Day 252 - Nehemiah 2

From: Chapter-A-Day: Volume 3 By: Norman W. Berry

Nehemiah 2 • 1 min. read • grade level: 7

V.2 The king notices that Nehemiah looks sad, and asks the reason. To appear sad in the presence of the king might mean death.

V.4-5 Between the question and the answer, there was a quick silent prayer to the Lord. What a good habit for any of us!

V.5-8 The king hears his request and it is promptly granted.

V.10 Signs of trouble ahead. Two men, Sanballat and Tobiah hear about Nehemiah’s visit and they are very upset. Sanballat was of Moab. Tobiah was of Ammon. Their wicked beginning is told in Genesis 19:32-38³²Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. ³³And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. ³⁴And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. ³⁵And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. ³⁶Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. ³⁷And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. ³⁸And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. (Genesis 19:32‑38).

V.12-18 Nehemiah makes a tour of inspection and finds the conditions to be very bad. But in verse 18, he speaks with confidence of the hand of God. We too are living in a similar day of indifference, but we can also count on the Lord to be with us, and we can also rise up and build up (encourage) one another.

V.19 Those 2 enemies and one more join to laugh and to mock.

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