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Book of Nehemiah
Book of Nehemiah
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Concise Bible Dictionary
:
This
is
the
latest of the historical books of the
Old
Testament
It commences
with
the twentieth
year
of
Artaxerxes
: this is an important date, because of “the
seventy weeks
” of Daniel 9, which run from the
command
to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem
. This commission was
given to
Nehemiah
; the command to build the
temple
was given by
Cyrus
(
Ezra 1:1
1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (Ezra 1:1)
). See SEVENTY WEEKS.
Nehemiah 1. Nehemiah had
God
’s interests at
heart
. He heard at
Shushan
the desolate state of Jerusalem, and he wept and mourned, and prayed. He occupied a post of honor at the court as the king’s cupbearer.
Nehemiah 2-3. Artaxerxes the king noticed Nehemiah’s sad countenance, and inquired the cause. On being informed, he graciously desired Nehemiah to express his wishes. Nehemiah, after
prayer
to God, asked to be sent to build Jerusalem, and that he
might
have
timber
for
the purpose, and letters to the governors.
All
was granted, and an escort was deputed to accompany
him
.
On arriving at Jerusalem, Nehemiah was opposed by
Sanballat
the
Horonite
and
Tobiah
the
Ammonite
, who were grieved that a
man
had
come
“to seek the
welfare
of the
children
of
Israel
.” But this
only
the more stirred up the energy of Nehemiah, and the
work
of rebuilding the wall proceeded.
Nehemiah 4. The enemies first mocked him, and then plotted with others to attack him. But being aware of it, he
armed
the people, and kept part of them ready to repel the attack; and those that worked had a
sword
as well as a trowel. With Nehemiah was a
trumpeter
to
sound
an alarm (compare
Num. 10:9
9
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9)
).
Nehemiah 5. Nehemiah
also
took up the cause of his distressed
brethren
. The
poor
had been compelled
to mortgage
their lands and vineyards to their richer brethren, who made them
pay
interest, which was contrary to the
law
. Nehemiah sharply rebuked the rich for this, and bound them by
oath
to release the persons and lands. He
set
them an example by feeding a hundred and fifty at his
table
, and by not taking any stipend as
governor
.
Nehemiah 6 is significant of the separate path necessary to be maintained by God’s people (
Num. 23:9
9
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. (Numbers 23:9)
). Their enemies tried to entice Nehemiah to a conference on various pleas; but in
faith
he returned the noble answer, “I am doing a
great
work, so that I cannot come
down
: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”
They
pretended that he was building the
city
in order to revolt from the king of
Persia
, saying that he had
appointed
prophets to say of him at Jerusalem, “
There
is a king in
Judah
.” He denied the accusations: they had feigned them in their own hearts. He would not
meet
them. To add to his distress there were
some
in Jerusalem who had formed an
alliance
with Tobiah, and had correspondence with him, reporting the good deeds of Tobiah to him, and sending his words to Tobiah. They thus sought to
put
him in fear. His devotedness to God’s interests, and obedience to His word, saved him from all the wiles of
the adversary
. In fifty-two days the wall and gates were finished, and the enemies perceived that the work was wrought of God.
Nehemiah 7.
Levites
were appointed to their stations, and the charge of the city gates was given to
Hanani
brother
to Nehemiah, and to
Hananiah
, ruler of the
palace
, or
fortress
. A register is given of those who had returned with
Zerubbabel
, amounting to 42,360, besides their servants. Oblations were then made by Nehemiah and all the people.
Nehemiah 8. In the
seventh
month
they assembled as one man and kept the
Feast
of
Trumpets
. Then the law was read, and great pains were taken that the people should understand it. The people wept when they heard
what
the law enjoined; but the Levites instructed them rather to
rejoice
, for the
day
was
holy
, and the
joy
of the
Lord
was their
strength
. They were exhorted to
eat
and
drink
, and to send portions to those who had nothing. The
Feast of
Tabernacles
was then kept, and in such a way as it had not been kept since the days of
Joshua
. They entered into the joys that belonged to “all Israel.”
Nehemiah 9-10. The people humbled themselves with
fasting
, and confessed their sins, separating themselves from all persons who were not of the
seed
of Israel.
The word
was read, and they worshipped. The Levites then made a
solemn
confession
, recapitulating all the faithfulness and goodness of God towards their nation; acknowledging their sins against Him, and ending with their making a written
covenant
and
calling
upon the
princes
, Levites, and
priests
to
seal
it. A list is given of those who sealed, and the covenant itself is set forth, stating clearly what it was the people bound themselves by a
curse
and an oath to
keep
. They thus placed themselves again
under law
, not having
yet
learned their own weakness and
utter
inability to keep it. The priests and Levites were provided for, according to Numbers 18.
Nehemiah 11. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were few, and more were needed for its protection. Some volunteered to
live
there, and the people blessed them; lots were
cast
for others, one in
ten
being thus obtained.
Nehemiah 12 gives a list of the priests and Levites, and the
joyful
dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. Great sacrifices were offered and they rejoiced with their wives and children,
for God had made them to rejoice
, and the sounds of their rejoicing were heard afar off. Appointments were then made for the service of
the temple
.
Nehemiah 13. Apparently a period of
time
elapsed between Nehemiah 12 and Nehemiah 13. The words “on that day” refer to what follows in the verse. Nehemiah, after being
twelve
years at Jerusalem, had returned to Artaxerxes, in the thirty-
second
year of his reign, leaving, according to the end of Nehemiah 12, all things in due order in Jerusalem. How
long
he remained at the court is not stated, but after a
certain
time he obtained leave, and returned to Jerusalem, and he proceeds to relate what had taken
place
during his absence.
The law forbad that the Ammonite and Moabite should
ever
come into the
congregation
of the Lord (
Deut. 23:3-4
3
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever:
4
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. (Deuteronomy 23:3‑4)
); and yet
Eliashib
the
high
priest
, who was allied to Tobiah the Ammonite, had prepared a
chamber
in the temple for this man. The enemy of God had thus been received inside. Nehemiah turned out all the
household
stuff of Tobiah, cleansed the chamber, and restored it to its former
use
.
The service of the temple had been neglected; for the
tithes
had been withheld, so that the Levites had to go to their fields for support. The
sabbath
was also desecrated, work being done and things sold in Jerusalem. Nehemiah expostulated with them and caused the gates of the city to be kept shut on the sabbath day. The merchants then tarried outside the walls on the sabbath, but Nehemiah threatened them, and the
evil
ceased. It was also found that some had married
heathen
wives, and their children spake half
in the speech of
Ashdod
and could not
speak
in the Jews’ language. Nehemiah cursed these men, and sharply rebuked, and chastised them. One of the grandsons of Eliashib having married the
daughter
of Sanballat, was cast out from the
priesthood
. (Josephus relates that he went to
Samaria
, where Sanballat built a temple on
Gerizim
, which became a refuge for apostate Jews.)
The
book
closes with the setting
right
, outwardly, of all these evils. Nothing more is said of the solemn covenant
that had
been sealed by so
many
. It had been altogether violated; and Nehemiah felt his loneliness. Again and again he says, “
Remember
me
, O my God,” speaking of the good deeds he had done, and casting himself upon the greatness of God’s
mercy
.
The
Book of
Nehemiah gives the partial and outward re-establishment of some of the Jews in their own land. There was no
throne
of God, nor throne of
David
, and they were still subject to the
Gentiles
. The decree
Lo-
ammi
was not
removed
; but they were restored to the land, ready for the manifestation of their
Messiah
, who would come seeking fruit, and ready in
grace
to
bless
them. The
prophecy
of
Malachi
followed this return, and shows the sad moral condition of the people, and the coming of
Jehovah
in
judgment
.
The
spiritual
value of this book, and of Ezra, is the setting forth of the principle that, in a day of ruin, a humble
godly
remnant
represents the whole body, and receives mercy, and enjoys the best privileges of the
dispensation
, though at the same time being identified with, and suffering for the sins of the whole.
For events succeeding the time of Nehemiah see
ANTIOCHUS
.
Related Books and Articles:
Lessons from the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah: Practical Guidance In A Day Of Ruin
By:
Nicolas Simon
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
Duration:
3hr 26min
Exposition on Nehemiah
By:
Edward B. Dennett
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
Duration:
4hr 5min
Two Lectures on Ezra and Nehemiah
By:
William Kelly
Duration:
2hr 31min
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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