Study Notes for Nehemiah
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:1–2:20 Nehemiah Returns to Jerusalem to Rebuild Its Walls. This section recounts Nehemiah’s burden for and first efforts in rebuilding Jerusalem. He learns of Jerusalem’s decrepit 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).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 the son of Hacaliah. Nehemiah’s name means “Yahweh has comforted.” The twentieth year is that of Artaxerxes’ reign, 445 B.C., 13 years after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem (see Ezra 7:7). Chislev is the ninth month (November/December), in the winter (see Ezra 10:9). Susa the citadel, or “fortress,” was one of the royal seats. Ecbatana (Ezra 6:2) was a royal summer home, and Susa was a winter residence.
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, nor is the nature of their mission known. 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). The report about the wall of Jerusalem might mean that the wall had never been successfully rebuilt since the first return of exiles, or that an attempt to rebuild it had been thwarted, perhaps by command of the reigning king, Artaxerxes (see note on Ezra 4:20).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:4 wept and mourned. Compare the reaction of Ezra when he discovered sin in the community (Ezra 9:4–5; 10:1). God of heaven was a way of referring to God in international contexts (cf. 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. Cf. Deut. 7:9. Steadfast love is the quality of God’s faithfulness to Israel in his covenant with them. Such covenant faithfulness requires Israel’s love in return (see also Deut. 6:5). This love also includes faithfulness, and is made evident in keeping God’s law as given to Moses; obedience is the proper response to God’s love, not the precondition of it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:6 Nehemiah’s prayer begins with a confession recalling all the past sins of Israel, as well as those of Nehemiah himself and of his family. Such confession is generally the right beginning in prayer, but Nehemiah especially acknowledges that Israel’s sin has led to the present deplorable situation in Jerusalem. Israel has not responded to God’s gracious covenant in the way outlined in v. 5. Nehemiah’s prayer also recalls Solomon’s when he dedicated the first temple (1 Kings 8:28–30). His use of the term “servant” for himself (your servant) and Israel (your servants) is significant since he is also a servant of King Artaxerxes. Ezra used a form of the same word (Hb. ‘ebed) to speak of “slavery” to Persia (Ezra 9:9). Nehemiah’s prayer raises the question of who is the real Lord of Israel.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:7 the commandments, the statutes, and the rules. See note on Ezra 7:10.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:8–9 Remember. Moses also called on God to remember his promises when Israel was suffering his judgment because of sin (Ex. 32:13; Deut. 9:27). Nehemiah now recalls God’s words about the essential choice placed before Israel in the covenant, in which disobedience would lead to scattering, or exile, among the peoples (Lev. 26:27–33; Deut. 4:25–27; 28:64), while obedience would bring blessing (Lev. 26:3–13; Deut. 28:1–14). if you return to me. In Nehemiah’s perspective, however, the threatened exile did indeed happen; so he now appeals to God’s old promise that even then, if Israel repented, he would restore them to the land and prosperity (Lev. 26:40–42; Deut. 4:29–31; 30:1–6). The restoration has happened in one sense, for many of God’s people have returned from exile, but it remains incomplete because the land is not yet secure. the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there. Again, the reference is to the old promise to bring Israel into its land (Deut. 12:5). The “place” in question was primarily the city where the Lord’s sanctuary would be, which was finally Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4). The dwelling of the “name” meant the Lord’s claiming of the place as his own, in contrast to the claims of other gods or rulers.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:10 redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. The reference, both here and in Deut. 4:34, is to (1) the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, (2) the miraculous signs in the afflictions of Egypt, and (3) the defeat of Egypt in the Red Sea (Exodus 7–15).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 1:11 fear your name. On fearing God, see note on Prov. 1:7 and other verses mentioned there. To “fear God’s name” is essentially the same as fearing God himself, since the “name” of God here represents God’s character and all that he is (cf. Deut. 10:20; 28:58). mercy in the sight of this man (i.e., Artaxerxes). Nehemiah knows that God can move powerful people to act in ways that accord with his own plans, and 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 note on Neh. 1:2–3; see also Ezra 4:23). Therefore, Nehemiah’s petition may bring danger to him. The position of cupbearer to the king was a high office and involved regular access to the king.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:1–16 Nehemiah Gains Permission to Return and Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls. Nehemiah makes his petition to the king and 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 2:1 The date, Nisan, in the twentieth year (i.e., March/April of 445 B.C.), is surprising because Nisan is the first month, and yet the earlier events of ch. 1 took place in Chislev, the ninth month (December). Of various proposed solutions, the best is perhaps that the author counts the years of Artaxerxes’ reign from the actual month of his accession (which is not precisely known), so that his “twentieth year” might span two calendar years (446–445 B.C.). In that case, this incident in the month of Nisan would be four months after the news about Jerusalem came to Nehemiah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:2 Nehemiah’s expression of sadness is the prelude to his request. Nehemiah did not show his grief immediately (i.e., during the four months since 1:1), perhaps because it was part of his duty to be positive and encouraging. But now he has decided to speak. The king’s diagnosis of sadness of the heart perceives some discontentment as the cause. Nehemiah was very much afraid because he was about to say something that the king might take as disloyalty.
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 The king then invites a request. So I prayed. Nehemiah had prayed a great deal, of course (see 1:4), but here he quickly speaks to God (probably silently) before he answers the king.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:5–6 Continuing in great deference, Nehemiah makes his request (v. 5). The king agrees without deliberation, apart perhaps from a glance at the queen sitting beside him, and demands only that Nehemiah commit to a date when he will return to Susa.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:7–8 Nehemiah, emboldened, now asks for specific authority to show letters to the governors of the province Beyond the River, who no doubt included the very people who had previously persuaded Artaxerxes to halt the rebuilding of the city (Ezra 4:7–9). He goes further, however, requesting timber from the king’s forest for specific projects. The location of this forest is unknown. It might refer to Lebanon, or to some area nearer Jerusalem. At that time the land in general was more forested than in modern times. 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, where later the Roman Antonia Fortress stood. It may have included the towers mentioned in Neh. 3:1. For the wall of the city the wood would have been needed mainly for the gates. Finally Nehemiah asks for wood to repair his own house, possibly an existing house passed down in his own family. Artaxerxes agrees, following his own previous generosity to the project in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:21–24), and also that of his predecessors, Cyrus (Ezra 1:4) and Darius (Ezra 6:8–12).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:8 for the good hand of my God was upon me. See note on v. 18.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:9 Nehemiah’s imperial authority is visible in the officers and horsemen sent with him.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:10 Sanballat the Horonite is known from other sources to have been governor of Samaria at a later time, and may be so already. His Babylonian name does not necessarily mean that he was Babylonian; he probably came from Upper or Lower Beth-horon near Jerusalem (Josh. 16:3, 5). Tobiah is a Jewish name, yet as an Ammonite he belongs to a people that was one of Israel’s historic enemies (2 Sam. 10:1–11). The term servant here may mean that he is an official, also from Samaria. These Samarians apparently wanted to assert their authority in Judah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:11–12 three days. Ezra 8:32 speaks of a similar length of time. in the night. Nehemiah aims to keep his mission secret from potential enemies as long as possible, but also from his own people till his plans are fully formed (see also Neh. 2:16).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:13–15 Nehemiah surveys the walls chiefly on the southern and eastern sides, i.e., the so-called 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, to which Nehemiah has had to descend because he cannot pass close to the walls higher up, since the rubble from their destruction has made passage impossible. He returns by the Valley Gate, having apparently made only a partial circuit.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 2:17 Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem. His own heart having been stirred up for the Lord’s work, Nehemiah calls on others to join him. suffer derision. A direct reference to the shame brought upon Jerusalem by God’s former judgment on it (Jer. 24:9).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:18 the hand of my God. See also 1:10; 2:8; Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31, and chart. This recurring expression recognizes that God was orchestrating blessing for his people. The people had to see that their bad situation was not irreversible because God could change things.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:19 The opponents of the people allege that they are rebelling against the king, an extremely serious charge, one that Artaxerxes had previously believed (Ezra 4:12–13, 19–22). The opponents now include Geshem the Arab, perhaps from Kedar in Arabia; Kedarites had settled close to Judah, east and south (see Isa. 21:16–17; Jer. 49:28–33).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 2:20 Nehemiah knows that the king is on his side, but he attributes his authority to the God of heaven. but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. Nehemiah clearly distinguishes between God’s people and the enemies of God who oppose the work. Once he is convinced that they are opposing the work of the Lord, he makes no effort to include them or even to pursue further discussions with them. A “portion” is an allocated share, as given to the tribes by Joshua (Josh. 18:5–6; 19:9); it is also used metaphorically of belonging (2 Sam. 20:1). “Right” is entitlement, and “claim” is literally “memorial,” i.e., a claim based in ancient tradition, and possibly referring to the right to worship in Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:1–7:4 The Wall Is Built, Despite Difficulties. This section records the building and repairing of the walls by all the people of Judah, despite the efforts of certain groups to stop them. Excavations on the Ophel hill of Jerusalem have uncovered remains of Nehemiah’s wall system. This wall system apparently incorporated walls from previous ages. It was not strongly built, and it reflects Jerusalem’s diminutive size at the time (see illustration).
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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Jerusalem at the Time of Nehemiah
c. 445 B.C.
Though Nehemiah gives a careful listing of the sections of Jerusalem’s walls that were rebuilt, it is difficult to be certain exactly which walls and gates he was referring to. The city had extended beyond the city of David and the Temple Mount by the time of Hezekiah, but it appears that only the Temple Mount and the city of David were enclosed within Nehemiah’s walls. An ambitious project nonetheless, it was completed in only 52 days, providing Jerusalem with some measure of protection from its enemies.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:1–32 The People Work Systematically on the Walls. The building work is described, and the workers are named, section by section. The point of this account is to show that the people as a whole responded to Nehemiah’s challenge and believed that God would give them success. The description of the work demonstrates the concerted effort of the people.
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 allocated to groups within the community, identified mainly by family and sometimes by where they lived. It began and ended at the Sheep Gate, on the northern side of the city (Neh. 3:32; see map). This was near the temple, and possibly was so named because sheep were brought through it for sacrifice (see also John 5:2). It may also be why the priests worked here, and why they consecrated the gate. The direction of the work on the wall was counterclockwise. Tower of the Hundred. See note on Neh. 2:7–8. The precise line of the walls followed by Nehemiah cannot be completely reconstructed. Regarding many of the features mentioned, little is known.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:3 The Fish Gate may have been at the northwest corner.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:4 repaired. The work is sometimes “building” and sometimes “repairing,” suggesting that the parts of the walls were in various states of dilapidation.
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. The Hebrew translated their Lord has the form of a plural (see esv footnote), but the plural form is often used to express respect to a single master: for this construction in relation to God, see 8:10; 10:29; cf. Deut. 10:17 (“Lord of lords”); Ps. 8:1; 135:5; 136:3; in relation to a man, see Gen. 42:33; Judg. 3:25. In view of the use in Nehemiah, this probably refers to God; but perhaps the form, which could refer to Nehemiah, is used to convey the notion that one properly serves God by obeying Nehemiah.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:7 Mizpah was an important administrative center after the fall of Jerusalem (Jer. 41:1). Apparently the Samarian governor of Beyond the River continued to hold sessions there.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:8 goldsmiths … perfumers. Many workers in the community were organized in guilds. The Broad Wall enclosed part of the western city (some of which has been excavated).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:9 ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. Similar expressions occur six times in vv. 12–18, referring to an administrative system that divided the province into perhaps six sections.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:13 Valley Gate … Dung Gate. See note on 2:13–15; and map. a thousand cubits. About 500 yards (457 m).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:15 Fountain Gate. See note on 2:13–15. city of David. The part of the city originally occupied by David, extending south of what is now the Temple Mount.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:16 On the eastern side of the city, Nehemiah has to build a new line of wall, rather than simply repair the old one, because the preexilic wall was so badly destroyed here. The line of the new wall is now described in relation to a variety of features of the city, most of which can no longer be certainly located. It is positioned higher up the slope of the Kidron Valley than the old one. After him. The regular way of describing each successive group of builders in this section. Nehemiah the son of Azbuk. This is a different Nehemiah, of course. ruler of half the district. See note on v. 9.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:23 opposite their house. This shows one factor in deciding who would build each section (see also vv. 28–29).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 3:26 temple servants. See note on Ezra 2:43–54. Ophel. A name for the whole southeastern hill. The Water Gate, in the old wall, had probably opened onto the Gihon Spring, the main water source outside the city wall.
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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:1–2 Sanballat. See 2:9–10. (The name of a later Sanballat appears on a 4th-century-B.C. papyrus from Wadi edh-Dhaliyeh, where fragmentary scrolls were found in a cave in the highlands near Samaria. In one of these scrolls a certain Sanballat administers the country.) Sanballat was angry and greatly enraged because of the challenge to his authority. he jeered (4:1). He is clearly worried by the Jews’ action, but expresses it in mockery, no doubt to encourage his brothers (or allies) to join him in resisting. army of Samaria. It is not clear whether Sanballat really had the authority to command an army. Will they restore it for themselves? Ironically, the answer to this and Sanballat’s subsequent mocking questions will be yes.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:4–5 Nehemiah interjects in his own voice a prayer similar to certain prayers for deliverance from enemies in the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 74; 79). He prays that what his enemies wish for him would return on their own heads; indeed, he prays that they would suffer captivity such as the Jews had recently experienced. The motive is not mere revenge but rather the honor of God, who is the real object of the enemies’ insults and whose purposes they do not understand.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:6 half its height. At this point, the project could still be thwarted. Yet the commitment of the people is a sign of likely success, since it is based on faith in God. for the people had a mind to work. One aspect of God’s blessing on this project was that he gave the people a deep desire to do the work, and he sustained that desire throughout the time that the wall was being built.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:7 Arabs … Ammonites … Ashdodites. Geshem was an Arab, and Tobiah an Ammonite (2:19; see also note on 2:10). It looks as though they belonged to certain groups in Judah who were strongly opposed to the project. Ashdod was formerly a Philistine city on the west (Mediterranean) coast, but it became the name of the entire province, first under Assyria, then under Persia. The people groups named here suggest that the Jewish community is surrounded on three sides—east, west, and south. This plot runs counter to the clear authorization that Nehemiah received from the Persian king, so it is hard to judge how successful it could hope to be. Yet surely it was intimidating, since Susa was about 1,100 miles (1,770 km) away, a journey of approximately 55 days (averaging 20 miles or 32 km per day). they were very angry. Probably because their own plans were failing.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard. Nehemiah has prayed before in a threatening situation (2:4). Along with his prayers, he takes prudent action.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:10–12 These verses tell of the same action described in v. 9 but spell it out at greater length and focus on the danger to the project. The task itself is massive and discouraging (v. 10); the enemies have terrified the people with the threat of a deadly night attack (v. 11); and the friends and families of people who have come in from the villages to work on the walls try to persuade them to come home because of the danger (v. 12).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:13 Nehemiah again sets a guard (see v. 9).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:14 Do not be afraid is both a command and an exhortation, rooted in the call to believe that God can overcome his enemies (see also Deut. 1:21, 29; Josh. 1:9), as he has in the past (in the exodus from Egypt and the capture of Canaan).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:15 God had frustrated their plan. From now on the immediate threat is apparently over, but the work continues with half the people’s attention given to defense.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:16 my servants. A group that was especially close to Nehemiah, and perhaps specially trained.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:17 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 kept their weapons close at hand (see vv. 16, 18, 23), ready to defend themselves from attack; God often accomplishes his purposes through ordinary human means.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:20 With the people spread out all around the wall, they were potentially vulnerable at every point (v. 19). Nehemiah addresses this problem by his plan to let the sound of the trumpet be heard, a well-established call to arms (cf. Judg. 3:27; 1 Sam. 13:3). Our God will fight for us. Cf. Ex. 14:14; Deut. 1:30.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:21–22 A final picture of watchfulness, both day and night. Nehemiah may have feared losing some of his workforce at night, so he kept them in the city (Jerusalem; v. 22).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 4:23 my servants. Nehemiah’s immediate associates (see v. 16). In not taking off their clothes, they remained prepared for engagement with the enemy, if need be.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 Nehemiah’s story of the restoration is not triumphalistic, for it tells of serious shortcomings in the community. great outcry. This is typical language of protest under oppression (see Ex. 2:23). The people are the rank and file of the Jews. And of their wives adds to the picture of families made desperate by hunger. Jewish brothers shows the strong bond among all Israelites, such that, by Mosaic law, none should permanently enslave or exploit another (see Deut. 15:1–18).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:2 Several kinds of complaints emerge in vv. 2–5, each concerning some cause of hardship, all made worse by the preoccupation with the walls, and apparently by a bad harvest. let us get grain. This cry, perhaps coming especially from the women, probably arises because the men who are fully engaged on the building project are not able to do their usual work and are therefore unable to feed their families.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:3–4 We are mortgaging, that is, raising money by temporarily forfeiting the use and fruit of their property, which means that they also risk becoming insolvent. Some are borrowing to pay the heavy tax on produce levied by the Persians.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:5 our flesh … our brothers. The complaint emphasizes the close relationship among Israelites (see note on v. 1). forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves. Temporary debt-slavery (but not permanent chattel-slavery) was permitted in Mosaic law among Israelites, and was often the only way a debt could be paid, either after six years (Deut. 15:12) or at the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:39–40). But even this practice might hit families hard in the current situation; there is also a suggestion that those taken into debt-slavery are not being treated properly.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:7 The nobles and the officials within the Jewish community are accused of oppressing their own people, showing that the danger to the community comes not only from outside but also from within. Oppression of the weak by the strong had been one of the reasons for God’s anger that had brought about the exile (see Isa. 5:7, 8–10; Amos 2:6–8). exacting interest. While property might be taken in pledge, pending repayment of a loan, taking interest from a fellow Israelite who borrowed out of poverty and need was forbidden (Deut. 23:19–20).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:8 our Jewish brothers. See vv. 1, 5. Nehemiah stresses this kinship in order to drive home the people’s neglect of this great principle underlying the law. sold … sell … sold. In his anger, Nehemiah brings 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 Nehemiah admits that he and his closest associates are implicated in the injustice and therefore presents his moral challenge as something to which he himself must respond.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:11–12 Return … their fields. This appeal not only commands a return of the interest that was illegitimately seized, but is apparently a general amnesty, occasioned by the crisis and going beyond the provisions for debt-release (Deut. 15:1–11) or jubilee (Leviticus 25), since it is to be done without delay. The people agree, and solemnly undertake to keep their word.
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 solemn, conventional way of compelling commitment to a course of action. By saying Amen, the whole assembly took upon itself 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 (i.e., Judea), within the larger province of Beyond the River, and indeed that others had done so before him. twentieth … thirty-second year. 445 to 433 B.C. food allowance of the governor. Governors apparently had the right to raise taxes for their own use, but Nehemiah has not taken this due.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:15 former governors. Nehemiah’s predecessors, however, had used the people for the enrichment of themselves and their servants. fear of God. Nehemiah might mean that he respects God’s law requiring all Jews to regard themselves as “brothers” (see vv. 1, 5, 8).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:16 I also persevered. Nehemiah has put himself on a par with his fellow Jews, laboring with them and not using his position for gain.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:17 at my table. This seems to refer to obligations that fell to Nehemiah by virtue of his position as governor. Those who came … from the nations may have been diplomatic visitors.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:18 This heavy burden (v. 17) makes Nehemiah’s self-sacrifice concerning the food allowance all the more remarkable. He does not wish to live comfortably while his people are in need.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 5:19 Remember. See note on 1:8–9. This is the first of Nehemiah’s prayers for God to remember: asking God to remember Nehemiah and his deeds, cf. 13:14, 22, 31; and to remember his opponents, cf. 6:14; 13:29. These prayers reflect the awareness that a merely human judgment might not achieve full justice. Nehemiah’s deeds demonstrate his sincere faith, while the schemes of the opponents demonstrate their opposition to the well-being of God’s people.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 6:1 With the wall almost complete, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the rest of our enemies (see 2:10, 19) turn in desperation to trickery, knowing that they cannot overcome the Jews by direct assault.
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 kind of neutral ground. Nehemiah sees it as a conspiracy against him, since he knows they want to frustrate his work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:3 I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Nehemiah would not divert time and effort from the Lord’s work for discussions with his enemies that he knew would be fruitless at best and probably dangerous to him as well.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:4 Nehemiah follows diplomatic protocol in the exchange of letters. Sanballat was, after all, the governor of Samaria, and relations with him would ultimately be important.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:5–7 Sanballat’s fifth attempt was an open letter (v. 5), its public nature intended to exert extra pressure on Nehemiah, perhaps by creating fear within his own community that his actions could lead to disaster. In the letter, Sanballat takes up the old allegation of rebellion against Persia (see Ezra 4:12–13) and claims to have testimony to it among the nations (Neh. 6:6), i.e., in the surrounding Persian provinces. you wish to become their king. … There is a king in Judah (vv. 6–7). If this charge were true, it would certainly inflame the Persians. And there was truth, of course, in the Jewish expectation of a coming Davidic king, based on prophetic promises (see Isa. 9:6–7; Jer. 23:5–6). A century earlier, Zerubbabel may have excited messianic expectations (see note on Ezra 2:2a). Sanballat portrays himself as loyal to Persia and also as the Jews’ friend, offering to defuse the danger posed by these alleged rumors. the (Persian) king will hear (Neh. 6:7). This is, of course, a veiled threat.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:6 you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. … you wish to become their king. These are lies and false accusations.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:8 Nehemiah flatly denies the accusations (vv. 6–7). While he may have held long-term messianic hopes, as many no doubt did, he remained a loyal servant of Artaxerxes. Nehemiah had no aspirations to kingship—nor indeed a claim to it, since there is no reason to think he was of the Davidic line.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:9 they all wanted to frighten us. Nehemiah sees the real intention of Sanballat’s maneuvering and expresses the issue at stake: the work cannot be prevented by the schemes of enemies—that had been settled from the start, because the favor of the king himself had been secured by God’s providence. Nehemiah acknowledges this fact by another prayer interjected into his narrative (see 2:4; 4:4–5; cf. note on 5:19).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:10 Shemaiah is not otherwise known, but 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 prophetic 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—NOTE ON 6:11 Nehemiah responds that such an act would be cowardly, and possibly sacrilegious.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:12 God had not sent him. Shemaiah was pretending to speak with prophetic authority, but Nehemiah sees that his prophecy was false.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:13 To be afraid would be in this case the opposite of having faith, and hence sin (see Deut. 1:28–33, also notes on Ezra 3:3; Neh. 4:14). This sort of unbelief would enable his enemies to taunt Nehemiah (see 5:9) and thus undermine his authority.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:14 Nehemiah thinks again of prayer, calling on God to remember those who had tried to turn him (and therefore also his fellow Jews) from faith (cf. Matt. 18:6). This “remember” is typical of Nehemiah’s prayers (Neh. 1:8; see note on 5:19), which always seek God’s justice, whether for blessing or for judgment. Tobiah is placed first again here, but the circle of Nehemiah’s enemies, including the prophetess Noadiah and other prophets, must have been considerable. Perhaps there were many incidents such as the one recorded here.
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. No doubt the speed of the building work itself contributed to the fear now felt by the enemies. Those enemies among the nations around us surely include Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, and their peoples (see 4:7). they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. If God had helped the people of Judah so remarkably in this way, the nations feared that this same God would turn Judah into a powerful nation that would be a threat to them.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:17 The complicity of the nobles of Judah with Tobiah now strongly emerges; it is an alliance based on the marriages of Tobiah, an “Ammonite” (2:10), and his son into families of the Jewish nobility. It is ironic that Tobiah is so highly regarded among the Israelites, in view of the measures Ezra had taken against intermarriage (Ezra 9–10). This perhaps explains Tobiah’s hostility to Nehemiah’s work, which was seen as being in continuity with Ezra’s work.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 6:18 bound by oath to him. It is not clear in what way they were bound. But there was clearly a powerful lobby 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), so it is surprising to find them in connection with guarding the walls. Yet the guarding of the city was ultimately related to establishing the worship of Yahweh in his temple.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:2 On Hanani, see 1:2. He and Hananiah (7:2) may possibly replace the “rulers” named in 3:9, 12.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:3 Caution is still necessary. The guards are appointed from among those who live in the city and thus are most committed to it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:4 Apparently the people are relatively few in number. The building of houses has taken second place to reconstructing the walls.
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. Cf. 2:12. Nehemiah maintains a close relationship with God, as evidenced by his frequent prayers and his clear convictions about God’s guidance. He now decides to make a census of the people, and 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). Therefore, its purpose is not to give new information but to highlight Nehemiah’s next concern after completing the walls, namely, to repopulate Jerusalem (see Neh. 7:4). He may have had in mind such prophecies as Isaiah 62. Regarding the discrepancies in exact numbers between the list of returning exiles in Ezra 2:1–67 and Neh. 7:6–66, various solutions have been proposed, and several factors may have contributed to the differences. Since Nehemiah was reading from a copy of an older list (either the list in Ezra or an official list that both of them consulted), the list may have been updated and corrected to allow for a number of births and deaths that occurred shortly after the exiles returned, and perhaps in some cases people were counted or grouped differently or in different categories. Either or both lists may also have been corrected and supplemented by a number of relatives who had been delayed on the journey by illness or for other reasons, and were added later. Some of the differences may also be due to copying errors.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 7:73b This half of the verse is an addition to Ezra 2:70. It brings the perspective of the narrative back to Nehemiah’s time. The reference to the seventh month (September/October)—a festival month including the Day of Atonement—leads into the covenant renewal that follows.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 narrative. This section shows the unity of his and Nehemiah’s projects. With the walls securely in place, the centrality of the Mosaic law is once again made prominent, since it is not security alone that is essential to the life of the community, nor even the temple, but trust in God and obedience to God’s Word as revealed through Moses. The whole passage has Leviticus 23 especially in mind.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 8:1 The Water Gate. See note on 3:26. The people could have gathered either inside or outside the gate. the Book of the Law of Moses. The phrase presumably refers here to all or most of what is known as the Pentateuch, though in Deuteronomy similar expressions apparently refer to that book in particular (Deut. 28:58, 61; 31:9; see also 2 Kings 22:8).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:2 priest. Ezra had authorization from Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:25–26), but more importantly, from the Mosaic law itself (Deut. 33:10). the assembly. The people of Israel gathered for worship. 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 be able to know and learn God’s ways as revealed to Israel. The reading and teaching of the law may have been neglected in the generations since the first return from Babylon. The first day of the seventh month was a day of “solemn rest,” like a Sabbath, in the month in which the Day of Atonement was kept and the Feast of Booths was celebrated (see Lev. 23:24–25, 27, 34). Remarkably, the Day of Atonement is apparently not observed on this occasion, or at least its observance is not recorded.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:3 from early morning until midday. The book was lengthy, and there may have been frequent pauses for explanation of the text (see note on v. 7).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:4 The platform, together with the group of leading men standing with Ezra, emphasized the solemnity of the reading, and allowed all the people to see and hear Ezra.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:5 opened the book. The act of reading, in this carefully organized 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 what was being read. Such interpretation was one of their special tasks (see also Deut. 33:10; 2 Chron. 17:7–9). In order to facilitate this teaching, the law may have been read in manageable sections. The kind of understanding meant is primarily spiritual, though there could also have been problems with basic concepts and even language and audibility.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:8 They read. The verse sums up vv. 3–7 and combines the reading and interpreting, though the primary reading was done by Ezra.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:9–12 The People Are to Be Joyful. Though sorrow for sin was a positive response, joy at renewed relationship with God was the teaching’s ultimate purpose.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:9 Nehemiah and Ezra together decide that this holy day (Lev. 23:24) should be one of joy, though the reading has led many to sense the need to repent of their sins.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:10 the joy of the LORD is your strength. As the people rejoiced in God and delighted in his presence, he would show himself strong to help them and defend them. “Joy” was a keynote because God had saved Israel, in both the remote and the recent past, and this story of salvation would have been told again in the reading of the Book of the Law.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:12 eat … drink … send portions. These are important themes of worship in Deuteronomy, where worship was associated with God’s rich gifts and the privilege of sharing them (Deut. 12:12; 14:23, 26, 27–29).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:13–14 The following day, the leaders of the community, taking up their responsibility for studying the Law, realize that they are in the month of the Feast of Booths, or the feast of the seventh month (Lev. 23:33–43).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:15 The people kept this feast by living in temporary dwellings made from branches to commemorate how they had lived in booths in the wilderness after God had brought them out of Egypt (Lev. 23:43).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:17 from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun. “Jeshua” is another form of “Joshua.” had not done so. Although the Feast of Booths had been celebrated on occasion (cf. 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chron. 7:9; Ezra 3:4), it had apparently not been celebrated in this way (with such overwhelming joy, or in such unsettled conditions, or with all the people participating).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 8:18 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
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 separated themselves from all foreigners. This is in line with the measures described in Ezra 9–10. Here it refers not just to marriage but 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 9:3 Book of the Law. See note on 8:1.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:4–5 Some of these leading Levites were among those who interpreted the law while Ezra read it (8:7–8). They now lead in prayer. Ezra himself has fallen into the background. Yet some translations have “And Ezra said” at the beginning of 9:6, following the ancient Greek text (see esv footnote), not the Hebrew.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:6–37 The prayer resembles in part Ezra’s prayer of confession upon his discovery of the problem of mixed marriages (Ezra 9:6–15). It has even more in common with certain psalms of confession (such as Psalm 78; 105–106), which interweave confession with memories of God’s grace, and notes of petition. The prayer follows the biblical story as told in Genesis–Kings.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:6–8 The Levites’ prayer begins with Genesis: the universal God of creation chose Abram and brought his descendants into the land he promised to them.
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. Together these sum 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 Ur of the Chaldeans is in southern Mesopotamia (see Gen. 11:31). the name Abraham. See Gen. 17:5.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:8 the covenant. God promised Abraham both descendants and land when he made a covenant with him. This was essentially a covenant of promise (Gen. 15:18–21; 17:4–8). The promise to drive out other nations has particular overtones in this period of restoration to the land. you are righteous. This is one of God’s essential characteristics (Deut. 32:4; Ps. 119:137), shown here in his faithfulness to his promises.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:9–15 The prayer now recalls God’s deliverance of Israel in the exodus from Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:9–11 heard their cry at the Red Sea. This telescopes the whole story from Exodus 2–15 (see Ex. 2:23–25; 14:1–15:27). signs and wonders … divided the sea. This phrase refers to the miracles done against Pharaoh to compel him 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 the place of the Mosaic covenant, where God gave the Ten Commandments and other rules, laws, statutes, and commandments, i.e., detailed instructions applying the force of the Ten Commandments to many cases in life. Law codes are found in Ex. 20:22–23:19; Leviticus; Deuteronomy 12–26.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:15 bread from heaven … water. Cf. Ex. 16:14–15; 17:6.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:16–18 Israel has often rebelled against God and must rely on his grace (see Deut. 9:4–6). 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 the actual appointment. Golden calf refers to the apostasy committed while the covenant was still being made at Sinai (Exodus 32; Deut. 9:7–21). Yet God was ready to forgive, gracious and merciful (Neh. 9:17). See Ex. 34:6–7. God immediately made a new covenant and promised his continued presence, despite Israel’s sin.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:19–21 The Levites’ confession continues to recount God’s goodness in the wilderness.
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, recounting God’s extraordinary preservation.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:22–25 At this point the prayer retells in brief the story of the occupation of the land. It covers the events of the book of Joshua, using the language of Deuteronomy. Sihon … Og. See Deut. 2:26–3:11. stars of heaven. See Deut. 1:10.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:25 a rich land. See Deut. 6:10–11; 8:7–10. The prospect of a plentiful land was accompanied in Deuteronomy by warnings that wealth could lead to abandonment of God (Deut. 6:12–15; 8:11–20). This is precisely what happened.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:26–28 This pattern of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance is typical of the book of Judges. killed your prophets. Cf. Matt. 23:31; Acts 7:52.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:29–31 The idea of God’s long patience with the Israelites’ sin, calling them back by the prophets but ending finally in judgment, is the story of 1–2 Kings (see 2 Kings 17).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:30 into the hand of the peoples. For the northern kingdom this meant Assyria (2 Kings 17), while for Judah it meant Babylon (2 Kings 24–25).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:31 you did not make an end of them. Second Chronicles 36:22–23 and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah demonstrate this.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:32–33 All the hardship refers to the sufferings of both exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian). The people have suffered greatly, yet God has been righteous (v. 33) in his judgment (see note on v. 8).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:34–35 The prayer acknowledges again that the people sinned amid God’s blessing.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:36–37 we are slaves. This sinfulness explains why the people are not yet entirely free and why the blessings of the land are not yet fully enjoyed under Persian rule, even though that rule is somewhat gentler than was the rule of Assyria and Babylon.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 9:38 To mend the situation, the people will now enter a solemn covenant (Hb. ’amanah). The word used is not the usual word for “covenant,” which is berit, but a rarer one that emphasizes faithfulness; the people pledge to keep faithfully what they now undertake.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:1–27 The long list of those who put their names to the covenant is designed to show that the entire community—priests, Levites, and lay leaders—was wholeheartedly behind it. These are prominent people in the community; many of their names have appeared before in Nehemiah (esp. in vv. 20–27; see also ch. 3).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:28–39 The people essentially undertake to keep the entire Mosaic law. The enumeration of laws is selective, however, highlighting major issues of their day.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:28–29 The range of those who solemnly agreed to the covenant is now widened to include all groups in the community.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:29 a curse and an oath. The two expressions convey together the people’s serious intention to keep their commitment. The “curse” refers to some terrible penalty, perhaps performed as a ritual, that they accept as their due if they fail (see 1 Kings 19:2; Jer. 34:18). commandments … rules … statutes. See note on Neh. 9:13–14.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:30 The Mosaic prohibition of intermarriage with the peoples of the land (as worshipers of other gods) is in the forefront because it was such a problem in the recent past (Ezra 9–10).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:31 The Sabbath commandment (Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15) was no doubt important as a key marker of Israel’s identity compared with the surrounding groups of people who did not acknowledge Yahweh as their God. Trading with these people 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 the normal work of cultivation was prohibited (Lev. 25:2–7).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:32 third part of a shekel. No Pentateuchal law requires this tax, so it is a new commitment. (See, however, Moses’ particular levy in Ex. 30:11–16.) The purpose is to support the service of the house of our God; God’s people must be true to their calling as a worshiping community.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:33 This is intended as a comprehensive list of the offerings and occasions of temple worship. showbread. See Lev. 24:5–9.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:34 wood offering. Again, no specific law requires this tax, but the need for it is implied in Lev. 6:12–13; for this reason it is said, it is written in the Law.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:35–37 These verses summarize the agricultural offerings made to supply the temple personnel, as specified in various Pentateuchal laws (e.g., Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Num. 18:12–13; Deut. 26:1–11). These offerings were not always paid (see Neh. 13:10).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:36 firstborn of our sons. In fact, these were “redeemed” by sacrifice (Ex. 13:13; 34:20). herds … flocks. See Num. 18:15–18 and Deut. 15:19–23.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:37 first of our dough. See Num. 15:20–21 and Deut. 18:4. Tithes are due to the Levites according to Num. 18:21–24, though the laity participates in a celebration of the tithe at the sanctuary in Deut. 14:22–27.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:38 the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God. This refers to the Levites’ offering of part of the tithe to the priests (Num. 18:25–32). Even those who serve in the temple were responsible to give to God from what they received.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 10:39 not neglect the house of our God. To maintain the temple personnel is at the same time to care for the temple and to honor God, and thus to foster covenant faithfulness.
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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 leaders of the community are concentrated in Jerusalem, but the picture of an underpopulated city is reinforced here (see also 7:4). The people in the provincial towns cast lots to decide who should relocate to the capital. one out of ten. It is not said how the people decided on this plan.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:2 the men who willingly offered. Perhaps this implies that there were not enough of them to make up the required one in 10 (v. 1), but another interpretation is that this is simply another way of describing those who were chosen to go to Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:3 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:4 sons of Judah … sons of Benjamin. These were the two tribes of the southern kingdom (see 1 Kings 12:21–23) that had composed the exiles in Babylon, and now compose the community that has been restored.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:9 second over the city. See also 3:9, 12. It is not made clear how these offices relate.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:11 The ruler of the house of God is the high priest.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:12 of the house. This probably means inside the temple; contrast v. 16.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:16 the outside work of the house of God. This is a lesser role than that of the priests in v. 12, befitting the Levites’ lower rank.
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 one’s ancestral property (see note on Ezra 2:59–63). Ophel. See note on Neh. 3:26.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:23–24 command from the king. This must mean the Persian king (rather than King David, who had originally organized the Levitical singers; 1 Chronicles 25), since the note about Pethahiah as being at the king’s side must mean that this person was responsible for Jewish affairs at the royal court. He may have taken over in this role from Ezra for reasons unknown.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:25–36 This list of villages is prompted by the allusion to the population in the province as opposed to Jerusalem (see v. 1). A number of the place-names in Judah occur also in Josh. 15:20–63. For the villages of Benjamin, see also Ezra 2:26–33. See map.
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 11:30 from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. The people of Judah lived in the area south of Jerusalem. Beersheba was in the far south of the territory, and the Valley of Hinnom was on the southern edge of Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:31–35 The villages of Benjamin lie mainly to the north and west of Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 11:36 The Levites were in effect a third tribe in the restored community, for they originally had settlements throughout the land (see Joshua 21). This verse simply records that since the restored community did not consist of Judah alone, the Levites did not relate only to that tribe.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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 was sustained during a very difficult era in Israel’s history.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:1a Zerubbabel … and Jeshua. Zerubbabel was the first leader of the exiles who returned to Judah following the decree of King Cyrus in 538 B.C., and Jeshua was the high priest who returned with him. This was about a century before Nehemiah (see note on Ezra 2:2a).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:1b–9 A list of priests in the time of Zerubbabel is listed, followed by a list of Levites from the same time.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:12–21 Joiakim was high priest in succession to Jeshua (cf. v. 10), so this list now gives the priests in his day. It includes Ezra (v. 13), so Joiakim was evidently still high priest when Ezra came to Jerusalem. heads of fathers’ houses (v. 12). The list proceeds by family names: thus, Meraiah was priest in the (priestly) family of Seraiah. Some of the family names occur in vv. 1–7.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:22–23 The Levites are now recorded by family. The period from the high priesthoods of Eliashib to Jaddua corresponds approximately to that in vv. 10–11. As with the priests, a record was kept according to families.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:22 Darius the Persian is a reference to 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. That is, David as a prophet as recorded in v. 36; 1 Chron. 25:2; 2 Chron. 8:14. In each of these texts his prophetic ministry was in connection with the organization of the priests and Levites for the temple service. Joiakim was high priest in Ezra’s time (see Neh. 12:12), though by Nehemiah’s time apparently Eliashib held that office (3:1). But the whole period of Ezra and Nehemiah is here regarded as unified and associated with Joiakim.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:27 Gladness … singing is reminiscent of the joy at the completion of the temple (Ezra 3:10–13). Joy is the right attitude at all feasts of celebration before the Lord (see Deut. 12:18; 16:14; Neh. 8:9–12).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:28–29 Families of Levitical singers had settled in villages around Jerusalem to be near the place of their work. The Netophathites were from Netophah, near Bethlehem. Beth-gilgal is presumably the same as Gilgal, near Jericho (see Josh. 4:19). Geba and Azmaveth were to the north of Jerusalem.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:30 They had purified themselves, as in readiness for a solemn act of worship (see Ex. 19:10, 14–15), perhaps by certain ritual acts such as washing clothes (Num. 8:5–7).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:31–37 Two great choirs symbolically enclose the whole city for the purpose of the dedication. Ezra goes with the southern group, accompanied by half the leaders of Judah and priests playing instruments. Dung Gate (v. 31). See note on 2:13–15. Fountain Gate … Water Gate (12:37). See notes on 3:15; 3:26; and map.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:38–43 Nehemiah goes with the group on the northern wall. The pattern is the same as for the southern wall.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:38–39 For the topographical details, see 2:11–16 and 3:1–32.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:40 Both processions continue into the temple area, where they meet for the culmination of the ceremony.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:43 joy of Jerusalem. See note on v. 27.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:44–13:31 Nehemiah Deals with Problems in the Community. This section records problems that arose in the administration and practice of storing contributions for the temple and its personnel. It also describes Nehemiah’s ongoing problems with his people and his opponents.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:44–47 The Administration of Offerings for the Temple. The purpose of this section is to recall that the work of the priests and Levites had been put in place from ancient times, and that since the days of Zerubbabel (a century before Nehemiah) they had been duly provided for.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:44 On that day. Arrangements for overseeing the proper collection of tithes and other offerings are made afresh at the time of the dedication of the wall. For the offerings themselves, see notes on 10:35–37; 10:38; 10:39. portions required by the Law. The Pentateuchal requirement (Lev. 7:33) applied only to the priests, but here it is widened to include all the Levites (an adaptation to the needs of the postexilic community; 2 Chron. 31:19 probably records a similar adaptation).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 12:45–46 The roles of the various branches of Levites are recapitulated. command of David. See v. 24.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:1–9 Ejection of Tobiah the Ammonite from the Temple. Nehemiah’s opponents were as resilient as he was. His absences led to setbacks. Still in connection with the ceremony of dedication, a new resolution is made in respect to protecting the community from foreign religion.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:1–2 On that day. See 12:44. no Ammonite or Moabite. This text closely follows Deut. 23:3–5, which expressly excluded Moabites and Ammonites from the religious assembly of Israel (for several generations) because of their historical enmity against Israel and their infectious idolatry (see Numbers 22–25).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:3 separated … foreign descent. This resembles the measures taken by Ezra a decade or so earlier (Ezra 9–10), but there is no sign here of compulsory divorce. Note Ezra 6:21, which allowed foreigners to join Israel if they embraced the Jewish religion, as in the book of Ruth (who was a Moabite).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:4–9 The connection of these verses with vv. 1–3 lies in the fact that Tobiah, already known to be an enemy of the community (2:10; 4:7–8), was an Ammonite. Eliashib’s offense is also related to the theme of the proper administration of tithes and offerings (12:44), because Tobiah has been given a room in the temple reserved for these.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:4 Now before this. The time is unspecified.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:6 I was not in Jerusalem. When Nehemiah was given leave of absence, the king had required him to name a time for his return (2:6). It is not clear whether he had traveled more than once between Jerusalem and the royal court. In any case, he is now called back in the thirty-second year (433 B.C.; cf. 1:1) for an unspecified time. The journey to Susa took about 55 days to travel the 1,100 miles (1,770 km), and another 55 days to return (averaging 20 miles or 32 km per day). Eliashib (see 12:10) may have been opposed to Nehemiah’s policy of strict separation from the community’s neighbors, and thus may have taken advantage of his perhaps lengthy absence. king of Babylon. An unexpected name for the Persian Artaxerxes; but see Ezra 5:13 and 6:22, where Persian kings are called king of Babylon and Assyria, respectively. This is because the successive empires in some sense took on the identity of their predecessors. In addition, Artaxerxes might actually have been holding court in Babylon at the time. Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem must have been before Artaxerxes’ death in 423 B.C.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:9 Cleansed, that is, purified in a ritual sense. Nehemiah sees the misuse of the temple as a desecration. He restores the polluted area to its proper use.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:10–14 Dealing with Neglect of the Offerings. The incident in the temple was not isolated, for the provision for the clergy had effectively lapsed, and as a result the worship itself had suffered because the clergy had to leave Jerusalem, which was disastrous for the community. Contrast the commitments made by the people in 10:32–39. Nehemiah once again puts the administration of the offerings on a firm footing, so that the restored community can actually live out its covenant privilege.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:11 I confronted the officials. Note Nehemiah’s fearless action (see also v. 17).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:14 Remember me. This prayer, asking in typical idiom (see 1:8; 5:19; 6:14) that God should take note of his faithful actions, somewhat resembles certain psalms, in which the psalmist pleads his righteousness in the context of praise (e.g., Psalm 7; 17; see also Neh. 13:22, 29–30).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:15–22 Dealing with Sabbath Breaking. The community once again sins, this time by breaking the Sabbath, which leads Nehemiah to rebuke the people.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:15–16 The people of Judah break the Sabbath by trading. Tyrians. Foreigners would not be bound by the Sabbath law, of course, but they find a ready market among the Jews.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:18 Did not your fathers act in this way … ? Sabbath breach was a telling aspect of previous generations’ lax attitude toward the Torah (see Jer. 17:19–27; Amos 8:4–6). Here the exile is attributed to it.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:19–22 Nehemiah still has enough personal authority and resources to enforce his reforms (though it is not clear whether he is still governor at this point).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:22 the Levites … purify themselves. Implicitly, through negligence, the gatekeeper Levites had been failing in their duties and needed to be ritually purified again for their task.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:23–29 The Problem of Intermarriage Again. Ignoring commitments (like Sabbath keeping) that should have sustained Israelite identity had led to intermarriage with persons of other religions.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:23–27 Ezra’s measures (Ezra 9–10) apparently had little lasting effect. The real problem of mixed marriages is illustrated vividly here, as the children of these unions, in losing the language of Judah (Neh. 13:24), were in effect losing their entire religious heritage.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:25–27 In his violent but symbolically powerful reaction, Nehemiah calls the people back to the Mosaic law (Deut. 7:1–5) and points to the example of Solomon, who was turned from faithfulness to the Lord by his foreign wives (1 Kings 11).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:28 The spiritual adulteration through intermarriage has even affected the family of the high priest Eliashib, who once more appears on the side of religious laxity.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:29 Remember them. See also 6:14. covenant of the priesthood. A reference to the special obligations laid on the priests and Levites, for the sake of the whole people (cf. 1 Sam. 2:27–36; Mal. 2:4–9).
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 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.
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON 13:31 wood offering. See 10:34. Remember me. See 13:14. This prayer stands alone, and may be taken as a general prayer that God should keep in view all of Nehemiah’s work, from start to finish.