is a quiet miracle. It is a testament to God's common grace and His special, covenant-keeping grace. In a world of disease, war, and uncertainty, the continuation of a family line for even one generation is a gift. For God to preserve this specific line, the high priestly line, across multiple generations in a precarious political environment, is a sign of His sovereign control over history. Jonathan takes his place, and the story of redemption inches forward.

11b. and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.

The list in this passage concludes with Jaddua. According to the historian Josephus, Jaddua was the high priest who met with Alexander the Great when he came to conquer Jerusalem. Whether that account is accurate in all its details or not, Jaddua represents the priesthood transitioning into a new era, the Hellenistic period. This list, therefore, carries the people of God from the Persian period right up to the cusp of the Greek period. It shows that God's covenant faithfulness is not limited to one empire or political situation. Persians may come and go, Greeks may rise to power, but the God of Israel preserves His people and the institutions He established for their good, all in preparation for the day when the true High Priest, Jesus, would arrive.

Application

So what do we do with a list of six high priests? First, we are to marvel at the faithfulness of God. Our God is not a God of the moment. He is the God of the ages. He lays His plans across centuries, and He brings them to pass without fail. This list is a tangible proof of His long-term dependability. If He was faithful to preserve this line of sinful priests for His purposes, how much more will He be faithful to preserve you, who have been united to the perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ?

Second, we should be reminded that God works through flawed people. Eliashib and Joiada's family had serious issues with compromise. And yet, God used them. This should be an encouragement to us. God does not wait for us to be perfect before He uses us in His plan. He uses bent sticks to draw straight lines. Our sin is real and we must fight it, but it does not have the final word. God's sovereign grace has the final word.

Finally, this entire list should make us lift our eyes to Jesus. This chain of priests was necessary, but it was also insufficient. It was a placeholder, a shadow. Each father and son pointed to the need for a High Priest who would not die, who would not be compromised by sin, and who could offer a final, perfect sacrifice. This list is a signpost, and it points directly to Hebrews 7. We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. He is the end of the line, the fulfillment of all that this list promised. Therefore, let us hold fast our confession.