Prepared for Tobiah a large chamber means that Eliashib had given to Tobiah one of the large storerooms that were supposed to hold the offerings and tithes for the priests and Levites. Chamber is an archaic English word for a room, as Good News Translation translates it. Eliashib “had set aside” a room for Tobiah’s use (so New American Bible). The space may have been used by Tobiah for his commercial dealings with the Temple.

For cereal offering, see the comment at Neh 10.33.

Frankincense, which is literally “white substance,” was resin from the Boswellia tree and imported from Sheba in Arabia. It was used as a supplement to the cereal offering (Lev 2.1-2). It was a different kind of incense than that offered as a sacrifice (Exo 30.1-10). If this substance is not known to the receptor culture, the translator may refer to it as “sweet-smelling sap” or “sap burned as incense.”

Vessels: See Neh 10.39.

Tithes of grain, wine, and oil: See Neh 10.37-38.

The tithes were given by commandment, or as New International Version renders it, they were “prescribed.” The Hebrew word rendered as given by commandment occurs several times in Ezra-Nehemiah with reference to God’s commands (see Ezra 7.11; Neh 10.29). It is the same Hebrew word rendered as “obligation” in Neh 10.32.

For contributions see Neh 10.37, 39.

Translators need to be aware of the chronology of events that are being reported here. The commandment was given first. Secondly, the offerings and tithes were given to the priests, the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers. Thirdly, these gifts were kept in storerooms at the Temple. Fourthly, Eliashib gave one large storeroom to Tobiah for his use. Fifthly, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and discovered what Eliashib had done while he had been away from Jerusalem.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .