Summary of the Book of Nehemiah's Historical Context
The Book of Nehemiah details events primarily during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia, specifically from his twentieth year, which corresponds to 445 BC [4, 2]. The narrative focuses on Nehemiah, son of Hachaliah, who served as the king's cupbearer in Shushan, the Persian capital [2, 4, 6].
Nehemiah received distressing news from Judea concerning the desolate state of Jerusalem and its returned exiles [4, 8, 10]. This report prompted him to fast and pray, expressing sorrow over the condition of his people and city [8, 12]. Artaxerxes granted Nehemiah permission to travel to Jerusalem to oversee its rebuilding [4].
Upon his arrival, Nehemiah initiated the reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls, a project that faced significant opposition from neighboring peoples, including Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem [5]. Despite these challenges, the walls were completed in a remarkably short period. The book also records efforts to repopulate Jerusalem, which was still sparsely inhabited even after its walls were rebuilt [11]. The returned exiles generally settled in the lands and cities that had been historically assigned to their ancestors [9].
The book's authorship is generally attributed to Nehemiah himself, particularly the portions written in the first person (chapters 1-7; 12:27-47; and 13) [3]. However, some sections, such as chapters 8, 9, and 10, refer to Nehemiah in the third person, leading some scholars to suggest they might have been written by Ezra or compiled by another hand, though Nehemiah is considered the responsible author for the overall work [3, 1]. The historical account within the book spans approximately twelve years [1].
Beyond the physical rebuilding, Nehemiah, often in conjunction with Ezra, worked to restore the Mosaic Law and religious practices among the Jewish community [7]. This included efforts to dissolve unlawful marriages with foreign women and to ensure the proper functioning and maintenance of public worship [7]. However, during Nehemiah's absence when he returned to the king in Babylon, some of these reforms lapsed, necessitating further action upon his return to Jerusalem [7]. The book thus provides a critical historical snapshot of the post-exilic Jewish community's efforts to re-establish its identity and covenant relationship with God under Persian rule [9].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nehemiah, The Book Of — like the preceding one of Ezra, is clearly and certainly not all by the same hand. [[905]Ezra, Book Of, 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”
- Nehemiah “Nehemiah 1:1 (BBE) — The history of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. Now it came about, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when I was in Shushan, the king's town,”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Nehemiah, Book of — 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 a”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nehemiah — (consolation of the Lord). + 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”
- Nehemiah “and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein. -- Nehemiah 4:8”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Nehemiah — 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 condit”
- Nehemiah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Nehemiah 12:44: The joint efforts of Nehemiah and Ezra succeeded both in restoring the enactments of the law for the performance and maintenance of the public worship, and in carrying out the separation of the community from strangers, especially by the dissolution of unlawful marriages (Neh 12:44-13:3). When Nehemiah, however, returned to the king at Babylon, in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, and remained there some time, the abuses which had been abolished were again allowed by the people. During Nehemiah's absence, Eliashib the priest prepared a chamber in the for”
- Nehemiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Nehemiah 1 (introduction): Here we first meet with Nehemiah at the Persian court, where we find him, I. Inquisitive concerning the state of the Jews and Jerusalem (Neh 1:1, Neh 1:2). II. Informed of their deplorable condition (Neh 1:3). III. Fasting and praying thereupon (Neh 1:4), with a particular account of his prayer (Neh 1:5-11). Such is the rise of this great man, by piety, not by policy.”
- Nehemiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Nehemiah 11:3: THEIR NAMES. (Neh. 11:3-36) the chief of the province--that is, Judea. Nehemiah speaks of it, as it then was, a small appendix of the Persian empire. in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities--The returned exiles, who had come from Babylon, repaired generally, and by a natural impulse, to the lands and cities throughout the country which had been anciently assigned them. Israel--This general name, which designated the descendants of Jacob before the unhappy division of the two kingdoms under Rehoboam, was restored ”
- Nehemiah (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Nehemiah 1 (introduction): Account of Nehemiah, Neh 1:1. His inquiry about the Jews that had returned from their captivity, and concerning the state of Jerusalem, of which he receives the most discouraging information, Neh 1:2, Neh 1:3. He is greatly affected; fasts and prays, Neh 1:4. His prayer and confession to God, Neh 1:5-11.”
- Nehemiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Nehemiah 11 (introduction): Jerusalem was walled round, but it was not as yet fully inhabited, and therefore was weak and despicable. Nehemiah's next care is to bring people into it; of that we have here an account. I. The methods taken to replenish it (Neh 11:1, Neh 11:2). II. The principal persons that resided there, of Judah and Benjamin (Neh 11:3-9), of the priests and Levites (Neh 11:10-19). III. The several cities and villages of Judah and Benjamin that were peopled by the rest of their families (v. 20-36).”
- Nehemiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Nehemiah 1 (introduction): This chapter relates how that Nehemiah, being at Shushan in Persia, and meeting with some Jews, inquired of the state of Jerusalem, of which having a melancholy account, he betook to mourning, fasting, and prayer, Neh 1:1, and his prayer is recorded, Neh 1:5.”