Nehemiah 12:6 - Exposition

And Joiarib . The introduction of the conjunction "and" here, and here only, in this list separates off very markedly the last six names from the first sixteen. A similar division is made in Nehemiah 12:19 . The reason for the division seems to be that these last six courses, though including some of the very highest priestly families, as those of Joiarib and Jedaiah ( 1 Chronicles 24:7 ; Ezra 2:36 ; Nehemiah 7:39 ; Nehemiah 11:10 ), for some reason or other, did not seal to the covenant, whereas the other sixteen courses did so. Jedaiah . The double occurrence of this name (in Nehemiah 12:6 and Nehemiah 12:7 ) would naturally raise a suspicion of corruption; but the two Jedaiahs are confirmed by Nehemiah 12:19 , Nehemiah 12:21 .