נחמיה, פרק י״ג, פסוק ט׳

Nehemiah takes decisive action to restore the holiness of the Temple and correct the desecration of its sacred spaces. He issues a clear, direct command to carry out the purification of the rooms [רש"י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This process is intended to thoroughly cleanse the area of any impurity and filth that had contaminated it [מצודת דוד], specifically targeting the chambers associated with Eliashiv and Tobiah [רלב"ג].

Following the physical cleansing, Nehemiah focuses on returning the space to its original state, exactly as it was before Tobiah settled there [מצודת דוד]. He orders the sacred vessels of the House of God, the grain offerings, and the frankincense to be brought back, placing them directly into the chamber Tobiah had occupied [רלב"ג].

This effort to restock the chambers with their rightful items uncovers a deeper issue. Nehemiah intends to bring back the tithes and contributions that were traditionally stored in these rooms. However, the very act of trying to restore this order brings a troubling reality to light: the people have stopped bringing their required contributions and tithes to the Temple altogether [מלבי"ם].