The fire on the altar depended on wood that somebody had to bring. In Nehemiah’s day the priests, the Levites and the people cast lots “for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God,” so that the supply arrived at “times appointed year by year.” Nehemiah returns to it at the very end of his book, naming it beside the firstfruits, and closes with a short prayer: “Remember me, O my God, for good.” It is a modest job, written down plainly, and counted as part of serving God. The details are in Nehemiah 10 and 13.
3 verses
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:
Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
Almost every kind of combustible matter was used for fuel, such as the withered stalks of herbs (Matt. 6:30), thorns (Ps. 58:9; Eccl. 7:6), animal excrements (Ezek. 4:12-15; 15:4, 6; 21:32). Wood or charcoal is much used still in all the towns of Syria and Egypt. It is largely brought from the region of Hebron to Jerusalem. (See COAL.)