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Nehemiah

Rebuilding the Wall

Summary  |  About  |  Why You Should Read it  |  Author  |  When Written |  Context  |  Timeline  |  Location  |  Outline  |  Observations  |  Resources


Summary

The Book of Nehemiah is one of the historical books of the Old Testament, focusing on the period after the Babylonian exile when the Jewish people were returning to rebuild Jerusalem. It chronicles the efforts of Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes, who becomes a key leader in restoring the city’s walls and reinvigorating the spiritual and communal life of the Jews in Jerusalem.

Key Themes:

  1. Rebuilding Jerusalem’s Walls: Nehemiah hears about the ruined state of Jerusalem and seeks permission from the king to return and oversee the rebuilding of its walls. Despite opposition from surrounding enemies, Nehemiah organizes the people and successfully completes the wall’s reconstruction in 52 days.
  2. Leadership and Governance: Nehemiah emerges as a model leader who demonstrates dedication, integrity, and effective organization. He faces external threats, internal corruption, and disunity, yet maintains focus on his mission.
  3. Spiritual Renewal: After rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah partners with Ezra the priest to lead a religious revival. This includes the public reading of the Law, confession of sins, and a renewed covenant to follow God’s commandments.
  4. Opposition and Perseverance: Throughout the book, Nehemiah encounters intense opposition from figures like Sanballat, Tobiah, and others. Despite these challenges, he persists through prayer, strategy, and faith.
  5. Reformation of the Community: Nehemiah addresses various social and economic issues among the Jewish people, such as exploitation, Sabbath violations, and intermarriage with foreign nations. He institutes reforms to restore justice and faithfulness to the Mosaic Law.

The following table provides a high-level look at the structure and contents of the book of Nehemiah.


About

Nehemiah is the 16th book of the Bible and the 11th of the Historical books of the Old Testament.


Why You Should Read It

The Book of Nehemiah provides valuable lessons on leadership, faith, perseverance, and spiritual renewal. Here are a few reasons why it’s important:

  1. Model of Godly Leadership:

Nehemiah is a strong example of a leader who is both strategic and prayerful. He demonstrates how to lead by example, rally people toward a common goal, and overcome challenges with wisdom and faith. Christians can learn from his balance of reliance on God and practical action, making it a great resource for anyone seeking to lead others in a godly way.

  1. Power of Prayer:

Nehemiah constantly seeks God’s guidance through prayer, showing a Christian the importance of staying connected to God, especially in times of difficulty. His life shows how prayer is not just a last resort but a vital part of every step in accomplishing God’s will.

  1. Perseverance in the Face of Opposition:

Nehemiah faced strong opposition from enemies, yet he trusted God and kept going. This can encourage Christians to stand firm in their faith and mission, even when confronted with obstacles, criticism, or hostility. It’s a reminder that doing God’s work often attracts resistance but that perseverance leads to success.

  1. Spiritual Renewal and Commitment:

After the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah helps the people rediscover God’s Word, leading to repentance and renewed commitment. This emphasizes the importance of not just building external structures but also nurturing spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. Christians are encouraged to examine their own lives for areas where they need spiritual renewal and realignment with God’s commands.

  1. Community and Justice:

Nehemiah addresses issues of social justice, like exploitation and corruption, and calls for a fair and just society rooted in God’s law. This challenges Christians to not only be concerned about their personal relationship with God but also the well-being of their community. It emphasizes the importance of living out one’s faith through justice and integrity in all aspects of life.

  1. Vision and Purpose:

Nehemiah had a clear vision from God for the restoration of Jerusalem, and he pursued it with determination. Christians can be inspired to seek God’s purpose for their lives and pursue it with focus and determination, trusting in God’s provision and timing.

By reading Nehemiah, Christians are reminded of the power of faith in action, the importance of leadership rooted in prayer, and the necessity of both physical and spiritual restoration in fulfilling God’s mission.


Author

The authorship of the Book of Nehemiah is traditionally attributed to Nehemiah himself, as much of the book is written in the first person, particularly in sections where Nehemiah describes his own actions, thoughts, and prayers. These personal reflections suggest that Nehemiah played a direct role in recording at least part of the narrative.


When Written

The Book of Nehemiah was likely written in the 5th century BC, during or shortly after the events it describes. The timeline centers around Nehemiah’s governorship in Jerusalem, which took place between 445 and 433 BC under the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes I.


Context

The Book of Nehemiah was written in the context of the post-exilic period of Jewish history, specifically during the return of the Jewish people to their homeland after the Babylonian exile. This era follows the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, which led to the Jewish people being taken into exile in Babylon. The book reflects the efforts to rebuild both the physical and spiritual life of the Jewish community in Jerusalem. The following provide some key contextual elements of the book:

  1. Persian Rule:

The events of Nehemiah take place during the rule of the Persian Empire, which had conquered Babylon. In 538 BC, the Persian king Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple (as described in the Book of Ezra). Nehemiah’s role comes later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes I (465–424 BC), who permitted Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s walls and serve as governor.

  1. Rebuilding Jerusalem:

Jerusalem had been in ruins for decades following the Babylonian conquest. The Temple had been rebuilt under Zerubbabel (around 516 BC), but the city itself remained vulnerable, with its walls still destroyed. Nehemiah’s mission was to restore the physical defenses of the city, symbolizing a restoration of dignity and security for the Jewish people.

  1. Religious and Spiritual Restoration:

Along with the physical rebuilding, there was a deep need for spiritual renewal. Many of the returning exiles had intermarried with non-Jewish peoples, and they had neglected the Mosaic Law. Nehemiah, working alongside Ezra the scribe, led the people in rediscovering and recommitting to the Torah, resulting in a revival of covenant faithfulness.

  1. Opposition from Surrounding Peoples:

The Jews faced significant opposition from neighboring groups, such as the Samaritans, Ammonites, and Ashdodites. These groups viewed the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls as a threat to their own influence and power in the region. Nehemiah faced plots, intimidation, and direct threats, making the rebuilding project both physically and politically challenging.

  1. Social and Economic Challenges:

Beyond external opposition, the Jewish community itself was struggling with social and economic problems. Some of the wealthier Jews were exploiting their poorer brethren through high-interest loans and the seizure of land and property. Nehemiah dealt with these internal issues by instituting reforms to bring justice and unity to the community.

In summary, the Book of Nehemiah was written in the context of a fragile Jewish community returning from exile, seeking to restore their identity, religious practices, and city under foreign rule, while facing both internal and external challenges.


Timeline

The timeline below shows from the Exile to Jesus Christ.  Nehemiah takes place is the 400s B.C.


Location

Nehemiah starts out in Babylon as the cupbearer to the king. He then moves to Jerusalem to oversee the building of the wall.


Outline

I.      Nehemiah’s First Administration (chs. 1-12)

A.     Nehemiah’s Response to the Situation in Jerusalem (ch. 1)

1.     News of the plight of Jerusalem (1:1-4)

2.     Nehemiah’s prayer (1:5-11)

B.      Nehemiah’s Journey to Jerusalem (2:1-10)

1.     The king’s permission (2:1-8)

2.     The journey itself (2:9-10)

C.      Nehemiah’s First Actions upon Arrival (2:11-20)

1.     His nocturnal inspection of the walls (2:11-16)

2.     His exhortation to rebuild (2:17-18)

3.     His response to opposition (2:19-20)

D.      List of the Builders of the Wall (ch. 3)

1.     The northern section (3:1-7)

2.     The western section (3:8-13)

3.     The southern section (3:14)

4.     The eastern section (3:15-32)

E.      Opposition to Rebuilding the Wall (ch. 4)

1.     The derision of Sanballat and Tobiah (4:1-5)

2.     The threat of attack (4:6-15)

3.     Rebuilding the wall (4:16-23)

F.      Social and Economic Problems (ch. 5)

1.     The complaints of the poor (5:1-5)

2.     The cancellation of debts (5:6-13)

3.     Nehemiah’s unselfish example (5:14-19)

G.      The Wall Rebuilt Despite Opposition (ch. 6)

1.     Attempts to snare Nehemiah (6:1-9)

2.     The hiring of false prophets (6:10-14)

3.     The completion of the wall (6:15-19)

H.      List of Exiles (7:1-73a)

1.     Provisions for the protection of Jerusalem (7:1-3)

2.     Nehemiah’s discovery of the list of returnees (7:4-5)

3.     The returnees delineated (7:6-72)

4.     Settlement of the exiles (7:73a)

I.      Ezra’s Preaching and the Outbreak of Revival (7:73b;10:39)

1.     The public exposition of the Scriptures (7:73b;8:12)

2.     The Feast of Tabernacles (8:13-18)

3.     A day of fasting, confession and prayer (9:1-5a)

4.     A recital of God’s dealings with Israel (9:5b-31)

5.     Confession of sins (9:32-37)

6.     A binding agreement (9:38)

7.     A list of those who sealed it (10:1-29)

8.     Provisions of the agreement (10:30-39)

J.       New Residents of Judah and Jerusalem (ch. 11)

1.     New residents for Jerusalem (11:1-24)

a.      Introductory remarks (11:1-4a)

b.       Residents from Judah (11:4b-6)

c.       From Benjamin (11:7-9)

d.       From the priests (11:10- 14)

e.      From the Levites (11:15- 18)

f.       From the temple staff (11:19-24)

2.     New residents for Judah (11:25-36)

a.      Places settled by those from Judah (11:25-30)

b.       Places settled by those from Benjamin (11:31-35)

c.       Transfer of Levites from Judah to Benjamin (11:36)

K.      Lists of Priests and the Dedication of the Wall (ch. 12)

1.     Priests and Levites from the first return (12:1-9)

2.     High priests and Levites since Joiakim (12:10-26)

3.     Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (12:27-43)

4.     Regulation of the temple offerings and services (12:44-47)

II.      Nehemiah’s Second Administration (ch. 13)

A.       Abuses during His Absence (13:1-5)

1.     Mixed marriages (13:1-3)

2.     Tobiah’s occupation of the temple quarters (13:4-5)

B.      Nehemiah’s Return (13:6-9)

1.     His arrival (13:6-7)

2.     His expulsion of Tobiah (13:8-9)

C.      Reorganization and Reforms (13:10-31)

1.     Offerings for the temple staff (13:10-14)

2.     Abuse of the Sabbath (13:15-22)

3.     Mixed marriages (13:23-29)

4.  Provisions of wood and firstfruits (13:30-31)


Observations

  • Whereas Ezra deals with the religious restoration of Judah, Nehemiah is primarily concerned with Judah’s political and geographical restoration.
  • The first seven chapters deal with the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem.
  • The Book of Nehemiah takes Bible readers to the end of the historical account in the Old Testament, some 400 years before the birth of Christ.
  • Nehemiah is the cupbearer to Artaxerxes, King of Persia.
  • Nehemiah is governor of Jerusalem from for 14 years, from 444 B.C. to 432 B.C.
  • The life of Nehemiah demonstrates:
    • Courage
    • Compassion for the oppressed
    • Integrity
    • Godliness
    • Selflessness
  • As had Moses some 1,000 years earlier, Nehemiah was willing to give up the comforts of a palace in order to help his people.
  • In the Book of Nehemiah, everything in Judea is restored except the king. The next king would be the Messiah.
    • The Temple is rebuilt.
    • Jerusalem is reconstructed.
    • The covenant is renewed.
    • The people are reformed.
    • The Messianic line is intact.
  • Return under Nehemiah takes place 13 years after the return led by Ezra, and some 94 years after the return led by Zerubbabel.
  • Malachi ministers as a contemporary of Nehemiah.
  • Concerning the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem:
    • Nehemiah challenged the people to build the wall. 2:18
    • The “people had a mind to work.” 4:6
    • When opposition arose from without, the people prayed. 4:9
    • The opposition was:
      • External: Tobiah and others.
      • Internal: Wealthier Jews oppressing the people.
    • Nehemiah would not be dissuaded from building. “I am doing a good work, so that I cannot come down.” 6:3
    • Nehemiah met all opposition with:
      • Prayer
      • Action
    • The work was finished in 52 days. 6:15
    • The external opposition “perceived that this work was done by our God.” 6:16

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