Nehemiah 10:34

34. Cast the lots See note on Joshua 13:6.

The wood offering Large quantities of wood were necessary to the continual burnt offerings, and some provision must have been made for it from the first. The law (Leviticus 6:12) said, “The fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every mornings,” etc.; but we find in the law no specific precept for providing wood for the altar. Josephus ( Wars of the Jews, Nehemiah 2:17 ; Nehemiah 2:6) mentions “the festival of Xylophory, ( ξυλοφοριων , wood-bearing,) upon which the custom was for every one to bring wood for the altar, that there might never be a want of fuel for that fire which was to be always burning.”

At times appointed year by year Probably several days each year were set apart for this purpose, for Bertheau’s opinion, that there was but one day in the year for bringing wood, has no support. Keil thinks that “the order was settled for several years, and not that all the different houses contributed in each year.” The Mishna, as quoted by Lightfoot, ( Hor. Hebrews, on Matthew 1:1,) says: “The seasons for wood-carrying by the priests and people were nine. The first of Nisan, for the sons of Erach, the son of Judah; the twentieth of Tammuz, for the sons of David, the son of Judah; the fifth of Ab, for the sons of Parosh, the son of Judah; the seventh of the same month for the sons of Jonadab, the son of Rechab; the tenth of the same for Sennaah, the son of Benjamin,” etc.