nehemiah

Background

See Ezra.

Argument

As the physical rebuilding of the temple in Ezra (1–6) outwardly prefigured the spiritual restoration of worship by Ezra (7–10), so the physical rebuilding of the walls—which provide a barrier to the world—under Nehemiah (Neh 1–6) anticipates and prefigures the restoration of the purity of the people by Ezra and Nehemiah together (7–13). Probably written shortly after the events of chapter 13, its purpose was to encourage Israel to maintain her separateness (holiness) from surrounding influences, and thus to regain her ministry to the world as well as the blessings of the Mosaic covenant.

When God’s man of the hour, Nehemiah, heard the report of the humiliating status of Jerusalem, the city of his fathers and of his God (1:1–3), he was greatly moved. He turned immediately to Israel’s God, appealing to his covenant loyalty (hesed, 1:5), acknowledging the fault of Israel (1:7), and appealing to the Mosaic formula for restoration (1:8–11).

As he approached the Persian king whom he served, he failed to disguise his deep concern, and aroused the attention of the king (2:1–3). Nehemiah was then able to explain his desire to take an active part in the solution, and what he would need to do so. As the author editorializes, it was because of God’s sovereign control that the king approved Nehemiah’s plans (2:4–8).

Suddenly he is seen in western provinces and then in Jerusalem (2:9–11). Secretly he surveys the need (2:12–16), and then sells the people and leaders on the plan (2:17–18). Twice, however, opposition is portended (2:10, 19–20). Then suddenly the people are seen organized and hard at the work (3).

Opposition then struck—in as many as five different incidents and forms (4:1—6:14)—but to no avail, as God helped Nehemiah (4:15–19). The opponents attempted to disrupt the work by demoralizing the workers (4:1–3), but Nehemiah’s courageous faith, expressed in his prayer, thwarted their scheme (4:4–6). Next they conspired to attack the city (4:7–11), but were again blunted, as God made known their plans and Nehemiah armed and stationed his work force for defense (4:12–23).

The work was threatened not only from the outside, however, but also by the people’s own sin of usury. The victims’ cries came to the ears of Nehemiah (5:1–5), and he rebuked the perpetrators for their violation of the law and of their brothers (5:6–11). Happily, the lenders agreed to forego charging interest and enslaving their fellow Jews (5:12–13). As well, Nehemiah decided that he would even surrender his right to monetary support as civil leader, so as not to overburden the people (5:14–19).

The external opposition resumed its work, this time with idle threats, attempting first to distract the leader, Nehemiah (6:1–4; cf. Ezra 4:1–5). Failing that effort they threatened to insinuate treason in Nehemiah to the empire (6:5–9). Finally, they tempted Nehemiah—through a Jewish false prophet—to hide in the temple, and thus to incur guilt (6:10–14). Fortunately, Nehemiah was wise enough and strong enough to repel all these distractions, so that the work proceeded to completion, demoralizing instead the villains (6:15–19). The finished product was then protected by careful control of the gates (7:1–4).

Not only was God concerned for the physical separation of Israel from the world by the city walls (1–6), but for their spiritual separation by faithfulness to the Mosaic Covenant (8–10), particularized by the various reforms later led by Nehemiah (13). The enrollment of the people (7:5–73) which essentially duplicates that in Ezra 2[1] clearly identifies those who are part of the covenant community.

At the people’s request Ezra brought out the book of Moses and read it in their hearing while others explained (or translated) it to the people (8:1–8). Nehemiah stepped forward with the application message: celebrate with a joyous feast (8:9–12). When the people returned the next day they learned of the Feast of Booths, and promptly arranged to observe it (8:13–18). As this national ‘Bible conference’ continued, the people and leaders became convicted of sin (9:1–4). They poured out their hearts to God, acknowledging his glory and righteous dealings with Israel despite her history of unfaithfulness (9:5–31), and confessing their national guilt and desert of their present plight (9:32–37). They concluded their prayer with an announcement of an oath by which they bound themselves (9:38). The signatories are listed (10:1–27), and the oath articulated (10:28–39). The essence of the oath was a recommitment to observe the Mosaic law (10:28–29), which was particularized by commitments to refuse to marry non-Israelites, keep the Sabbaths, and faithfully contribute the necessities of the temple operations.

Another listing of people follows, this time by residence. Having recently completed the reconstruction of the city walls, all that remained for the city was that it be sufficiently populated. In addition to the leaders who took up residence in the city ten percent of the rest of the people were enlisted more or less to colonize the city (11:1–24). Next are listed those who resided in the surrounding villages (11:25–39) and the religious classes of priests and Levites both from the time of Zerubbabel (12:1–11) and of Nehemiah (12:12–26).

With the city properly walled and populated, the wall—which symbolized military defense and spiritual separation—could be formally dedicated. The ceremony began with the purification of all the people as well as the wall and its gates (12:27–30). A great parade was held—appropriately on the wall—featuring a choir and the leaders of the people. These were divided in two groups, one led by Ezra and the other by Nehemiah, processing in opposite directions around the wall, and reassembling at the temple (12:31–43). Along with the festivities some business was conducted, with the assignment of responsibilities for the maintenance of worship (12:44–47).

After all the reforms of the previous chapters (8–10) and the great celebration of dedication of the wall (12), the people seem to manifest a need of continual reform. First, they had to exclude certain foreigners from their midst (13:1–3). Next, some time after the wall dedication and after his twelve year governorship, while Nehemiah had been away at the imperial palace performing his official duties, he returned to Jerusalem to find a number of covenant violations which he set about to correct. When he found that his perennial nemesis Tobiah had been granted a room in the temple itself, he ordered him evicted and the room cleansed and restored to its intended use (13:4–9). He then resumed exaction of the tithe for the temple provision (13:10–14), enforcement of Sabbath observance, including locking the city gates on the Sabbath to the foreign merchants (13:15–22), and once again rebuking some in violation of the intermarriage laws (13:23–29). Through all these reforms he continually entrusted reward for his covenant zeal to God (13:14, 22, 31; cf. 29, “Remember them”).

Outline

I. Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem: Nehemiah   1:1—7:4

A. Background to the work  1:1—2:8

1. Nehemiah’s burden for Jerusalem  1

a) The depressing report concerning Jerusalem  1:1–3

b) Nehemiah’s prayer  1:4–11

(1) ‘Hear my prayer’  1:4–6

(2) Confession of national sin  1:7

(3) Petition for Mosaic restoration  1:8–11

2. Nehemiah’s permission to return and rebuild  2:1–8

a) His concern for Jerusalem  2:1–3

b) His request to return and rebuild  2:4–5

c) His permission to return and rebuild  2:6–8

B. Preparation for the work  2:9–20

1. His arrival in Jerusalem  2:9–11

2. His survey of Jerusalem  2:12–16

3. His rebuilding ‘sales job’  2:17–20

C. Assignments of the work  3

D. Opposition to the work  4:1—6:14

1. External opposition  4

a) Discouragement  4:1–6

(1) Source: Sanballat, Tobiah  4:1–3

(2) Response: Nehemiah’s encouragement  4:4–6

b) Military threat  4:7–23

(1) Conspiracy of bodily harm  4:7–11

(2) Defensive readiness  4:12–23

(a) Short-term all-out defense  4:12–14

(b) Long-term strategy  4:15–23

2. Internal conflict regarding covenant social justice  5

a) The sin of usury  5:1–13

(1) The people’s complaints  5:1–5

(2) Nehemiah’s rebuke  5:6–11

(3) The lenders’ response  5:12–13

b) The example of Nehemiah’s self-denial  5:14–19

3. More external opposition  6:1–14

a) Distraction  6:1–4

b) Insinuations of treasonous ambition in Nehemiah  6:5–9

c) Intimidation through a mole  6:10–14

E. Completion of the work  6:15–19

F. Security of the city  7:1–4

II. Restoring the purity of the people: Ezra and Nehemiah  7:5—13:31

A. Enrollment of the people who returned with Zerubbabel (See Ezra 2)  7:5–73

1. Introduction  7:5–6

2. Numbers by families  7:7–69

a) Men  7:7–38

b) Priests  7:39–42

c) Levites, singers, gatekeepers  7:43–45

d) Temple servants  7:46–60

e) Others whose genealogy was unverifiable  7:61–65

f) Summary  7:66–69

3. Gifts for the temple rebuilding  7:70–72

4. Settlement of returnees  7:73

B. Renewal of the Mosaic Covenant: Ezra  8–10

1. Public reading of Mosaic Covenant  8

a) Meaningful reading  8:1–8

b) Holy feasting  8:9–12

c) Feast of Booths  8:13–18

2. Public rededication to Mosaic covenant  9–10

a) National confession of sin  9

(1) Humble reading of Moses  9:1–4

(2) Prayer of confession led by Levites  9:5–38

(a) Praise of God  9:5–31

i) As creator  9:5–6

ii) For Abrahamic covenant  9:7–8

iii) For Egyptian deliverance  9:9–12

iv) For Sinai covenant  9:13–14

v) For wilderness protection  9:15–22

vi) For Land possession  9:23–25

vii) For mercy in judges  9:26–31

(b) Confession of sin  9:32–37

(c) Announcement of oath  9:38

b) National oath of obedience  10

(1) The signatories  10:1–27

(2) The oaths  10:28–39

(a) Mosaic observance  10:28–29

(b) Marital separation  10:30

(c) Sabbath observances  10:31

(d) Temple contributions  10:32–39

C. Registrations  11:1—12:26

1. Planned repopulation of Jerusalem  11:1–24

2. Residents of surrounding villages  11:25–36

3. Priests and Levites  12:1–26

a) From Zerubbabel’s time  12:1–11

(1) Priests  12:1–7

(2) Levites  12:8–11

b) From Nehemiah’s time  12:12–26

(1) Priests  12:12–21

(2) Levites  12:22–26

D. Dedication of the wall  12:27–47

1. Participants assembled and purified  12:27–30

2. Procession of the two choirs  12:31–43

a) Ezra’s group  12:31–37

b) Nehemiah’s group  12:38–39

c) Their joint worship  12:40–43

3. Provisions for worship  12:44–47

E. Later reforms: Nehemiah  13

1. Exclusion of foreigners  13:1–3

2. Eviction of Tobiah (earlier)  13:4–9

3. Exaction of tithes  13:10–14

4. Enforcement of Sabbath  13:15–22

5. Indignation at mixed marriages  13:23–29

6. Summary  13:30–31