Nehemiah 12:44 - Exposition

At that time . Literally, "On that day;" but a certain latitude must be allowed to the expression. The chambers for the treasures . On these adjuncts of the temple, see the comment on Nehemiah 10:37 . The "treasures" themselves consisted chiefly of tithes (including corn, wine, and oil), firstfruits, and free-will offerings. They also included frankincense ( Nehemiah 13:5 ), and probably other spices. The portions of the law . i.e. the proportion of the produce required by the law to be set apart for sacred uses. These were to be gathered by the officers out of the fields of the cities , that is, out of the portions of cultivable soil attached to each provincial town ( Nehemiah 11:25 ). For Judah rejoiced . The general satisfaction of the people with their spiritual guides led them to increase their contributions beyond the requirements of the law; whence there was at this time special need of treasurers and treasuries—abundant occupation for the one, and abundant material requiring to be stored in the other.