Nehemiah
Nehemiah made his journey to Jerusalem in about 445 BC, and
he was not a priest or a scribe like Ezra was but he was a
governor with authority given to him by the Persian king
Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls and the city of Jerusalem
for the Jewish people. He was originally cupbearer for the
king of Persia (Nehemiah 2:1). Nehemiah completed the task
in 52 days despite all the opposition from the foreigners
who it settled in the land of Judah during the captivity.
The book of Nehemiah shows how God fulfilled his words
written by the prophets concerning the return of the people
of Israel from 70 years of captivity, and returned again to
the land of their inheritance. In order to accomplish his
divine will he change the hearts of the great kings of the
ancient world, Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes of Persia. He
also worked through leaders like Joshua Zerubbabel Haggai
Zechariah Ezra and Nehemiah in order to rebuild the wall of
the city of Jerusalem and reestablish the law of Moses. The
books of Ezra and Nehemiah reveal to us the history of the
Jews between 536 BC and 430 BC. The book of Nehemiah covers
the period from 445 BC for the next 12 years.
Link: https://bible-history.com/old-testament/...
The main events covered in the Book of Nehemiah are: 1 )
Nehemiah's journey to Jerusalem, made possible by Artaxerxes,
for the purpose of re-building the wall (Nehemiah 1-2).
2 ) A list of the builders and the repairing of the gate
(Nehemiah 3).
3 ) The rebuilding of the wall in spite of op-position led by
Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem (Nehemiah 4:1-7:4).
4 ) The register of those who returned with Zerubbabel
(Nehemiah 7).
5 ) The public reading and exposition of the book of the Law
(Nehemiah 8).
6 ) The national repentance and the covenant of obedience
(Nehemiah 9:1-10 :39).
7 ) Lists of inhabitants (Nehemiah 11:1-12:26).
8 ) Dedication of the wall and organization of the temple
services (Nehemiah 12:27-47).
9 ) Nehemiah's reforms of abuses connected with tithes, the
sabbath and mixed marriages (Nehemiah 13).
Link: https://bible-history.com/old-testament/...
Study Bible with information, images, and notes on many
important subjects from the ancient world. Archaeological
notes, geographical notes, ancient documents and manuscripts,
cultural notes, theological notes, articles from scholars,
information about ancient history, ancient customs, ancient
temples, ancient monuments, and a close look at people,
places, and events from the ancient world that are explained
in an easy to understand format.
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Date - From 455-420 BC Approximately. The books of Ezra and
Nehemiah reveal to us the history of the Jews between 536 BC
and 430 BC. The book of Nehemiah covers the period from 445 BC
for the next 12 years.
Link: https://bible-history.com/old-testament/...
Quick Overview of Nehemiah. – –1-2 – –Nehemiah is commissioned
to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and departs Shushan. – – 3-
7:4 – –The rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in the midst
of opposition – – 7:5-12 – – Nehemiah's ordinances bring about
the first reformation – – 13 – –the second reformation of the
people under Nehemiah
Link: https://bible-history.com/old-testament/...
The Book of Nehemiah, sometimes called the Second Book of
Ezra, is a book of the Hebrew Bible. It is historically
regarded as a continuation of the Book of Ezra,[1] and the
two are frequently taken together as Ezra-Nehemiah.
Traditionally, the author of this book is believed to be
Nehemiah himself. The date at which the book was written was
probably about 431 - 430 BC, when Nehemiah had returned the
second time to Jerusalem after his visit to Persia.
[show]
Part of a series
of articles on the
Hebrew Bible
The book consists of four parts:
An account of the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, and
of the register Nehemiah had found of those who had returned
from Babylon. Details describe how Nehemiah became governor
of Judah[2]; various forms of opposition generated by
Sanballat and others; describes earlier return under
Zerubbabel[3] (ch. 1-7).
An account of the state of religion among the Jews during
this time (8-10).
Increase of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the census of the
adult male population, and names of the chiefs, together
with lists of priests and Levites (11-12:1-26).
Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the arrangement of the
temple officers, and the reforms carried out by Nehemiah
(12:27-ch. 13)...
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Ne...
(See EZRA; MALACHI.)
1. Son of Hachaliah, seemingly of Judah, as his
kinsman Hanani was so (Nehemiah 1:2); and Jerusalem was "the
place of his fathers' sepulchres" (Nehemiah 2:3). Probably
he was of David's lineage, as his name varied appears in it,
"Naum" (Luke 3:25), and his kinsman's name too, Hananiah,
son of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19); his "fathers'
sepulchres" would be those of David's royal line. Cupbearer
of Artaxerxes (Longimanus) according to his own
autobiography, at Susa or Shushan, the principal Persian
palace; Ecbatana was the royal summer residence, Babylon the
spring, Persepolis the autumn, and Susa the winter. In
Artaxerxes' 20th year Hanani with other Jews came from
Jerusalem, reporting that the remnant there were in great
affliction, the wall broken down, and the gates burned.
Sorrow at the news drove him to fasting in expression of
sadness, and prayer before the God of heaven, who alone
could remedy the evil.
His prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11) was marked by
importunate continuity, "day and night" (compare Isaiah
62:6-7; Luke 18:7), intercession for Israel, confession of
individual and national sin, pleading that God should
remember His promises of mercy upon their turning to Him,
however far cast out for transgression; also that He should
remember they are His people redeemed by His strong hand,
therefore His honour is at stake in their persons; and that
Nehemiah and they who pray with him desire to fear God's
name (Isaiah 26:8; contrast Psalm 66:18; compare Daniel 9,
Leviticus 26:33-39; Deuteronomy 4:25-31); lastly he asks God
to dispose Artaxerxes' heart to "mercy" (Proverbs 21:1).
"Let Thine ear ... Thine eyes be open ... hear the prayer,"
is an allusion to Solomon's prayer (1 Kings 8:28-29). After
four months (Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 2:1), from Chisleu to
Nisan, of praying and waiting, in Artaxerxes' 20th year
Nehemiah with sad countenance ministered as his cupbearer...
Link: https://bible-history.com/faussets/N/Neh...
comforted by Jehovah. (1.) Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7. (2.) Neh.
3:16.
(3.) The son of Hachaliah (Neh. 1:1), and probably
of the
tribe of Judah. His family must have belonged to
Jerusalem (Neh.
2:3). He was one of the "Jews of the dispersion,"
and in his
youth was appointed to the important office of royal
cup-bearer
at the palace of Shushan. The king, Artaxerxes
Longimanus, seems
to have been on terms of friendly familiarity with
his
attendant. Through his brother Hanani, and perhaps
from other
sources (Neh. 1:2; 2:3), he heard of the mournful
and desolate
condition of the Holy City, and was filled with
sadness of
heart. For many days he fasted and mourned and
prayed for the
place of his fathers' sepulchres. At length the king
observed
his sadness of countenance and asked the reason of
it. Nehemiah
explained it all to the king, and obtained his
permission to go
up to Jerusalem and there to act as _tirshatha_, or
governor of
Judea. He went up in the spring of B.C. 446 (eleven
years after
Ezra), with a strong escort supplied by the king,
and with
letters to all the pashas of the provinces through
which he had
to pass, as also to Asaph, keeper of the royal
forests,
directing him to assist Nehemiah. On his arrival he
set himself
to survey the city, and to form a plan for its
restoration; a
plan which he carried out with great skill and
energy, so that
the whole was completed in about six months. He
remained in
Judea for thirteen years as governor, carrying out
many reforms,
notwithstanding much opposition that he encountered
(Neh.
13:11). He built up the state on the old lines,
"supplementing
and completing the work of Ezra," and making all
arrangements
for the safety and good government of the city. At
the close of
this important period of his public life, he
returned to Persia
to the service of his royal master at Shushan or
Ecbatana...
Link: https://bible-history.com/eastons/N/Nehe...
LITERATURE
Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah, is the Jewish patriot whose
life is recorded in the Biblical work named after him. All
that we know about him from contemporary sources is found in
this book; and so the readers of this article are referred
to the Book of Nehemiah for the best and fullest account of
his words and deeds.
See EZRA-NEHEMIAH.
1. Family:
All that is known of his family is that he was the son of
Hacaliah (Neh 1:1) and that one of his brothers was called
Hanani (Neh 1:2; 7:2); the latter a man of sufficient
character and importance to have been made a ruler of
Jerusalem.
From Neh 10:1-8 some have inferred that he was a priest,
since Nehemiah comes first in the list of names ending with
the phrase, "these were the priests." This view is supported
by the Syriac and Arabic versions of 10:1, which read:
"Nehemiah the elder, the son of Hananiah the chief of the
priests"; and by the Latin Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible,
390-405 A.D.) of 2 Macc 1:21, where he is called "Nehemiah
the priest," and possibly by 2 Macc 1:18, where it is said
that Nehemiah "offered sacrifices, after that he had builded
the temple and the altar."
The argument based upon Neh 10:1-8 will fall to the ground,
if we change the pointing of the "Seraiah" of the 3rd verse
and read "its princes," referring back to the princes of
10:1. In this case, Nehemiah and Zedekiah would be the
princes; then would come the priests and then the Levites.
Some have thought that he was of the royal line of Judah,
inasmuch as he refers to his "fathers' sepulchres" at
Jerusalem (Neh 2:3). This would be a good argument only if
it could be shown that none but kings had sepulchers at
Jerusalem...
Link: https://bible-history.com/isbe/N/NEHEMIA...
The author of this book was no doubt Nehemiah himself. There
are
portions of the book written in the first person
(ch. 1-7;
12:27-47, and 13). But there are also portions of it
in which
Nehemiah is spoken of in the third person (ch. 8; 9;
10). It is
supposed that these portions may have been written
by Ezra; of
this, however, there is no distinct evidence. These
portions had
their place assigned them in the book, there can be
no doubt, by
Nehemiah. He was the responsible author of the whole
book, with
the exception of ch. 12:11, 22, 23.
The date at which the book was written was probably
about B.C.
431-430, when Nehemiah had returned the second time
to Jerusalem
after his visit to Persia.
The book, which may historically be regarded as a
continuation
of the book of Ezra, consists of four parts. (1.) An
account of
the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, and of the
register
Nehemiah had found of those who had returned from
Babylon (ch.
1-7). (2.) An account of the state of religion among
the Jews
during this time (8-10). (3.) Increase of the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem; the census of the adult male population,
and names of
the chiefs, together with lists of priests and
Levites
(11-12:1-26). (4.) Dedication of the wall of
Jerusalem, the
arrangement of the temple officers, and the reforms
carried out
by Nehemiah (12:27-ch. 13).
This book closes the history of the Old Testament.
Malachi the
prophet was contemporary with Nehemiah.
Link: https://bible-history.com/eastons/N/Nehe...
(consolation of the Lord).
1. Son of Hachaliah, and apparently of the tribe of
Judah. All that we know certainly concerning him is
contained in the book which bears his name. We first find
him at Shushan, the winter residence of the kings of Persia,
in high office as the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes
Longimanus. In the twentieth year of the king's reign, i.e.
B.C. 445, certain Jews arrived from Judea, and gave Nehemiah
a deplorable account of the state of Jerusalem. He
immediately conceived the idea of going to Jerusalem to
endeavor to better their state, and obtained the king's
consent to his mission. Having received his appointment as
governor of Judea, he started upon his journey, being under
promise to return to Persia within a given time. Nehemiah's
great work was rebuilding, for the first time since their
destruction by Nebuzar-adan, the walls of Jerusalem, and
restoring that city to its former state and dignity as a
fortified town. To this great object therefore Nehemiah
directed his whole energies without an hour's unnecessary
delay. In a wonderfully short time the walls seemed to
emerge from the heaps of burnt rubbish, end to encircle the
city as in the days of old. It soon became apparent how
wisely Nehemiah had acted in hastening on the work. On his
very first arrival, as governor, Sanballat and Tobiah had
given unequivocal proof of their mortification at his
appointment; but when the restoration was seen to be rapidly
progressing, their indignation knew no bounds. They made a
great conspiracy to fall upon the builders with an armed
force and put a stop to the undertaking. The project was
defeated by the vigilance and prudence of Nehemiah. Various
stratagems were then resorted to get Nehemiah away from
Jerusalem and if possible to take his life; but that which
most nearly succeeded was the attempt to bring him into
suspicion with the king of Persia, as if he intended to set
himself up as an independent king as soon as the walls were
completed. The artful letter of Sanballat so-far wrought
upon Artaxerxes that he issued a decree stopping the work
till further orders. If is probable that at the same time he
recalled Nehemiah, or perhaps his leave of absence had
previously expired. But after a delay, perhaps of several
years he was permitted to return to Jerusalem land to crown
his work by repairing the temple and dedicating the walls.
During his government Nehemiah firmly repressed the
exactions of the nobles and the usury of the rich, and
rescued the poor Jews from spoliation and slavery. He
refused to receive his lawful allowance as governor from the
people, in consideration of their poverty, during the whole
twelve years that he was in office but kept at his own
charge a table for 150 Jews, at which any who returned from
captivity were welcome. He made most careful provision for
the maintenance of the ministering priests and Levites and
for the due and constant celebration of divine worship. He
insisted upon the sanctity of the precincts of the temple
being preserved inviolable, and peremptorily ejected the
powerful Tobiah from one of the chambers which Eliashib had
assigned to him. With no less firmness and impartiality he
expelled from all sacred functions those of the high
priest's family who had contracted heathen marriages, and
rebuked and punished those of the common people who had
likewise intermarried with foreigners; and lastly, he
provided for keeping holy the Sabbath day, which was
shamefully profaned by many both Jews and foreign merchants,
and by his resolute conduct succeeded in repressing the
lawless traffic on the day of rest. Beyond the thirty-second
year of Artaxerxes, to which Nehemiah's own narrative leads
us, we have no account of him whatever.
2. One of the leaders of the first expedition from
Babylon to Jerusalem under Zerabbabel. Ezr 2:2; Ne 7:7
3. Son of Azbuk and ruler of the half part of Beth-
zur, who helped to repair the wall of Jerusalem. Ne 3:18
Link: https://bible-history.com/smiths/N/Nehem...
like the preceding one of Ezra, is clearly and certainly not
all by the same hand. [EZRA, BOOK OF] By far the most
important portion, indeed is the work of Nehemiah but other
portions are either extracts from various chronicles and
registers or supplementary narratives and reflections, some
apparently by Ezra, others, perhaps the work of the same
person who inserted the latest, genealogical extracts from the
public chronicles. The main history contained in the book of
Nehemiah covers about twelve years, viz., from the twentieth
to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes Langimanus i.e. from
B.C. 445 to 433. The whole narrative gives us a graphic and
interesting account of the state of Jerusalem and the returned
captives in the writer's times, and, incidentally, of the
nature of the Persian government and the condition of its
remote provinces, The book of Nehemiah has always had an
undisputed place in the Canon, being included by the Hebrews
under the general head of the book of Ezra, and, as Jerome
tells us in the Prolog. Gal., by the Greeks and Latins under
the name of the second book of Ezra.
Link: https://bible-history.com/smiths/N/Nehem...
LITERATURE
1. Name:
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, by whomsoever written, are
properly so named according to analogy from the principal
persons mentioned in them. In the Hebrew Bibles, the former
is headed simply, Ezra, and the latter, Nehemiah. The two
books are counted in the Talmud, in Josephus, and in the
Canon of Melito, 171 AD, as one, and are so treated also in
the subscription of the Massoretic Text, which reads: "The
totality of the verses of Ezra and Nehemiah is 688, and its
sign is `Remember, Yahweh, the reproach of thy servants,'
and its two parts (are at the sentence) `unto the ascent of
the corner' (Neh 3:31) and its chapters (sedharayw) are ten,
and its sign is `Upon a high mountain get thee up, O thou
that announcest good tidings to Zion.' " In the Septuagint,
Ezra-Nehemiah is called Esdras B, while an apocryphal Book
of Ezra is called Esdras A (see below). In the catalogues of
the Old Testament writings handed down to us by the Fathers
(Origen, Cyril, Melito, Jerome and the Council of Laodicea)
our Ezra is called 1 Ezra; Nehemiah, 2 Ezra; the apocryphal
Greek Ezra, 3 Ezra; and an apocalyptic book, falsely called
a book of Ezra, is denominated 4 Ezra.
2. Object:
The object of the books is to show that God fulfilled His
promise, or prophecy, to restore His exiled people to their
inheritance, through the instrumentality on the one hand of
the great heathen monarchs, Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes,
and on the other hand by stirring up the spirit of such
great men among the chosen people as Joshua and Zerubbabel,
Haggai and Zechariah, and Ezra and Nehemiah, through whom
the altar, the temple, the houses and walls of Jerusalem,
and finally the worship and ceremony of the Jewish people
were reestablished, the people being separated from foreign
admixtures, customs and idolatry, and their religious
observances purified and fixed for all time...
Link: https://bible-history.com/isbe/E/EZRA-NE...
