Nehemiah -- an introduction

Nehemiah was probably written by the same hand as Ezra and, even though in the Canon it follows Ezra, it was likely written before Ezra and contains events that precede Ezra’s mission. Nehemiah’s personal memoirs provide reflections on the events of the time, prayers, and accounts of his determination to ease the suffering of the Judeans. The book also contains worship material: a psalm of confession and repentance and a record of the re-dedication service of the Temple of God.

Nehemiah can be outlined as follows:

·         Nehemiah 1:1-2:10      Nehemiah’s commission

·         Nehemiah 2:11-3:32    Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem

·         Nehemiah 4:1-23         Attempts to block the rebuilding project

·         Nehemiah 5:1-13         Internal troubles and the plight of the poor

·         Nehemiah 5:14-19       Nehemiah defends his governorship

·         Nehemiah 6:1-19         The plot of the enemy

·         Nehemiah 7:1-73         Guards and patrols

·         Nehemiah 7:73-8:12    The reading of the law and renewal of the covenant

·         Nehemiah 8:13-18       Renewal of the celebration of the festival of the booths

·         Nehemiah 9:1-5           A day of fasting

·         Nehemiah 9:6-37         Confession and prayer

·         Nehemiah 9:38-10:39  Renewal of the Covenant and its obligations

·         Nehemiah 11:1-24       Re-population of Jerusalem

·         Nehemiah 11:25-36     Re-population of Judea

·         Nehemiah 12:1-26       List of priests and Levites

·         Nehemiah 12:27-47     Dedication of the walls

·         Nehemiah 13:1-31       Nehemiah’s reforms

            Vital lesson: One man, Nehemiah, is moved to repentance when he learns of the state of Jerusalem and the Lord’s temple. Out of this repentance comes a series of actions and decisions that lead to the restoration of the city and the rebuilding of the place of worship.