Nehemiah

What makes Nehemiah special?

Nehemiah, together with Ezra (they were originally one book), is special because it is our only biblical source for this period of Israelite history. In addition, Nehemiah himself is a wonderful example of leadership and of how to live one's faith in the face of difficulties.

Why was Nehemiah written?

Nehemiah was written to continue the history of the Israelites after their return to Jerusalem from Babylonia that began in Ezra. In particular, it provides a written history of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, lists of those who returned to Jerusalem, and a report of the people's commitment to worship and remain faithful to the God of Israel.

What's the story behind the scene?

Just as Ezra is not complete without Nehemiah, Nehemiah is not complete without Ezra (see the Introduction to Ezra, page 0000 EZR 1.0). Indeed, Ezra the scribe not only appears in the book of Nehemiah, but his reading of the Law to the Jews in Jerusalem (Neh 8,9) is vital to the story and action of Nehemiah. As with the book of Ezra, biblical editors of Nehemiah were less concerned with exact historical dates than with simply presenting the Jews' activity following their return to Jerusalem.

Who was this Nehemiah? Nehemiah was a trusted personal servant to King Artaxerxes and had attained high rank in the Persian court. He was also a man of great ability and persuasion. Most importantly, he was a Jew who loved and sought to obey the God of Israel. It is no wonder then that he was very sad when he heard that the walls and gates of the holy city, Jerusalem, were in ruins. With Artaxerxes' support, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, and in the face of much opposition, supervises the rebuilding of the city's walls and gates.

How is Nehemiah constructed?

A discussion of the overall structure of Ezra and Nehemiah can be found in the Introduction to Ezra, EZR 1.0. Nehemiah can be outlined in the following way: