Nehemiah Commentaries

Nehemiah 1

1:1–7:73a Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and successfully leads a 52 day “rebuilding of the wall” project (cf. 6:15).

1:1—2:20 This section details how Nehemiah became the governor of Judah (cf. 5:14; 8:9; 10:1; 12:26).

1:1 The words of Nehemiah. The personal records of this famous royal cupbearer, whose name means “Jehovah comforts,” (cf. 3:16; 7:7; 8:9; 10:1; 12:26, 47) contribute greatly to this book. Unlike Esther and Mordecai, named after Mesopotamian deities Ishtar and Marduk, Nehemiah was given a Heb. name. Hachaliah. Nehemiah’s father is mentioned again in Neh. 10:1, but nowhere else in the OT. Chislev. This is in Nov./Dec. 446 B.C., 4 months before Nisan (Mar./Apr.), when Nehemiah came before the king to get permission to go to Jerusalem (2:1). twentieth year. The 20th year (ca. 446/445 B.C.) in the reign of Persian king Artaxerxes (ca. 464–423 B.C.; cf. 2:1). Shushan. Also known as Susa, this city was situated E of Babylon, about 150 mi. N of the Persian Gulf. Shushan was one of the Medo-Persian strongholds, a wintering city for many officials, and the setting of Esther.

1:2 Hanani. Apparently a sibling of Nehemiah (cf. 7:2), he had gone to Jerusalem in the second return under Ezra’s leadership (ca. 458 B.C.). Jews…Jerusalem. Nehemiah was deeply concerned about the people and the city, especially during the previous 13 years, since the second return under Ezra (458 B.C.).

1:3 wall of Jerusalem…gates. The opposition had successfully thwarted the Jews’ attempts to reestablish Jerusalem as a distinctively Jewish city capable of withstanding its enemies’ assaults, which could possibly lead to another destruction of the newly rebuilt temple (ca. 516 B.C.; cf. Ezra 4:7–23).

1:4 sat down and wept, and mourned for many days. Although Nehemiah was neither a prophet nor a priest, he had a deep sense of Jerusalem’s significance to God and was greatly distressed that affairs there had not advanced the cause and glory of God.

1:5–11 This prayer represents one of the Scripture’s most moving confessions and intercessions before God (cf. Ezra 9:6–15; Dan. 9:4–19).

1:5 keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You. After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, God kept His promise to restore His people to the Promised Land. The promise appeared to be failing, and Nehemiah appealed to God’s character and covenant as the basis by which He must intervene and accomplish His pledges to His people.

1:6 we have sinned against You. Nehemiah may have believed that the sins of the returnees (cf. Ezra 9, 10) had prompted God to change His mind and withhold His favor from the Jews.

1:7 commandments…statutes…ordinances. Those which are recorded in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

1:8 Remember. Not a reminder to God as if He had forgotten, but a plea to activate His Word.

1:8, 9 the word…Moses. This represents a summary of various Mosaic writings. On “scattering” (v. 8) see Deut. 4:25–28; 28:63–65. On “regathering” see Deut. 4:29–31; 30:1–5.

1:10 redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. His allusion to the Exodus redemption recalled the faithful and strong hand of God which had brought Israel out of bondage once before and grounded his confidence in God’s power as the basis of his appeal for a second deliverance that will be as successful as the first.

1:11 who desire to fear Your name. Nehemiah alluded to the fact that Israel was the place which God had chosen for His name to dwell (1:9); the people desired to fear His name and, thus, were praying for God’s intervention. in the sight of this man. The reference to King Artaxerxes anticipated the discussion in 2:1ff. the king’s cupbearer. As an escort of the monarch at meals, the cupbearer had a unique advantage to petition the king. Not only did the king owe him his life since the cupbearer tested all the king’s beverages for possible poison, thus putting his own life at risk, but he also became a close confidant. God sovereignly used this relationship between a Gentile and Jew to deliver His people, such as He did with Joseph, Daniel, Esther, and Mordecai.

Nehemiah 2

2:1 Nisan. Mar./Apr. 445 B.C. twentieth year. See note on 1:1. when wine was before him. Since the act of tasting wine to ensure it was not dangerous to the king strengthened the trust between king and cupbearer, this was the appropriate time for Nehemiah to win Artaxerxes’ attention and approval. Not surprisingly, kings often developed so much trust in their cupbearers that the latter became counselors to the kings. Now I had never been sad. Sadness was a dangerous emotion to express in the king’s presence. The king wanted his subjects to be happy, since this reflected the well-being brought about by his administrative prowess.

2:2 dreadfully afraid. He feared that either his countenance, his explanation, or his request would anger the king and thus lead to his death (cf. Esth. 4:11 with 5:1–3).

2:3 tombs…gates. Nehemiah’s deep concern and sadness over the condition of Jerusalem and his people was expressed in his reference to tombs and gates. A tomb was a place to show respect for dead community members who birthed the living generation and passed on their spiritual values to them. Tombs were also the place where the present generation hoped to be honored by burial at death. Gates were emblematic of the life of the city, since the people gathered for judicial procedure or basic social interaction near the gates. The burned gates represented the death of social life, i.e., the end of a community of people.

2:4 What do you request? The king rightly interpreted Nehemiah’s sad countenance as a desire to take action on behalf of his people and homeland. His immediate response to the king’s question illustrates how continual his prayer life was (cf. 1:6). God of heaven. See note on Ezra 1:2.

2:5 that I may rebuild it. The request undeniably referred to the city walls, for there could be no permanence without walls, but it also may have included political and administrative rebuilding as well.

2:6 the queen. Since Esther was the queen of the previous king Ahasuerus (Xerxes) ca. 486–464 B.C. and the stepmother of Artaxerxes, it could be that she had previously influenced the present king and queen to be favorably disposed to the Jews. return. This presupposes that Nehemiah was being dispatched on his desired mission and upon its completion would return to Persia (cf. Neh. 13:6).

2:7 let letters be given to me. Official letters transferred a portion of the king’s authority to Nehemiah. In this context, he needed to pass through the lands of Judah’s enemies who could harm him or prevent him from rebuilding Jerusalem. The roads upon which messengers, ambassadors, and envoys of all sorts traveled had stations where such letters could be inspected for passage. Three months of travel from Susa to Jerusalem was long, dangerous, and ridden with protocol where letters were required for passage. The danger associated with the passage, but particularly the administrative authority which Nehemiah carried in the letters, led Artaxerxes to send captains of the army and horsemen with Nehemiah for protection (2:9). See notes on Ezra 1:11; 7:8, 9.

2:8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest. Lumber was a very precious commodity. This is illustrated in a document from one ancient city in Mesopotamia in which a forest official is taken to court for cutting down a tree. Forests were carefully guarded, and written permission from the king would assure Nehemiah of the lumber he would need to build the citadel, wall reinforcements, and his own residence from which he would administrate the reconstruction. citadel. This edifice located next to the temple on the NW side was a fortified building for the purpose of guarding the temple. It was subsequently rebuilt by Herod and named Antonia. the good hand of my God upon me. This refrain is common to both Ezra and Nehemiah. It is a frequent reminder in these inspired books that God works through His servants to accomplish His will (cf. Ezra 1:5; 7:6).

2:9—3:1 The journey from Persia to Jerusalem and the preparation period was to be 3–4 months (cf. 2:1 with 6:15).

2:9 I went to the governors. Nehemiah’s encroachment upon their provincial control posed a tremendous threat to these officials. If handled improperly, disregard for the other local officials would have put Nehemiah’s life and the lives of those in Jerusalem in jeopardy. To prevent such a reaction, God had moved the Persian king to dispatch royal army captains and horsemen to accompany Nehemiah and to guard against such attacks.

2:10 Sanballat…Tobiah. These men were probably also behind the opposition described in Ezra 4:7–23 which stopped the work in Jerusalem. Sanballat served as governor of Samaria (Horonaim being a town in Moab, he was probably a Moabite) and Tobiah of the region E of the Jordan. These district magistrates were leaders of Samaritan factions (see chap. 6) to the N and E. They had lost any recourse to prevent Judah from rebuilding since God’s people were authorized to fortify their settlement against attack from enemies such as these two officials. To overtly attack or oppose the Jews would be to oppose the Persian king.

2:11–16 Nehemiah spent 3 days discerning what course to follow before informing anyone of his plan; then, he wisely viewed the terrain in secret and surveyed the southern end of the city, noting the broken and burnt conditions of the walls and gates.

2:13, 15 Valley Gate. Nehemiah began and ended his trip at the same spot (cf. 3:13) on the W side.

2:13 Serpent Well. The exact location is unknown, although it is somewhere in the southern section of Jerusalem. Refuse Gate. A.k.a. Dung Gate. At the southern tip of the city (cf. 3:13; 12:31) a common sewer ran to the Kidron Brook into the Valley of Hinnom.

2:14 Fountain Gate. The exact location is unknown, although it was somewhere in the southern section of Jerusalem, probably on the E side. King’s Pool. Possibly the pool of Siloam (cf. 3:15).

2:15 the valley. The Kidron Valley, running N and S to the E of the temple mount.

2:17 we may no longer be a reproach. The destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar brought great reproach upon Israel, but particularly upon their God. Nehemiah assured the Jews (v. 20) that because God would prosper them in this endeavor for His glory, they should move ahead.

2:18 The sight of Nehemiah’s credentials and his motivating message revived their drooping spirits to begin the building despite the bitter taunts of influential men (vv. 19, 20).

2:19 Sanballat…Tobiah. See note on 2:10. Geshem the Arab. This ruler most likely officiated to the S of Jerusalem.

2:20 God of heaven. Cf. Neh. 1:5 and see note on Ezra 1:2. Not only did Nehemiah have the king’s permission and was not rebelling, but he had God’s protection. Those enemies who tried to intimidate against the work had neither, since they were not commissioned by God or the king.

Nehemiah 3

3:1—7:3 A detailed account of rebuilding the wall is given.

3:1 Eliashib the high priest. The grandson of Jeshua the High-Priest in Zerubbabel’s era (cf. Neh. 12:10). built. On the fourth of Ab, (Jul./Aug.) 445 B.C. (cf. 6:15). Sheep Gate. This is located in the NE section of Jerusalem (cf. 3:32; 12:39). The narrative moves around the perimeter of Jerusalem in a counterclockwise direction. Tower of the Hundred…Tower of Hananel. This northern section of Jerusalem opened up to the central Benjamin plateau where enemy forces could attack most easily from the N. The rest of the perimeter of the city was protected by the natural valley topography.

3:3 Fish Gate. So named because merchants sold fish on the northern side of Jerusalem. Men of Tyre and other coastal towns routinely brought fish to sell (cf. 12:39; 13:16).

3:5 nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. One explanation, beyond just the laziness of the rich, is that these nobles had been pledged to Tobiah for personal gain (6:17–19).

3:6 the Old Gate. Believed to be in the NW corner of Jerusalem (cf. 12:39).

3:8 the Broad Wall. On the western side of the northern sector (cf. 12:38).

3:11 Tower of the Ovens. On the western side of Jerusalem (cf. 12:38).

3:13 the Valley Gate. See note on 2:13, 15. the Refuse Gate. See note on 2:13.

3:15 Pool of Shelah. See note on 2:14. the King’s Garden. In the SE sector.

3:16 tombs of David. Cf. 2:5. Presumably in the SE sector. House of the Mighty. This location is probably associated with David’s mighty men (cf. 2 Sam. 23:8–39).

3:19 the Armory. Located on the eastern side of Jerusalem.

3:26 Ophel. An area S of the temple mount, near the Water Gate, where the Nethinim lived (cf. 2 Chr. 27:3; 33:14; Neh. 11:21). the Water Gate. Near the Gihon Spring on the E side of Jerusalem (cf. 8:16; 12:37).

3:28 the Horse Gate. In the NE sector.

3:29 the East Gate. Possibly located to the E of the temple mount.

3:31 the Miphkad Gate. In the NE sector.

3:32 the Sheep Gate. Having traveled around Jerusalem in a counterclockwise direction, the narrative ends where it began (cf. 3:1; 12:39).

Nehemiah 4

4:1–23 This section describes the intimidation and opposition to the project.

4:2 the army of Samaria. While it is a possibility that his intentions were to provoke the military force to action, since that would have brought the Persian overlord down on Samaria swiftly, harassment and mockery (v. 3) became the primary strategy to prevent the reconstruction of the walls.

4:4, 5 Nehemiah’s dependence on his sovereign God is never more evident than in his prayer (cf. 1:5–11; 2:4).

4:7, 8 the Ashdodites. Added to the list of enemies already given are the dwellers of Ashdod, one of the former Philistine cities to the W of Jerusalem. Apparently they came to the point where they were at least contemplating a full-scale attack on Jerusalem because of the rapid progress of the wall.

4:9 The Jews exhibited a balance between faith in God and readiness, employing some of the wall builders as guards.

4:10 so much rubbish. Lit. “dust,” the term refers to the rubble or ruins of the prior destruction (586 B.C.), which they had to clear away before they could make significant progress on the rebuilding of the walls.

4:11, 12 Part of the strategy of the enemy coalition was to frighten and intimidate the Jews by making them think their army would soon surprise them with a massive force that would quickly engulf them.

4:13–15 positioned men. Nehemiah and the others had received word that Sanballat had mustered the army of Samaria (4:2). In fact, God made sure the strategy was known by letting the nearby Jews know, so they would report it to Judah’s leaders. Though vigilant, armed, and ready, Nehemiah and those he led consistently gave God the glory for their victories and construction successes.

4:16–18a The threats cut the work force in half, and even those who worked carried weapons in case of attack (cf. v. 21).

4:18b–20 trumpet. Among other functions, trumpets were used to sound an alarm in the event of danger or to summon soldiers to battle. Nehemiah kept a trumpeter at his side always, so that the alarm could be sounded immediately. His plan also included perpetual diligence (vv. 22, 23).

Nehemiah 5

5:1–13 Enemy opposition and difficult times in general had precipitated economic conditions which had a devastating effect on Judah’s fragile life. The effect of this extortion on the morale of the returnees was worse than the enemy opposition.

5:1–5 Jewish brethren. Perhaps this refers again to the nobles who would not work and had alliances with the enemies (see note on 3:5). The people were fatigued with hard labor, drained by the relentless harassment of enemies, poor and lacking the necessities of life, lacking tax money and borrowing for it, and working on the wall in the city rather than getting food from the country. On top of this came complaints against the terrible exploitation and extortion by the rich Jews who would not help, but forced people to sell their homes and children, while having no ability to redeem them back. Under normal conditions, the law offered the hope of releasing these young people through the remission of debts which occurred every 7 years or in the 50th year of Jubilee (Lev. 25). The custom of redemption made it possible to “buy back” the enslaved individual at almost any time, but the desperate financial situation of those times made that appear impossible.

5:7 I rebuked the nobles and rulers. The commitment of the nobles and rulers to the reconstruction project was negligible (cf. 3:5), while their loyalty to Tobiah and others in opposition added to their opportunistic attitudes, placing them close to the status of opposition. They had become the enemy from within. exacting usury. Usury can refer to normal interest or it can signify excessive interest. According to Mosaic law, the Jews were forbidden to take interest from their brothers on the loan of money, food, or anything else. If the person was destitute, they should consider it a gift. If they could pay it back later, it was to be without interest (see Lev. 25:36, 37; Deut. 23:19, 20). Such generosity marked the godly (see Ps. 15:5; Jer. 15:10; cf. Prov. 28:8). Interest could be taken from foreigners (Deut. 23:20). Interest loans were known to exceed 50 percent at times in ancient nations. Such usury took advantage of people’s desperation and was virtually impossible to repay, consuming their entire family assets and reducing the debtors to permanent slavery. See notes on Deut. 23:19, 20; 24:10–13.

5:8 we have redeemed. Nehemiah denounced with just severity the evil conduct of selling a brother by means of usury. He contrasted it with his own action of redeeming with his own money some of the Jewish exiles, who through debt had lost their freedom in Babylon.

5:10 I also. Nehemiah set the example again by making loans, but not in exacting usury.

5:11 Restore now to them. To remedy the evil that they had brought, those guilty of usury were to return the property they had confiscated from those who couldn’t pay the loans back, as well as returning the interest they had charged (see notes on Luke 19:2–10).

5:12 an oath. The consciences of the guilty were struck by Nehemiah’s words, so that their fear, shame, and contrition caused them to pledge the release of their loans and restore property and interest, including setting slaves free. This cancellation of debt had a profoundly unifying effect on both sides of the indebtedness. The proceedings were formally consummated with the people binding themselves by a solemn oath from the priests (with them as administrators) that they would be faithful to the pledge.

5:13 shook out the fold. This curse rite from the governor, Nehemiah, called down God’s wrath upon anyone who would not follow through with his commitment to release debts. The people agreed and did as they had promised.

5:14 twentieth year. See note on 1:1. thirty-second year. The year Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes in Persia (ca. 433 B.C.; cf. 13:6). ate the governor’s provisions. This refers to the provisions from the Persian administration, but from which he had chosen not to partake because it would have to come from taxing his poverty-stricken people (v. 15). The statement is testimony to the wealth of Nehemiah gained as the king’s cupbearer in Persia. Verses 17, 18 record that he supported 150 men with abundant provisions who ruled with him (and their families), indicating the personal wealth he had brought from Babylon.

5:15 forty shekels. Approximately one lb. of silver. because of the fear of God. Nehemiah would not exact usury from his fellow countrymen as his predecessors had, because he viewed it as an act of disobedience toward God.

5:16 we did not buy any land. Even though the time to purchase property from those forced to sell couldn’t have been better, Nehemiah maintained a consistent personal policy not to take advantage of another’s distress. He worked on the wall rather than spending his time building personal wealth.

5:18 governor’s provisions. See note on 5:14. In the ancient Near East, it was customary to calculate the expense of a king’s establishment, not by the quantity of money, but by the quantity of his provisions (cf. 1 Kin. 4:22; 18:19; Eccl. 5:11).

5:19 Remember me. The first of 4 such prayers (cf. 13:14, 22, 31).

Nehemiah 6

6:1 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem. See notes on 2:10, 19.

6:2 sent to me. This suggests either a letter or an oral message delivered by messenger to Nehemiah. Satisfied that they could not prevent Nehemiah’s project from succeeding by open military engagement (see note on 4:13–15), they decided to overcome him by deception. plain of Ono. Located S of Joppa on the western extremity of Judah along the seacoast.

6:3 So I sent messengers. Because he knew they were luring him into a trap, he sent representatives, who themselves might have been killed or imprisoned for ransom.

6:5 open letter. Official letters were typically rolled up and sealed with an official signet by the letter’s sender or one of his assisting officials. An open or unsealed letter was not only a sign of disrespect and open criticism, but also suggested the information therein was public knowledge. The goal of this document was to intimidate Nehemiah into stopping the work.

6:6 It is reported among the nations. The letter suggested that Nehemiah’s intent to revolt was common knowledge which would get back to the king of Persia if he didn’t come to the requested conference. you and the Jews plan to rebel. This information would have brought Persian troops against the Jews had it been true. Even though Judah had a reputation for breaking its allegiances with its overlord kings, on this occasion that was not the case. rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. Artaxerxes had commissioned the rebuilding of the wall based on his relationship of trust with Nehemiah. Once the project was accomplished, the king expected Nehemiah to return to Susa. Allegations that Nehemiah was fortifying the city so that he might be made king would seriously violate the Persian king’s trust, if not create a war. The plot was an attempt to intimidate Nehemiah with the idea that a wedge was to be driven between Nehemiah and Artaxerxes so that Nehemiah would come to the meeting with those enemies—a meeting that would have featured his death.

6:7 appointed prophets to proclaim. If there were such prophets, Sanballat actually hired them to feed incorrect information generating the false rumor (cf. 6:10–14). By dispatching such prophets to make public proclamations that Nehemiah had made himself king, the Persian imperial rule would have appeared to be supplanted.

6:10 secret informer. When the open letter failed to intimidate Nehemiah into stopping the work and coming to a meeting, his enemies decided to try intimidation from within. They hired a false prophet (v. 12), Shemaiah, to lure Nehemiah into the Holy Place in the temple for refuge from a murder plot. To enter and shut himself in the Holy Place would have been a desecration of the house of God and would have caused people to question his reverence for God. Shemaiah was the son of a priest who was an intimate friend of Nehemiah. This plan would give them grounds to raise an evil report against Nehemiah, who was not a priest and had no right to go into the Holy Place (cf. 6:13). It could also make the people question his courage (v. 11). Other disloyal Jews included: 1) the nobles (3:5; 6:17); 2) Jews who lived near Sanballat (4:12); 3) Noadiah (6:14); 4) Meshullam (6:17–19); 5) Eliashib (13:4, 7); and 6) the High-Priest’s grandson (13:28). the house of God. This is a frequently used name for the temple (cf. 8:16; 10:32–39; 11:11, 16, 22; 12:40; 13:4, 7, 9, 11, 14).

6:15 Elul. Aug./Sept., 445 B.C. Knowing that the project lasted 52 days, it commenced on the fourth of Ab (Jul./Aug.) 445 B.C.

6:16 this work was done by our God. While modern readers might be tempted to exalt the leadership qualities which brought the work to completion, Nehemiah’s conclusion was seen through the eyes of his enemies, i.e., God works through faithful people, but it is God who works. This is a change from the attitudes indicated in 4:1 and 5:9.

6:17–19 the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah. Nehemiah added a footnote that in the days of building the wall, the nobles of Judah who refused to work (3:5) were in alliance and correspondence with Tobiah because, although his ancestors were Ammonites (2:19), he had married into a respectable Jewish family. Shemaiah was from the family of Arah (Ezra 2:5); his son Jehohanan was the son-in-law of Meshullam who shared in the work of building (3:4, 30). According to 13:4, the High-Priest, Eliashib, was related to Tobiah (which is a Jewish name). The meddling of these nobles, by trying to play both sides through reports to Tobiah and to Nehemiah (v. 19), only widened the breach as Tobiah escalated efforts to frighten the governor.

Nehemiah 7

7:2 Hanani. Cf. 1:2. the citadel. See note on 2:8.

7:3 In the ancient Near East, it was customary to open the city gates at sunrise and close them at sunset. Nehemiah recommended that this not be done, because of the hostility of the enemies. Rather the gates were to be kept shut until well into the heat of the morning when everyone was up and active. When the gates were shut, they were to be guarded by sentinels at watch stations and in front of their own vulnerable homes (v. 4).

7:5a my God put it into my heart. Throughout the book, Nehemiah claimed the hand of God was at work in all circumstances (cf. 2:8, 18; 6:16).

7:5b, 6 I found a register. Nehemiah discovered a register of the people made by Ezra in Babylon before the first group returned, a listing of the people who had come with Zerubbabel.

7:6–73a Nehemiah gave the list of those in the first return from Persia to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. See notes on Ezra 2:1–70. Minor discrepancies are possibly due to Ezra listing those who intended to depart, while Nehemiah listed those who actually arrived; or some other unknown reason.

7:65 consult with the Urim and Thummim. One of the methods used to discern the will of God on a specific matter. See note on Ex. 28:30.

7:73b–10:39 God gave revival under Ezra’s spiritual leadership.

7:73b–8:12 The revival began with an exposition of God’s Word.

7:73b seventh month. The month of Tishri (Sept./Oct.), 445 B.C., less than one week after completing the walls (cf. 6:15). The Feast of Tabernacles usually began on the fifteenth day (cf. 6:14 with Lev. 23:33–44), but here it began on the second (cf. 8:13), and it was a feast to which the whole nation was called. Usually the Feast of Trumpets occurred on the first day (cf. Lev 23:23–25).

Nehemiah 8

8:1, 2 the Book…the Law. In response to the people’s request, Ezra brought the law of the LORD, which he had set his heart to study, practice, and teach to the people (cf. Ezra 7:10). At this time, the law was a scroll, as opposed to a text consisting of bound pages. Such a reading was required every 7 years at the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. Deut. 31:10–13), even though it had been neglected since the Babylonian captivity until this occasion.

8:1 the Water Gate. See note on 3:26. Ezra. This is the first mention of Ezra in the book of Nehemiah, though he had been ministering in Jerusalem since 458 B.C. (cf. Ezra 7:1—13:44).

8:3 read…understand. Here is the general summary of the event of reading and explaining the Scripture from daybreak to noon, a period of at least 6 hours (more detail is added in vv. 4–8).

8:4 platform…beside him. The platform was big enough to hold 14 people for the long hours of reading and explaining (v. 8). The men, probably priests, stood with Nehemiah to show agreement.

8:5 stood up. In respect at the reading of God’s Word, as though they were in the presence of God Himself, the people stood for all the hours of the exposition.

8:6 blessed the LORD. A praise befitting the reading. In a synagogue, the reading is preceded by a benediction. The response of “Amen, Amen” was an affirmation of what Ezra prayed.

8:7, 8 Some of the Levites assisted Ezra with the people’s understanding of the Scripture by reading and explaining it.

8:8 gave the sense. This may have involved translation for people who were only Aramaic speakers in exile, but more likely it means “to break down” the text into its parts so that the people could understand it. This was an exposition or explanation of the meaning and not just translation. helped them to understand the reading. In this act of instruction, Ezra’s personal commitment to study the law, practice it in his own life, and then teach it (Ezra 7:10) was reflected.

8:9 governor. See note on 5:14. Ezra the priest. Cf. Ezra 7:11, 12, 21; 10:10, 16. wept, when they heard the words of the Law. When they heard and understood God’s law, they understood their violations of it. Not tears of joy, but penitent sorrow (8:10) came forth as they were grieved by conviction (8:11) over the distressing manifestations of sin in transgressing the LORD’s commands and the consequent punishments they had suffered in their captivity.

8:10–12 the joy of the LORD is your strength. The event called for a holy day of worship to prepare them for the hard days ahead (cf. 12:43), so they were encouraged to rejoice. The words they had heard did remind them that God punishes sin, but also that God blesses obedience. That was reason to celebrate. They had not been utterly destroyed as a nation, in spite of their sin, and were, by God’s grace, on the brink of a new beginning. That called for celebration.

8:13—9:37 The Jews celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles and confessed their history of sins.

8:13 in order to understand the words of the Law. The smaller group that gathered to Ezra consisted of those who had teaching responsibilities: the heads of the father’s houses to their families, and the priests and Levites to the general population in the community (Mal. 2:6, 7).

8:14 Cf. Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23:33–44; Num. 29:12–38; Deut. 16:13–17 for details on the Feast of Tabernacles.

8:15, 16 they should announce and proclaim. Proclamations such as this carried the authority of the administration represented by leaders such as Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra, the priest and scribe (8:9) who had been used to reestablish the city, its worship, and its social life. The people responded to their directive.

8:16 Water Gate. See notes on 3:26; 12:37. Gate of Ephraim. This is believed to have been near the Old Gate (cf. 3:6; 12:39).

8:17 since the days of Joshua…very great gladness. Tabernacles had been celebrated since Joshua (2 Chr. 7:8–10; Ezra 3:4), but not with such joy.

8:18 This was more than was required and arose from the exuberant zeal of the people.

Nehemiah 9

9:1 this month. Tishri (Sept./Oct.), 445 B.C. (cf. 7:73b; 8:2). with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust. The outward demonstration of deep mourning and heaviness of heart for their iniquity seems to have been done in the spirit of the Day of Atonement which was normally observed on the tenth day of the seventh month (cf. Lev. 16:1–34; 23:26–32).

9:2 separated themselves from all foreigners. This call for divorcing all lawful wives taken from among the heathen was needed, since the last time, prompted 13 years before by Ezra (see notes on Ezra 10) had only been partially successful. Many had escaped the required action of divorce and kept their pagan wives. Perhaps new defaulters had appeared also, and were confronted for the first time with this necessary action of divorce. Nehemiah’s efforts were successful in removing this evil mixture.

9:3 they stood…read…confessed and worshiped. The succession of events helped to reestablish the essential commitment of Israel to God and His law. They read for 3 hours about the sins of their fathers and for 3 more hours confessed that they had been partakers of similar evil deeds. In response to all of this, they worshiped.

9:4–37 This long confession of sin in the context of the recitation of God’s mighty redemptive acts on Israel’s behalf is an expression of worship (v. 3) that recalls some of the psalms in their theme and worshipful purpose. This season of national humiliation centered on adoring God for His great mercy in the forgiveness of their multiplied iniquities, in delivering them from judgment, protecting them, and blessing them graciously. Apparently, this great prayer of worship offered to God was recited by a group of Levites (vv. 4, 5) indicating it had been prepared and adopted beforehand, probably by Ezra. This prayer initiated the 3 hours of confession and worship (v. 3), which led to a national promise of obedience to God in the future (v. 38).

9:6 have made heaven. The recitation was ordered historically, although themes of promise and judgment are traced through Israel’s history with God. The first feature is the celebration of God’s greatness as Creator (cf. Gen. 1, 2). The host of heaven worships You. The praise which Israel offered on earth was also echoed in the heavens by angelic hosts.

9:8 found his heart faithful before You. The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:4–7; 17:1–9) was based on God’s faithfulness to His Word and given to a man who was faithful to Him. See notes on Gen. 15:6 and Rom. 4, where the faithful heart of Abraham is discussed. a covenant with him to give the land. The covenant was a covenant of salvation, but also involved the Promised Land. The people, having just returned from captivity, understandably emphasized that feature of the covenant, since God had returned them to the Land.

9:9–12 This section of the prayer of praise and confession recounts the Exodus (see Ex. 2–15).

9:10 made a name for Yourself. God established His righteous reputation over the powers of Egypt by the miracles of immense power performed in Egypt.

9:13–19 The months at Sinai are remembered (see Ex. 19–40).

9:17 They appointed a leader. The Heb. of this statement is almost a repeat of Num. 14:4, which records the discontent of the people with God’s plan and Moses’ leadership.

9:19–21 This section remembers the 38 years of wandering in the wilderness (cf. Num. 9–19).

9:21 They lacked nothing. The same word is used in Ps. 23:1, “I shall not want.” Even during the long season of chastisement, God miraculously cared for their every need.

9:22–25 These verses encompass the period of possessing the Promised Land, as recorded in Num. 20-Josh. 24.

9:22 gave them kingdoms and nations. Canaan was comprised of a number of politically semi-autonomous groups all loosely connected under the waning authority of Egypt. The Lord divided Canaan into tribal districts, thus apportioning the Land for Israel’s possession.

9:23 multiplied their children. A nation of offspring was another aspect of the promise made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3). God told Abraham that his seed would be like the stars of heaven (Gen. 15:5) and Ex. 1:1–3 reminded Israel that their multiplication in Egypt was nothing short of miraculous.

9:24 subdued before them. Moses said in Ex. 15:3, “The LORD is a man of war.” As Israel’s military leader and king, He led them into battle to defeat their enemies and take the Land.

9:26–31 This section summarizes the period from the judges to the Assyrian deportation (722 B.C.) and Babylonian exile (586 B.C.). See 2 Kin. 17–25.

9:26 who testified against them. God’s prophets brought them to God’s court to be judged by His law. This theme is repeated throughout the message (vv. 29, 30, 34).

9:32 Now therefore. Having reviewed the faithfulness of God to the Abrahamic Covenant (vv. 7, 8) throughout Israel’s national history, the prayer picks up with the present time confessing their unfaithfulness to (vv. 33–35) and renewed commitment to the Mosaic Covenant (vv. 36–38). kings of Assyria…this day. This statement sweeps across a summary of Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian domination of the nation for almost 4 centuries up to that time.

9:36, 37 in it…over us. The praise prayer rejoices that the Jews have been returned to the Land, but grieves that Gentiles still rule over them.

9:37 much increase to the kings. Because God’s people continued in widespread sin, enemy kings enjoyed the bounty that would have been Israel’s.

9:38 because of all this. The history of God’s faithfulness, in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness, is the ground of a pledge and promise which the people make to obey God and not repeat the sins of their fathers.

9:38—10:39 The nation makes a new covenant with God to keep the Mosaic law. Though well intended, as they had been in Ex. 24:1–8, their failure was forthcoming (see note on 13:10–13).

9:38 We make a sure covenant and write it. A covenant was a binding agreement between two parties. In short, it was a formalized relationship with commitments to loyalty. In this case, the nation initiated this covenant with God.

Nehemiah 10

10:1–27 The list of sealed signatures on the covenant were from the leaders. Surprisingly, Ezra’s name is not listed.

10:28 Nethinim. See note on Ezra 2:43–54. who had separated themselves. These are those who 1) had followed the demand of Ezra and Nehemiah to divorce pagan spouses or 2) had been left in the Land but never joined themselves to any heathen, thus remaining separate. Intermarriage with the nations had previously precipitated an influence in Israel which had culminated in Babylonian slavery, thus playing a major role in Israel’s unfaithfulness to the covenant.

10:29 a curse and an oath. Covenants characteristically were ratified by an oath ceremony in which the parties swore to the terms of the covenant. A curse rite was often included wherein the slaughtering of an animal indicated similar consequences for the covenant breaker. Israel’s pledged adherence to the law was thus solemnly affirmed.

10:30 not give our daughters…nor take their daughters. Parents controlled marriages, so this part of the covenant came from them. Again, it stressed the serious matter of marrying a heathen from an idolatrous people (see Ezra 10).

10:32–39 The remainder of the conditions the people made in their covenant involved matters of the temple.

10:32, 33 we made ordinances. What the people were committing themselves to do by covenant turned into law requiring a one-third shekel temple tax. The Mosaic ordinance required one-half of a shekel (see Ex. 30:11–16), but the severe economic straits of the time led to the reduced amount. By the time of Christ, the people had returned to the Mosaic stipulation of one-half of a shekel. See note on Matt. 17:24.

10:34 The carrying of the wood for the constantly burning altar (Lev. 6:12 ff.) had formerly been the duty of the Nethinim, but few of them had returned from Babylon (7:60) so more people were chosen to assist in this task.

10:35–39 Laws for all the offerings and tithes were reinstated so as not to “neglect the house of our God” (v. 39).

10:35–37 firstfruits…firstborn…firstborn. These laws required the firstfruits of the ground (see Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Deut. 26:2), the firstfruits of the trees (see Lev. 19:24; Num. 18:13), the firstborn sons redeemed by the estimated price of the priest (see Num. 18:15), and the firstborn of the herds and flocks (see Ex. 13:12; Num. 18:15, 17). All of this was kept at the storehouses near the temple and distributed for the support of the priests and Levites. The Levites then gave a tenth of what they received to the priests (cf. Num. 18:26).

Nehemiah 11

11:1—13:31 Details of Nehemiah exercising his governorship are given in this section.

11:1—12:26 Jerusalem and Judah are resettled.

11:1 cast lots. A method of decision making which God honored (Prov. 16:33). Nehemiah redistributed the population so that one out of every 10 Jews lived in Jerusalem. The other 9 were free to reestablish their family heritage in the Land.

11:3–24 The people who dwelt in Jerusalem are identified.

11:21 Ophel. See note on 3:26.

11:25–36 These are the places where 90 percent of the people dwelt outside of Jerusalem (cf. Ezra 2:21–23, 27, 34).

Nehemiah 12

12:1–26 Originally there were 24 courses of priests, each course serving in the temple for a period of two weeks per year or for one month biannually (see 1 Chr. 24:1–20). Only four of those houses returned from Babylon (see 7:39–42; Ezra 2:36–39) but these were divided into 24 courses of which 22 are listed here. Perhaps two are omitted because their families had become extinct, because no sons were born since the time Zerubbabel originally named them. This then is a selective rather than exhaustive listing of priests and Levites from the time of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, recording the key priests and Levites through 3 generations of High-Priests: 1) Jeshua who came in the initial return with Zerubbabel ca. 538 B.C. (vv. 1–11); 2) Joiakim, the son of Jeshua (vv. 12–21); 3) Eliashib (cf. 3:1) the son of Joiakim (vv. 22, 23); 4) a miscellaneous group who served in the days of Joiakim (vv. 24–26).

12:1 Zerubbabel…Jeshua. See note on Ezra 2:2.

12:10, 11 This record lists 6 generations of High-Priests beginning with Jeshua. The Jonathan of v. 11 is the Johanan of v. 22.

12:12–21 Each of the 22 families in vv. 1–7 is repeated, except one (cf. Hattush; v. 2). Perhaps by the time of Joiakim’s High-Priesthood, this family had become extinct, the fathers having no male off-spring.

12:22 Darius the Persian. This refers to Darius II, ca. 423–404 B.C.

12:23 book of the chronicles. Lit. “were written on the scroll of the matters of the days.” This involved precise genealogical records kept in the administrative archives of Judah.

12:27—13:3 The walls were dedicated.

12:27–43 the dedication of the wall. In the same manner marking the dedications of the temple in Solomon’s day (2 Chr. 5–7) and the rebuilt temple several decades earlier (Ezra 6:16–18), the rebuilt walls were dedicated with the music of thanksgiving (most likely shortly after the events of Neh. 9).

12:30 purified. See Lev. 16:30 for the sense of moral purity in this symbolic act.

12:31–40 They probably assembled at the Valley Gate on the W. One of the choirs was led by Ezra (v. 36), the other accompanied by Nehemiah (v. 38). Moving in different directions (v. 38), they assembled together in the temple area (v. 40).

12:31 Refuse Gate. See notes on 2:13; 3:13.

12:36 the musical instruments of David. This phrase could refer to the same kind of instruments David’s musicians used or the actual instruments constructed in David’s time, now being used centuries later. Cf. 1 Chr. 15:16; 23:5; 2 Chr. 29:26; Ezra 3:10. the man of God. See note on Deut. 33:1; cf. Acts 13:22.

12:37 the Fountain Gate. See note on 2:14. the Water Gate. See notes on 3:26; 8:16.

12:38 opposite way. This second choir marched clockwise to the N (cf. 12:31). Tower of the Ovens. See note on 3:11.

12:39 the Gate of Ephraim. See note on 8:16. the Old Gate. See note on 3:6. the Fish Gate. See note on 3:3. the Tower of Hananel. See note on 3:1. the Tower of the Hundred. See note on 3:1. the Sheep Gate. See notes on 3:1, 32. the Gate of the Prison. Located in the NE section of Jerusalem.

12:43 for God had made them rejoice. The God of all joy (cf. 1 Chr. 12:40; Neh. 8:10; Pss. 16:11; 33:1; 43:4; Gal. 5:22) activated their inner joy which brought corporate celebration. Though these may have been few and far between, moments like this characterized the life of obedience and blessing which God had set before Israel.

12:44–47 A listing of miscellaneous temple activities is given.

12:44 specified by the Law. Cf. Lev. 7:34–36; Deut. 18:1–5.

12:45 the command of David…Solomon. Cf. 1 Chr. 25, 26.

12:47 the children of Aaron. The priests.

Nehemiah 13

13:1–31 Nehemiah left Jerusalem in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes ca. 433 B.C. (cf. 5:14; 13:6) and returned to Persia as he promised (cf. 2:6). During his absence, the people returned to their former ways, led by the High-Priest Eliashib (vv. 4, 5). Such a defection called for the needed reforms of vv. 1–3, 10–30. It was during Nehemiah’s absence that Malachi also wrote his prophetic book indicting both priests and people for their sinful defection. Possibly having heard of Eliashib’s evil, Nehemiah returned (vv. 4–7). Nehemiah 13 was the last portion of the OT to be written.

13:1, 2 On that day they read from the Book of Moses. Not surprisingly, as they read on the regular calendar cycle, they were confronted with areas in which their thinking and practice had wavered from the Scriptures, specifically with regard to the requirements of Deut. 23:3–6.

13:2 Balaam. See Num. 22–24.

13:3 This was done in compliance with their recent pledge (cf. 10:26–29) before Nehemiah left for Persia.

13:4 Tobiah. See note on 2:10. Eliashib had allied with Israel’s enemy for some personal gain and taken it to such an extreme as to desecrate the house of God.

13:6 I had returned to the king. Nehemiah returned to Persia as he promised (cf. 2:6) ca. 433 B.C., in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes (cf. 5:14). It is unknown exactly how long Nehemiah remained in Persia, perhaps until ca. 424 B.C., but in that interval the disobedience developed.

13:7–9 Nehemiah’s response to the desecration of the temple was similar to Christ’s almost 5 centuries later (cf. Matt. 21:12, 13; John 2:13–17).

13:9 articles of the house of God. In order to accommodate Tobiah, they had moved the articles of the house of God from their rightful place and put idols in the temple courts.

13:10–13 In Nehemiah’s absence, the Jews violated their previous covenant with God regarding offerings (cf. 10:35–40) as reported by Mal. 1:6–14 and 3:8–12. In his presence, it was immediately restored (see notes on 9:38—10:39).

13:10 gone back to his field. By neglecting the tithe, the people failed to support the Levites. Consequently, they had to abandon their responsibilities in the house of God and perform field labor in order to survive.

13:14 Remember me. This refrain is used 3 times here, once after each rebuke (cf. 13:22, 31).

13:15–17 They went against their previous covenant by violating the Sabbath (cf. 10:31).

13:16 Tyre. A Phoenician coastal town 20 mi. S of Sidon.

13:18 Jeremiah had rebuked their fathers for the same things (see Jer. 17:21ff.). By such acts their fathers had brought the misery of exile and oppression, and they were doing the same—increasing God’s wrath against them.

13:19–22 Nehemiah had to force compliance with threats.

13:23–29 Both the priests and the people had married pagans of the land in violation of the Mosaic law (cf. Ex. 34:15, 16; Deut. 7:3), the earlier reforms of Ezra (cf. Ezra 9, 10), and their own covenant (cf. 10:30). Malachi spoke against this sin (Mal. 2:10–16).

13:23 Ashdod. See note on 4:7. Ammon, and Moab. Neighboring countries E of the Jordan whose beginnings were by Lot’s incestuous relationship with his two daughters (cf. Gen. 19:30–38).

13:28 Even the grandson of the High-Priest (cf. 12:10) sinfully married a daughter of Sanballat (see note on 2:10).

13:29, 30 Malachi 2:1–8 recognizes the uncleanness within the priesthood.

13:31 Remember me. Nehemiah prayed this for the third time (cf. 13:14, 22), desiring God’s blessing on his obedient efforts.