The book of Nehemiah appears on its own in English translations, and is listed within the collection generally known as the "Historical Books." In the Hebrew Bible, however, Nehemiah belongs to the same scroll containing Ezra, and is listed as the second last book of the Ketuvim or "Writings," and within that, as part of the Megillot or "Scrolls," and in contents, continues the story begun in Ezra. Historically, the events narrated in the scroll come from the Persian period and, together, the two books cover the years from about 539 (when Cyrus conquered Babylon and became the sovereign over the Ancient Near East), until about 433, when Nehemiah returned to the capital city of Susa (see Short Chronology).
Content
The book opens (Chap 1) with Nehemiah's receipt of news of the sad state of things in Jerusalem from Hanani some time in 445/4 BC (about 13 years after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem and the his work of reform there). Shocked by the news, Nehemiah sought permission from King Artaxerxes to leave for Jerusalem to help rebuild the city (2:1-10). Arriving in Jerusalem (2:11ff.) Nehemiah first ispected the walls of the city, and then set out to organize its rebuilding (2:11) until the mission was completed (6:15). But soon opposition, initiated by Tobiah, arose (6:16ff.) Undaunted, Nehemiah then appointed his "brother," Hanani, as governor over the city. He followed this with a re-organization of the social life of the delapidated city beginning with the registration of those who have returned from their exile in Babylon (Chap 7) and the revivaling its religious life with, e.g., the public reading of the Torah by Ezra, celebration of the Festival of the Booth, public confession, etc., (Chap 8-13). After 12 years of work in Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to Susa (13:60; 433/2 BC), presumably to resume his appointment in the court of the Persian king.
Place in Salvation History
The book of Judges narrates the early life of Israel in the Promised Land. Its message was clear: "in those days there were no kings, and every one did what was right in his own eyes" (17: 6; 21:25). Then Israel had kings (1 Sam-2 Kings). And how did Israel turned out? How well did the kings help Israel do as the people of God? Not well at all, as it turned out. The book of kings ended with Israel in exile, "vomitted" from her land. But it also ends on a note of hope, for, though Judah's rightful king was held a prisoner in Babylon, the Babylonian king
released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honour higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived" (2 Ki. 25:27 -30 NIB).
What happens after that? Was the king, and the nation of Judah of which he represented, eventually restored? The OT canon is followed by the book of Chronicles, which also narrates the rules and accomplishments of the kings. In a sense Chronicles asks the same question we are asking: what is the shape of that hope of a possible restoration? But it answers that question differently from the book of Kings. Instead of emphasizing the sins and faults of the kings who ruled Israel, Chronicles highlights the faith—however thin they may be at times—of the kings, and in doing this, asks its readers to trust God who is faithful. In the end that is enough and Chronicles ends on a clearly optimistic note: recalling the promise given by God through Jeremiah, its says,
"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfil the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: 'This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: '"The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the LORD their God be with them."' (2 Chr. 36:22-23 NIB)
So what happened next? The scroll of Ezra-Nehemiah takes up this story: Ezra opens with the last words of Chroniclea, "in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia," and continues the story from where Chronicles left off (though some half a century later) and and that story is continued in Nehemiah for another dozen years or so. God had, before the exile, said through Jeremiah that He regarded those who had gone into exile as 'good figs' and
My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. (Jer. 24:6-7 NIB)
Now God brings the 'good figs' back to the land and, through them, prepares for the season, first for worship of Yahweh in the land, and to await the coming of the great Son of David who will inaugurate His definitive Kingdom over His people. The exploits of the first party arriving in Jerusalem is reported in the early chapters of Ezra, their work in rebuilding the temple encouraged along the way by Haggai and Zechariah (in addition to their own works, see, e.g., Ezra 5:1; 6:14).
Ezra-Nehemiah is written in the same style as Chronicles, incorporating at different places "memoirs" (written in the first person) by both Ezra (7:27-9:15) and Nehemiah. Though the author remains anonymous, the majority of scholars believe that it probably came from the same hand/s as Chronicles.
Further Reading & Resources:
Terry J. Betts, "The Book of Nehemiah in Its Biblical and Historical Context," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9.3 (Autumn 2005): 4-15. Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)
Steve Brady, "Restoring Your Vision-With Nehemiah (1)," Evangel 12:2 (1994): 34-36.
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Steve Brady, "Restoring Your Vision-With Nehemiah (2)," Evangel 12:3 (1994): 66-68.
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Steve Brady, "Restoring Your Vision-With Nehemiah (3)," Evangel 13:1 (1995): 2-5.
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Mervin Breneman, "A Theological Primer for Nehemiah," Midwestern Journal of Theology 4.1 (Fall 2005): 3-17.
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Mark Dever, "The Message of Nehemiah: Rebuilding," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/3 (2005): 62-79.
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Stephen Dray, "Nehemiah: an Applied Over-view," Evangel 24.3 (Autumn 2006): 66-70.
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H. L. Ellison, "Nehemiah. Being Chap 7 of his From Babylon to Bethlehem. The People of God from the Exile to the Messiah (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1976.
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Peter J. Gentry, "Nehemiah 12: Restoring the City of God or How to Preach a List of Names," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/3 (2005):28-37.
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Alberto R.W. Green, "The Date of Nehemiah: a Reexamination," Andrews University Seminary Studies 28.3 (Autumn 1990): 195-209.
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Tiberius Rata, "God as Restorer: A Theological Overview of the Book of Nehemiah," Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9/3 (2005): 16-27.
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Geoffrey M. Troughton, "Echoes in the Temple: Jesus, Nehemiah, and Their Actions in the Temple," Journal of Biblical Studies 3.2 (April 2003): 1-21.
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J. Stafford Wright, "Ezra and Nehemiah," Evangelical Quarterly 12.1 (1940):35-47.
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Gary R. Williams, "Contextual Influences in Readings of Nehemiah 5: A Case Study," Tyndale Bulletin 53.1 (2002): 57-74.
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Media Resources:
Wallace Benn, Exposition 1: Nehemiah 1-2. 41.36 mins. Address delivered at the Senior Ministers Conference 2002. ProclamationTrust.org. UK. Audio N (Open on Phone)
Wallace Benn, Exposition 2: Nehemiah 4. 1.30.00 mins. Address delivered at the Senior Ministers Conference 2002. ProclamationTrust.org. UK. Audio N (Open on Phone)
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