The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of Nehemiah, an official of the king of Persia, who is tasked with rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. He also reinstructs the Israelites who were becoming pagans because of the marriages between Jews and foreigners.
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Nehemiah 2:5
"And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. " Nehemiah also asked for enough timber to complete the job and the king happily obliged. He also sent troops with Nehemiah to ensure that what he asked would be given |
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Nehemiah 4:3
"Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall." The Ammonites, Samaritans, Arabians and the Ashodites were angered by the Jews' works and they conspired to hinder them whenever they could |
Nehemiah 4:14
" And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses." To protect his workers Nehemiah had one half of them keep guard with spears whilst the other half worked. Every worker also carried a sword so that he could leave his labour and fight if they were attacked |
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The nobles and rulers had been extracting money, goods, land and even children from the poorer Jews as payment for money lent to them. Nehemiah beseeched the nobles and rulers to stop this at once.
Nehemiah 5:11-12 "Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise" |
This is a remarkably fast time for the work to be completed, until one remembers that it was the will of God.
Nehemiah 6:15-16 "So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God" |
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Nehemiah 8:2-3
"And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law." This was the same Ezra after whom the 15th book of the Bible is named. He retaught the Jews the Laws of Moses which they had forgotten |
Nehemiah 9:2-3
"And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God." The people were gathered in tents during the feast of the 7th month as they had found this instruction in Moses' Book of Laws |
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The Israelites could see from history how God had left them to their enemies when they had turned away from Him, but now God had allowed them to return home and they pledged never to disobey His commandments again.
Nehemiah 9:38 "And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it" |
The Levites had all the religious duties and so were necessary to bless the wall.
Nehemiah 12:30 "And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall" |
Nehemiah's prayer ends with these words:
Nehemiah 1:11
"O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer"