Study Notes for Nehemiah
1:1–2:20 Nehemiah Returns to Jerusalem to Rebuild Its Walls. This section recounts Nehemiah’s vision for and first efforts in rebuilding Jerusalem. He learns of Jerusalem’s decaying condition (1:1–11), gains permission to rebuild the city, inspects its walls (2:1–16), and endures the first wave of opposition (2:17–20).
1:1–11 Nehemiah Learns of Jerusalem’s Dilapidation. Nehemiah hears of the distress of Jerusalem and Judah (vv. 1–3) and prays for God’s favor toward them (vv. 4–11).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:1 Nehemiah means “Yahweh has comforted.” The twentieth year is that of Artaxerxes’ reign, 445 B.C., 13 years after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:7). Chislev is the ninth month (November/December), in the winter. Susa the citadel was a winter residence of the king.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:2–3 Hanani, one of my brothers. See also 7:2. came with certain men. It is not known whether these men were residents of Jerusalem or of Persia. The nature of their mission is also unknown. the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile. This, along with the remnant, refers to the returned exiles living in Jerusalem and Judah (see note on Ezra 9:8).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:4 wept and mourned. Compare Ezra 9:4–5; 10:1. God of heaven was a way of referring to God in international contexts (see Ezra 1:2; 5:12).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:5 O LORD God of heaven. This combination of names means that the God of Israel (Ex. 3:13–15) is the only God. keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. See Deut. 7:9. Steadfast love is God’s faithfulness to Israel in his covenant with them, and it requires Israel’s love in return (see also Deut. 6:5).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:6 Nehemiah’s use of “servant” for himself (your servant) and Israel (your servants) is significant since he is also a servant of King Artaxerxes.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:7 the commandments, the statutes, and the rules. See note on Ezra 7:10.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:9 if you return to me. Nehemiah appeals to God’s promise that, if Israel repented, he would restore them to the land and prosperity (Lev. 26:40–42; Deut. 4:29–31; 30:1–6). While many of God’s people have returned from exile, the land is not yet secure. The place that I have chosen was primarily where the Lord’s sanctuary would be, that is, Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4). to make my name dwell there. The Lord claimed the place as his own, against the claims of other gods or rulers.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:10 Redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand refers to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 7–15; compare Deut. 4:34).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:11 fear your name. On “fearing” God, see note on Prov. 1:7 and other verses mentioned there. God’s “name” here represents God’s character and all that he is. mercy in the sight of this man (Artaxerxes). Nehemiah knows that God can move powerful people to act in favor of his people (see Ezra 6:22). But he may also know that Artaxerxes has already decreed that work on rebuilding Jerusalem should stop (see Ezra 4:23; Neh. 1:2–3). The position of cupbearer to the king was a high office providing regular access to the king.
FACT
Cupbearer to the king may sound like a lowly position, but it was actually considered a high office. The cupbearer’s job was to taste any wine brought to the king, in case it was poisoned. The king had to trust his cupbearer with his very life. Because of their trusted position, many cupbearers, such as Nehemiah (1:11), were able to exert political influence in the royal court.
2:1–16 Nehemiah Gains Permission to Return and Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls. Nehemiah is allowed to go to Jerusalem (vv. 1–8). He surveys the walls, finding them in very poor condition (vv. 9–16).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:2 Nehemiah did not show his grief during the four months since 1:1, perhaps because it was part of his duty to be positive and encouraging. Nehemiah was very much afraid because he was about to say something that the king might take as disloyalty.
Chronology of Nehemiah
| Event | Month/Day | Year | Reference |
|---|
| Hanani brings Nehemiah a report from Jerusalem (20th year of Artaxerxes I) | | 445–444 B.C. | 1:1 |
| Nehemiah before King Artaxerxes | 1 | 445 | 2:1 |
| Nehemiah arrives to inspect Jerusalem walls | | 445 | 2:11 |
| Wall is finished | 6/25 | 445 | 6:15 |
| People of Israel gather | 7 | 445 | 7:73–8:1 |
| People of Israel celebrate Feast of Booths | 7/15–22 | 445 | 8:14 |
| People of Israel fast and confess sins | 7/24 | 445 | 9:1 |
| Nehemiah returns to Susa (32nd year of Artaxerxes I) | | 433 | 5:14; 13:6 |
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:3 Let the king live forever! Nehemiah first shows his loyalty and explains the reason for his grief, without yet making his request. my fathers’ graves. He may think that this way of speaking about Jerusalem will make the king sympathetic.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:4–6 The king then invites a request. So I prayed. Nehemiah had already prayed a great deal, of course (see 1:4), but here he prays again before answering the king. When Nehemiah makes his request, the king agrees readily. He demands only that Nehemiah commit to a date when he will return to Susa.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:7–8 Nehemiah is encouraged by the king’s positive response. He now asks for specific authority to show letters to the governors of the province Beyond the River. This included the very people who had previously persuaded Artaxerxes to stop the rebuilding of the city (Ezra 4:7–9). Nehemiah goes further, requesting timber from the king’s forest (location unknown). The name Asaph suggests that he was a Jewish royal official. The fortress of the temple was a special defense of the temple, probably on the northern, most vulnerable side. The temple fortress may have included the towers mentioned in Neh. 3:1. The wood for the wall of the city would have been mainly for the gates.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:9 Nehemiah’s imperial authority is shown by the officers and horsemen sent with him.
FACT
The fortress of the temple (2:8) provided extra defense for the temple area, since this section of Jerusalem was very vulnerable to attack. Many other governors of Jerusalem after Nehemiah built fortresses here, including Herod the Great, whose famous Antonia Fortress can be visited today.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:10 Sanballat the Horonite was later the governor of Samaria, and he may have been so at this time. Tobiah is a Jewish name, yet as an Ammonite his people are one of Israel’s historic enemies (2 Sam. 10:1–14). Servant here may mean government official.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:11–12 three days. Compare Ezra 8:32. in the night. Nehemiah aims to keep his mission secret from potential enemies and his own people till his plans are fully formed (see also Neh. 2:16).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:13–15 Nehemiah surveys the walls mainly on the southern and eastern sides—the city of David and the Kidron Valley. The Valley Gate was probably on the southwestern side of the city of David, and the Dung Gate, leading to the city dump, at its southern tip. The Dragon Spring, Fountain Gate, and King’s Pool are unidentified, but were no doubt on the east where the Kidron Valley’s water sources were. The valley is the Kidron Valley.
2:17–20 First Signs of Opposition. Nehemiah now exhorts his countrymen. They are willing to work, but opposition quickly emerges, as vv. 9–10 have already hinted.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:18 the hand of my God. Compare 1:10; 2:8; Ezra 7:6, 28; 8:18. God was working to bless his people.
Nehemiah
As a Jewish captive in Babylon, Nehemiah held the distinguished position of cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. He was devastated to hear that the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem were in “great trouble and shame” (1:3). He expressed his concern to the king, and the king allowed him to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s walls. Many of the non-Jewish people in Judah opposed the rebuilding effort, and the returned exiles soon became disheartened. Nehemiah encouraged the men, saying, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (4:14). Under his leadership, the walls were rebuilt despite the difficult circumstances. As governor of Judah, Nehemiah was used mightily by God to bring the Jews back into a life of covenant faithfulness. (Nehemiah 2:17–18)
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:19 Opponents claim that the people are rebelling against the king. Artaxerxes had previously believed this extremely serious charge (Ezra 4:12–13, 19–22).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:20 Nehemiah knows the king is on his side, but recognizes the God of heaven as his true authority. but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. He is convinced that they are opposing God’s work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:1–7:4 The Wall Is Built, Despite Difficulties. The people of Judah build and repair the walls, despite the efforts to stop them. Excavations in Jerusalem have uncovered remains of Nehemiah’s wall, which apparently incorporated walls from previous times.
Jerusalem in the Time of Nehemiah (c. 444–420? B.C.)
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Upon their return from exile in 536 B.C., the Jews, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, first restored the altar and then laid the foundation of the temple. Twenty years later, in 516 B.C., the temple was rebuilt. This time period is referred to as the Second Temple period.
Later on, and under very difficult circumstances, Nehemiah restored the city wall. This is described in great detail in ch. 3. There is ample archaeological evidence, both positive and negative, to show that only the Eastern Hill of Jerusalem was fortified at that time and that the eastern wall of the city was built higher up the slope than the previous wall, so that the city was smaller than that of Solomon.
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3:1–32 The People Work Systematically on the Walls. The building work is described, and the workers are named, section by section. The people responded to Nehemiah’s challenge and believed that God would give them success.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:1–2 Eliashib the high priest was the grandson of Jeshua, the priest in Zerubbabel’s time (see 12:10; Ezra 5:2). with his brothers. The work was assigned to groups mainly by family and sometimes according to where they lived. The work began and ended at the Sheep Gate, on the northern side of the temple. Tower. See note on Neh. 2:7–8.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:5 the Tekoites . . . their nobles. The leading people of Tekoa, not far south of Jerusalem, may have resented Nehemiah’s leadership.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:7 Mizpah was an important administrative center after Jerusalem’s fall (Jer. 41:1).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:8 goldsmiths . . . perfumers. Many workers were organized in groups by their trade.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:9 ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. Similar expressions occur six times in vv. 12–18. They may refer to an administrative system that divided the province into six sections.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:13–15 Valley Gate . . . Dung Gate. See note on 2:13–15. a thousand cubits. About 500 yards (457 m). Fountain Gate. See note on 2:13–15. city of David. The part of the city originally occupied by David, south of what is now the Temple Mount.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:16 After him describes each successive group of builders. Nehemiah the son of Azbuk is a different Nehemiah, of course. ruler of half the district. See note on v. 9.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:26 temple servants. See note on Ezra 2:43–54. Ophel was the whole southeastern hill. The Water Gate, in the old wall, probably opened onto the Gihon Spring, the main water source outside the city wall.
FACT
What was the Ophel? The Ophel (3:26) was a hill in Jerusalem between the Kidron and Central Valleys. It was northeast of the older City of David and just south of the Temple Mount. The oldest part of Jerusalem was built long before David captured the city from the Jebusites.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:29 The East Gate may have been a gate into the temple rather than a gate in the wall.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:32 Sheep Gate. See note on vv. 1–2.
4:1–23 Opposition Intensifies, but the People Continue Watchfully. While the building continues, Sanballat and his allies resort to direct action in order to stop it, but their plot is foiled.
FACT
Why did so many local people oppose Nehemiah? After the exile, people who had been living in Judah for over a hundred years saw it as belonging to them and not to the returning Jews. Nehemiah had the blessing of King Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls, but the king was in Persia, more than 1,100 miles (1,770 km) away. This made Nehemiah’s enemies bolder in their opposition to him.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:1–2 Sanballat (see 2:9–10) mocks the work, no doubt to encourage his brothers (or allies) to join him in resisting. army of Samaria. It is not clear whether Sanballat really had authority to command an army.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:6 half its height. At this point, the project could still be stopped.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:7–8 It is hard to imagine that the Nehemiah’s opponents could have been successful, since his work had been authorized by the Persian king. Still, they were probably intimidating, since the Persian capital was about 1,100 miles (1,770 km) away, a journey of some 55 days.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:12 Friends and families of people who have come from the villages to work on the walls try to persuade them to come home because of the danger.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:15 God had frustrated their plan. The immediate threat is apparently over, but the work continues with half the people’s attention given to defense.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:16–17 each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. Though Nehemiah and the people prayed and trusted God for protection (see vv. 4, 9, 14, 20), they also stayed ready to defend themselves. God often accomplishes his purposes by ordinary human means.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:20 With the people spread out, they were vulnerable at every point (v. 19). Nehemiah addresses this problem with his plan to let the sound of the trumpet be heard—a well-established call to battle. Our God will fight for us. Compare Ex. 14:14; Deut. 1:30.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:21–23 They worked on the wall in the day and guarded the city at night. By not taking off their clothes, they remained ready to engage the enemy.
5:1–19 Nehemiah Deals with Injustices in the Community; Nehemiah’s Personal Contribution to the Project. Nehemiah takes measures to end the exploitation of the weak in the community by its powerful members, who are ignoring God’s commandments.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:1 The people are the ordinary citizens, not nobles or officials (see v. 7). And of their wives adds to the picture of families made desperate by hunger. Jewish brothers shows the strong bond among all Israelites. By Mosaic law, no Israelite should permanently enslave or take advantage of another (Deut. 15:1–15).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:2–3 let us get grain. Perhaps the men who are working full time on the building project cannot do their usual work to feed their families. Some of them were mortgaging their fields and houses to pay the heavy tax charged by the Persians.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:5 forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves. Temporary debt-slavery (but not permanent chattel-slavery) was permitted in Mosaic law among Israelites. It was often the only way a debt could be paid (see Deut. 15:12).
FACT
The returned exiles would sometimes mortgage their property (5:3) to raise money for the heavy taxes imposed on them. This mortgaging would have involved temporarily forfeiting the use of one’s property and any fruit it produced to wealthier people who could afford to pay the taxes. The Mosaic law forbade such practices, and Nehemiah was quick to oppose it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:7 The nobles and the officials within the Jewish community are accused of oppressing their own people. Oppression of the weak by the strong had been one of the reasons for the exile (see Isa. 5:7–10; Amos 2:6–8). exacting interest. Property might be taken in pledge, pending repayment of a loan. Taking interest from a fellow Israelite who borrowed out of need was forbidden (Deut. 23:19–20).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:8 sold . . . sell . . . sold. In his anger, Nehemiah points out the irony of the Jews being redeemed from exile only to be sold into slavery by their own brothers.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:9 fear of our God. See note on 1:11. taunts. See 4:1–4.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:10 Let us. Nehemiah suggests that he himself has been guilty of this injustice.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:11–12 Return . . . their fields. This commands returning the illegitimately seized interest, but it also seems to order a return of the items pledged to secure the loans. This goes beyond plans for debt-release (Deut. 15:1–11) or jubilee (Leviticus 25), since it is to be done without delay.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:13 shook out the fold. A symbolic action matching the words of the curse that follow. So may God shake out. This type of curse-formula was a way of compelling people to do something. By saying Amen, the whole assembly agreed to the terms of Nehemiah’s curse.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:14 governor. This is the first indication that Nehemiah held this official post in the province of Yehud (Judea), within the larger province of Beyond the River. twentieth . . . to the thirty-second year. 445 to 433 B.C. Nehemiah returned to Susa in 433, and then returned to Jerusalem sometime between 433 and 423. food allowance of the governor. Governors could raise taxes for their own use, but Nehemiah has not done so.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:15 former governors. Nehemiah’s predecessors had used the people to enrich themselves and their servants.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:16 I also persevered. Nehemiah has made himself equal with his fellow Jews, laboring with them and not using his position for gain.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:17–18 At my table seems to refer to Nehemiah’s obligations as governor. Those who came . . . from the nations may have been diplomatic visitors. This heavy burden makes Nehemiah’s self-sacrifice of the food allowance all the more remarkable.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:19 Remember. The first of Nehemiah’s prayers asking God to remember either his deeds or his opponents’ deeds (compare 6:14; 13:29).
6:1–7:4 A Conspiracy against Nehemiah, but the Wall Is Finished. Nehemiah’s enemies try to scare him into ceasing the work, but he is not deterred and the wall is finished.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:2 Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono. This unknown place is presumably near the town of Ono (see Ezra 2:33), north of Jerusalem, perhaps serving as a neutral ground. Nehemiah sees it as a conspiracy, since he knows they want to interrupt his work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:3 I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Nehemiah refused to leave his work for discussions with his enemies. He knew such a meeting would be fruitless and probably dangerous.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:5–7 Sanballat’s fifth attempt to defeat Nehemiah was an open letter (v. 5). Its public nature was intended to exert extra pressure on Nehemiah. Sanballat once again accuses the people of rebelling against Persia (see Ezra 4:12–13). He portrays himself as loyal to Persia and as a friend of the Jews. He offers to defuse the danger posed by their supposed rebellion. The king will hear is, of course, a veiled threat. While he may have held long-term messianic hopes, Nehemiah remained a loyal servant of Artaxerxes. He had no desire to be king, and there is no reason to think he was a descendant of David.
FACT
An open letter (6:5) was one that was read to the entire public, not just the individual to whom it was addressed. By publicly claiming that Artaxerxes would be angry about the rebuilding of the walls, Sanballat was hoping to frighten the laborers into ceasing their work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:10–11 Shemaiah is not otherwise known, but he may have been a priest, which explains his proposal for a meeting in the temple (perhaps a second meeting from the one mentioned here). confined to his home. This possible translation of a difficult Hebrew word tries to explain why Nehemiah went to this man’s house. It is not clear why he had been confined to his home: perhaps it was meant as a symbolic act suggesting that Jerusalem was surrounded by enemies. within the temple . . . for they are coming to kill you. This “warning” suggests a plot by Sanballat and other enemies. Shemaiah proposes that Nehemiah simply take refuge in the temple. Nehemiah replies that such an act would be cowardly.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:12 God had not sent him. Nehemiah sees that Shemaiah’s prophecy was false.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:13 To be afraid would be the opposite of having faith in this situation, and so would be sin (see Deut. 1:28–33; note on Ezra 3:3). This sort of unbelief would allow his enemies to taunt Nehemiah (see Neh. 5:9) and thus undermine his authority.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:14 Remember. See note on 5:19; compare 1:8.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:15–16 Elul was the sixth month (August/September), so it has been less than six months since Nehemiah spoke to the king. they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. If God had helped the people of Judah, the nations feared he would turn Judah into a powerful nation that would be a threat to them.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:17 The nobles of Judah were cooperating with Tobiah. They were connected because Tobiah, an “Ammonite” (2:10), and his son had married into Jewish nobility. Ezra’s measures against intermarriage (Ezra 9–10) perhaps explain Tobiah’s hostility to Nehemiah’s work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:18 bound by oath to him. It is not clear how they were bound. But there was clearly a powerful group in Jerusalem committed to Tobiah and opposed to Nehemiah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:1 Gatekeepers, singers, Levites is a typical grouping of worship officials (see Ezra 2:40–42). It is surprising to find them guarding the walls. Yet protecting the city was ultimately related to establishing the worship of Yahweh in his temple.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:2–3 On Hanani, see 1:2. He and Hananiah possibly replace the “rulers” named in 3:9, 12. The appointed guards live in the city and so they are most committed to it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:4 Apparently the people are relatively few. Building houses has taken second place to reconstructing the walls.
FACT
Can Nehemiah’s wall be seen today? In the 2,500 years since Nehemiah’s day, Jerusalem has been rebuilt, destroyed, and rebuilt again. This has made evidence of Nehemiah’s wall difficult to find. However, a part of the wall can still be seen.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:5–73 A Record of Those Who Returned from Exile. Nehemiah lists the returned exiles from the time of Zerubbabel.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:5 my God put it into my heart. See 2:12. As seen in his frequent prayers, Nehemiah maintains a close relationship with the Lord. He decides to take a census of the people. He is helped by the discovery of the book of the genealogy of the first returnees.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:6–73 This list is virtually identical to the one in Ezra 2 (see notes there). Nehemiah’s next concern is to repopulate Jerusalem (see Neh. 7:4).
8:1–10:39 The Reading of the Law, and Covenant Renewal. In this long section, the Book of the Law is solemnly read, the Feast of Booths is kept, and a great act of covenant renewal is performed. For the first time in this book, Ezra enters the story. This shows the unity of his and Nehemiah’s projects. With the walls securely in place, the Mosaic law is once again made prominent. It is not security or the temple that is most essential to the life of the community; trust in God and obedience to his Word are most important.
8:1–8 The Law Is Read. Ezra reads the Book of the Law to all the people, and the Levites ensure that everyone has understood it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:2 The inclusion of both men and women is stressed, since the strict keeping of the great Jerusalem feasts was expected of men only (Deut. 16:16–17). all who could understand. “Understanding” is a key theme in this chapter, since it was vital that all should know God’s law. The teaching of the law may have been neglected in the nearly one hundred years since the first return from Babylon. The first day of the seventh month was a day of rest, like a Sabbath, in the month of the Day of Atonement (see Lev. 23:24–25, 27, 34).
FACT
The Feast of Booths (8:2) marked the end of the agricultural year. It was a time to celebrate God’s provision and to ask his blessing for the next year’s crops. Once every seven years, the Book of the Law of Moses was to be read during the festival. This was done to instruct the children and as a reminder for the adults.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:3–5 from early morning until midday. The book was lengthy, and there may have been frequent pauses for explanation (see note on v. 7). opened the book. The act of reading, in this setting, is also a corporate act of worship.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:7 The Levites presumably moved among the crowd, ensuring that all could understand. Such interpretation was one of their special tasks (see Deut. 33:10; 2 Chron. 17:7–9).
8:9–12 The People Are to Be Joyful. Though sorrow for sin was the desired response to the teaching, joy at renewed relationship with God was its ultimate purpose. the joy of the LORD is your strength. As the people rejoiced in God, he would show himself strong to help and defend them. Eat . . . drink . . . send portions are important themes of worship in Deuteronomy, associated with God’s rich gifts and the privilege of sharing them (Deut. 12:12; 14:23, 26, 27–29).
8:13–18 The People Keep the Feast of Booths. This family-oriented festival highlighted God’s protection of Israel in the desert, before the conquest of Canaan.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:13–15 The following day, as the leaders study the Law, they realize they are in the month of the Feast of Booths, the feast of the seventh month (Lev. 23:33–43). During this feast the people lived in temporary dwellings made from branches to commemorate how they had lived in booths in the wilderness (Lev. 23:43).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:17–18 Jeshua is another form of “Joshua.” had not done so. Although the Feast of Booths had been celebrated on occasion (see 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chron. 7:9; Ezra 3:4), it had apparently not been celebrated in this way (with such great joy, or in such unsettled conditions, or with all the people participating). seven days. See Lev. 23:34. For the reading of the law at the Feast of Booths (every seven years), see Deut. 31:10–11.
9:1–38 A Prayer of Confession, Penitence, and Covenant Commitment. The next phase in the great act of covenant renewal is a prayer of praise, confession, and petition.
FACT
Word pictures for worship and teaching. Religious images were strictly forbidden under the Mosaic law, but Israel’s leaders often used vivid imagery in their story-telling to teach the people and to help them worship. Chapter 9 gives an example of this, as the Levites publicly recite the nation’s history, from creation to the present.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:1 the twenty-fourth day. It is still the seventh month, after the seven days of the Feast of Booths and an eighth day of solemn assembly (8:18).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:2–3 separated themselves from all foreigners. See Ezra 9–10. Here it refers not just to marriage but also to the integrity of the community in general. iniquities of their fathers. That is, of all previous generations, as in the prayer that follows (Neh. 9:6–37).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:6–37 The prayer mixes confession with memories of God’s grace and petition. It follows the biblical story as told in Genesis–Kings.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:6 You are the LORD, you alone. The uniqueness of Israel’s God was proclaimed in the story of creation. Heaven . . . the earth sums up the whole creation (see Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11). All their host could refer to either angels or stars.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:7–8 Ur of the Chaldeans is in southern Mesopotamia (see Gen. 11:31). the name Abraham. See Gen. 17:5. the covenant. God promised Abraham both descendants and land. The promise to drive out other nations has particular meaning in this period of restoration to the land.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:9–11 heard their cry at the Red Sea. This condenses the whole story from Exodus 2–15 (see Ex. 2:23–25; 14:1–15:27). signs and wonders . . . divided the sea. This refers to the miracles done to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites (Exodus 7–15).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:12 The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire provided God’s guidance (see Ex. 13:21–22).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:13–14 Mount Sinai is where God gave the Ten Commandments and detailed instructions for applying them (rules, laws, statutes, commandments).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:15 bread from heaven . . . water. Compare Ex. 16:14–15; 17:6.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:16–18 appointed a leader. See Num. 14:4. The people must have gone ahead and chosen a different leader, though Numbers 14 contains no record of it. Golden calf refers to the rebellion committed while the covenant was still being made at Sinai (Exodus 32; Deut. 9:7–21).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:21 Forty years. See Deut. 2:7. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. From Deut. 8:4, recalling God’s extraordinary preservation of his people.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:23 stars of heaven. See Deut. 1:10.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:26–28 This pattern of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance is typical of the book of Judges. killed your prophets. Compare Matt. 23:31; Acts 7:52.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:29–31 The story of God’s long patience with the Israelites’ sin, finally ending in judgment, is told in 1–2 Kings (see especially 2 Kings 17).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:30–31 you gave them into the hand of the peoples. The northern kingdom was “[given] into the hand of” Assyria (2 Kings 17); Judah was conquered by Babylon (2 Kings 24–25). you did not make an end of them. God rescued his people from exile, as recorded in 2 Chron. 36:22–23 and in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:32–33 All the hardship refers to the sufferings of both exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian). Yet God has been righteous in his judgment.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:36–38 we are slaves. The people’s continuing sinfulness explains why they are not yet entirely free. To resolve this situation, the people will enter a solemn covenant.
10:1–39 Signatories and Specific Commitments. Many of the people agree to the covenant, and they accept the responsibility of funding the temple’s activities.
FACT
Seals in the ancient Near East (e.g., 10:1) were stamps pressed into soft wax on documents that demonstrated ownership or authorship.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:1–27 The long list of names shows that the entire community supported the covenant.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:29 a curse and an oath. The two expressions together show the people’s serious intention to keep their commitment.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:30 Mosaic law prohibited intermarriage with the peoples of the land because they worshiped other gods. This is in the forefront because it was such a problem recently (Ezra 9–10).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:31 The Sabbath commandment (Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15) was a key marker of Israel’s identity. Trading with surrounding peoples on the Sabbath must have been a temptation (see Neh. 13:16–22). crops of the seventh year. The Sabbath idea extended to the seventh year, when normal cultivation was prohibited (Lev. 25:2–7).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:32 third part of a shekel. No Mosaic law requires this tax. It is a new commitment to support the service of the house of our God. (However, compare Ex. 30:11–16.)
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:33–34 showbread. See Lev. 24:5–9. wood offering. Again, no specific law requires this tax, but the need for it is implied in Lev. 6:12–13. This is why it is described as written in the Law.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:35–37 These agricultural offerings were to supply temple personnel, as specified in various laws (e.g., Ex. 23:19; Num. 18:12–13), but they were not always paid (see Neh. 13:10).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:36 firstborn of our sons. On the redemption of firstborn sons, see note on Ex. 13:2. herds . . . flocks. See Num. 18:15–18; Deut. 15:19–23.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:37 first of our dough. See Num. 15:20–21; Deut. 18:4. Tithes are for the Levites, according to Num. 18:21–24, though the entire nation is invited to partake of the tithe in Deut. 14:22–27.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:38 tithe of the tithes. The Levites give part of the tithe to the priests (Num. 18:25–32).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:1–12:43 The Population of Jerusalem and the Villages; Priests and Levites. These chapters depict the people’s efforts to populate Jerusalem.
FACT
Why did the small towns of Judah send people to live in Jerusalem? In Nehemiah’s time, Jerusalem was only one-fourth the size it had been before the exile. No one wanted to live in a city without defensive walls. Once the walls were completed, however, the community leaders wanted Jerusalem to become a thriving capital city once again. This meant transplanting citizens from the small towns (11:1–2).
11:1–36 Those Who Lived in Jerusalem and the Villages of Judah. This chapter addresses the need to maintain a proportion of the population in Jerusalem, and records the names of leaders who lived there. Populated villages of Judah are also named.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:1 The community’s leaders are concentrated in Jerusalem, but it is underpopulated (see also 7:4). The people in the provincial towns cast lots to decide who should relocate to the capital.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:3–4 The temple servants, along with gatekeepers and singers (vv. 19, 21–22), were classes of Levites (see Ezra 2:40–43). the descendants of Solomon’s servants. See note on Ezra 2:55–58. sons of Judah . . . sons of Benjamin. These two tribes of the southern kingdom were exiled in Babylon, and now they make up the restored community.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:11–12 The ruler of the house of God is the high priest. Work of the house probably means work inside the temple; contrast “outside,” v. 16.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:15–16 The Levites were responsible for the outside work of the house of God, a lesser role than that of the priests in v. 12.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:20–21 the rest of Israel. That is, after a tenth of the population had been resettled in Jerusalem (v. 1). His inheritance refers to property owned by one’s ancestors (see note on Ezra 2:59–63). Ophel. See note on Neh. 3:26.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:23–24 Command from the king must refer to the Persian king. The note about Pethahiah being at the king’s side indicates he oversaw Jewish affairs at the royal court.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:30 from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. The people of Judah lived south of Jerusalem. Beersheba was in the far south, and the Valley of Hinnom was on the southern edge of Jerusalem.
Judea under Persian Rule
538–332 B.C.
Under Persian rule, the lands of Israel (now called Samaria) and Judah (now called Judea) were minor provinces within the satrapy called Beyond the River. Returning Judeans settled mostly in the province of Judea, but a few settled in the plain of Ono and Idumea as well. The fact that the plain of Ono lay outside the jurisdiction of Judea may explain why Nehemiah suspected that the other local governors intended to do him harm there.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:31–35 The villages of Benjamin were mainly north and west of Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:36 The Levites were in effect a third tribe in the restored community.
12:1–26 High Priests and Leading Levites since the Time of Zerubbabel. This section records the priests and Levites from the time of Zerubbabel (c. 538–535 B.C.) to Nehemiah. The aim is to show that the Levitical service continued during a very difficult time in Israel’s history.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:1a Zerubbabel . . . and Jeshua. See note on Ezra 2:2a. Zerubbabel was the first leader of the returning exiles following King Cyrus’s decree in 538 B.C., about a century before Nehemiah. Jeshua the high priest returned with him.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:12–21 Joiakim was high priest after Jeshua (see v. 10), so this list gives the priests in his day, including Ezra (v. 13). heads of fathers’ houses (v. 12). The list proceeds by family names: thus, Meraiah was priest in the (priestly) family of Seraiah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:22–23 As with the priests, a record of Levites was kept by families.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:22 Darius the Persian is Darius I (522–486 B.C.), king of Persia at the time of Zerubbabel and the building of the temple (see Ezra 4:5, 24; 5:1–17; 6:1–22).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:23 Book of the Chronicles. This is not the biblical book of that name, but simply a record of names, perhaps kept by the priests.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:24–26 This is a similar record (see v. 23) for the time of Joiakim and later (see v. 10). David the man of God. See v. 36; 1 Chron. 25:2; 2 Chron. 8:14 in connection with David’s organizing priests and Levites for temple service. Joiakim was high priest in Ezra’s time (see Neh. 12:12).
12:27–43 Dedication of the Walls. This section describes the Levites’ role at the dedication of the completed city wall. Two great choirs precede the leaders in two companies on the wall, north and south.
FACT
Dedications were ceremonies performed to consecrate something or someone for service to the Lord.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:28–29 Levitical singers had settled in villages around Jerusalem near their work. The Netophathites were from Netophah, near Bethlehem. Beth-gilgal is presumably Gilgal, near Jericho (see Josh. 4:19). Geba and Azmaveth were north of Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:30 They had purified themselves, as in readiness for worship (see Ex. 19:10, 14–15; Num. 8:5–7).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:31–40 Two great choirs symbolically enclose the whole city for the dedication. Ezra goes with the southern group, Nehemiah with the northern. Dung Gate (v. 31). See note on 2:13–15. Fountain Gate . . . Water Gate (12:37). See note on 3:26. For details of the wall’s layout, see 2:11–16 and 3:1–32. Both groups continue into the temple area to conclude the ceremony.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:44–13:31 Nehemiah Deals with Problems in the Community. This section records problems that arose in relation to storing contributions for the temple and its personnel. It also describes Nehemiah’s ongoing problems with his people and his opponents.
12:44–47 The Administration of Offerings for the Temple. These verses emphasize that the work of the priests and Levites had been in place since ancient times, and that since the days of Zerubbabel (a century before Nehemiah) they had been duly provided for. On that day. Arrangements for tithes and other offerings are made once again, at the dedication of the wall. portions required by the Law. The Mosaic requirement (Lev. 7:33) applied only to the priests, but here it is widened to include all the Levites.
13:1–9 Ejection of Tobiah the Ammonite from the Temple. While Nehemiah was in the Persian capital of Susa, reporting to the king (v. 6; see note on 2:4–6), his opponents took advantage of his absence and gave a non-Israelite a place to live in the temple. Upon his return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah discovered the problem and corrected it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:1–3 no Ammonite or Moabite. Moabites and Ammonites were specifically excluded from Israel’s religious assembly because of their historical conflict with Israel and their idolatry (see Numbers 22–25; Deut. 23:3–5). separated . . . foreign descent. This resembles measures Ezra had taken a decade or so earlier (Ezra 9–10). Note Ezra 6:21, however, which allowed foreigners to join Israel if they embraced the Jewish religion. Compare also the story of Ruth, who came to faith in Israel’s God even though she was a Moabite.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:4–9 The connection of these verses with vv. 1–3 is that Tobiah, an enemy of the community (2:10; 4:7–8), was an Ammonite. Eliashib’s offense is also related to proper care of tithes and offerings (12:44), because he gave Tobiah a room in the temple reserved for storing these.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:4 Now before this. The time is unspecified.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:6 I was not in Jerusalem. Nehemiah had been called back to the Persian court in the thirty-second year (433 B.C.; see 1:1) for an unspecified time. The journey between Jerusalem and Susa took about 55 days (see note on 4:7–8). Eliashib (see 12:10) may have taken advantage of Nehemiah’s absence, which may have been lengthy.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:9 Cleansed, that is, purified in a ritual sense. Nehemiah sees the misuse of the temple as a violation of its holiness. He restores the polluted area to its proper use.
FACT
Tobiah was not a priest, so moving his household furniture into the temple desecrated the area (13:5, 7). His presence in the temple also meant that one of Nehemiah’s fierce opponents had been given a luxurious home in the temple.
13:10–14 Dealing with Neglect of the Offerings. The people had stopped providing for the Levites, so they had fled each to his field, where they could provide for themselves and their families. This, of course, had a negative impact on worship at the temple. Contrast the commitments made by the people in 10:32–39. Nehemiah responds by organizing the administration of the offerings. I confronted the officials. Note Nehemiah’s fearless action (see also 13:17). Remember me. Compare 1:8; 5:19; 6:14.
13:15–22 Dealing with Sabbath Breaking. The community once again sins, this time by breaking the Sabbath by trading.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:16 Tyrians. Foreigners would not be bound by the Sabbath law, of course, but they find a ready market on the Sabbath among the Jews.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:18 Did not your fathers act in this way? Breaking the Sabbath was an obvious sign of previous generations’ lack of commitment to God (see Jer. 17:19–27; Amos 8:4–6). Here it is given as the reason for the exile.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:19–22 Nehemiah still has authority and resources to enforce his reforms (though it is not clear whether he is still governor).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:22 the Levites . . . purify themselves. The gatekeeper Levites had been neglecting their duties. They needed to be ritually purified again for their task.
13:23–29 The Problem of Intermarriage Again. As the returned exiles ignored covenantal commitments such as Sabbath keeping, they began losing their sense of identity as God’s special people. One result was more intermarriages with pagans.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:23–27 Ezra’s action against intermarriage (Ezra 9–10) apparently had little lasting effect. By losing the language of Judah (Neh. 13:24), the children of mixed marriages were losing their entire religious heritage.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:25–28 Nehemiah calls the people back to the Mosaic law (Deut. 7:1–5) and cites the example of Solomon, who was turned away from the Lord by his foreign wives (1 Kings 11). Spiritual unfaithfulness in intermarriage has even affected the family of the high priest Eliashib.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:29 Remember them. See also 6:14. covenant of the priesthood. The special obligations of the priests and Levites, for the sake of the whole people (see 1 Sam. 2:27–36; Mal. 2:4–9).
13:30–31 Summary of Nehemiah’s Temple Reforms. These verses highlight all that Nehemiah has done to ensure pure worship in the temple and to establish proper support for the priests. wood offering. See 10:34. Remember me. Nehemiah asks the Lord to take note of his faithful actions (see also 1:8; 5:19; 6:14; 13:14).