Shelemiah
Shelemiah, a priest appointed by Nehemiah as a treasurer.
Biography
Shelemiah the priest was appointed by Nehemiah as one of the four treasurers responsible for overseeing the collection and distribution of the temple tithes and offerings in post-exilic Jerusalem (Nehemiah 13:13). He served alongside a Levite named Shelemiah, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, forming a team of administrators charged with ensuring that the Levites and singers received their proper portions. This appointment came during Nehemiah's sweeping reforms, undertaken after he returned to Jerusalem and discovered widespread neglect of temple worship and covenant obligations. As a priest entrusted with fiscal responsibility, Shelemiah occupied a role at the intersection of religious duty and practical administration in the restored community.
Significance
Shelemiah's priestly role as a treasurer in Nehemiah's reformed administration reflects the biblical conviction that faithfulness in material stewardship is inseparable from spiritual faithfulness. Nehemiah 13 depicts a community where covenant obligations, tithing, Sabbath observance, support of temple personnel, had eroded through neglect and compromise. By appointing trustworthy individuals like Shelemiah to oversee material resources, Nehemiah sought to restore the structural conditions for proper worship. Shelemiah's appointment affirms that the care of God's house requires both spiritual integrity and competent administration, and that the renewal of a community's worship depends on individuals willing to exercise faithful, accountable stewardship of communal resources.
Verse Appearances (1)
Nehemiah
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]