I. Rebuilding the Walls Chapters 1-7
------chapter 1 Nehemiah's PRAYER for the Remnant at Jerusalem.
------chapter 2:1-16 Nehemiah's REQUEST of the king; RETURN to Jerusalem; REVIEW of the Ruins of Jerusalem
------chapter 2:17-20 Nehemiah's ENCOURAGEMENT to Rebuild the Walls
------chapter 3 REBUILDING the Walls and the Gates
------chapters 4-6 (Wall completed, 6:16) Nehemiah's RESPONSE to Opposition,
------chapter 7 Nehemiah's REGISTER of People - (Only 42,360 people, 7,337 servants and 245 singers returned.)
II. Revival and Reforms, chapters 8-13----
chapter 8----Great Bible READING Led by Ezra
chapters 9-10----REVIVAL - the Results
chapter 11-13----REFORM - Another Result
Outline as stated in the Fireside New American Bible:
I. The Deeds of Nehemiah (1, 1-7, 72)
II. Promulgation of the Law (8, 1-13, 31)
Basic Info:
Nehemiah's book is usually associated with that of Ezra. People will sometimes call the Ezra-Nehemiah book
a single book. This is because they were associated in the time called the "Restoration".
Nehemiah was the son of Hachaliah. The two places where he
lived were Persia and Jerusalem. He lived in Persia for the beginning of his
life. He was a cupbearer to Artaxerxes(464BC) in Persia. Artaxerxes was the
son of Xerxes 1. Nehemiah's job as a cupbearer
was a very important job because it required him to test food and drinks for
poison. He lived in Jerusalem so that he was able to
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the wall in the
first place because he heard about the tragedies in Jerusalem from his older
brother.
He had to get permission from someone before he was able to go to Jerusalem
and rebuild the wall, and he got permission from the king. He was given
permission when he presented food to the king and seen crying before the king.
The king asked him what was wrong and Nehemiah replied that he wanted to be sent
to Judah. Also, from the king and queen he was given the title of viceroy.
Once he had completed the wall he started a Political reform.
This Political reform that was similar to the novæ tabulæ.
After he had finished his tasks in Jerusalem he went back
to the Persia and served the king. Then went back one more time to finish what he had started.
Quote from Nehemiah:
I prayed: "O LORD, God of heaven, great and awesome God, you who preserve your
covenant of mercy toward those who love you and keep your commandments,
may your ear be attentive, and your eyes open, to heed the prayer which I,
your servant, now offer in your presence day and night for your servants the
Israelites, confessing the sins which we of Israel have committed against you,
I and my father's house included. (Nehemiah 1:5-6)
Quiz
1. Who was Nehemiah associated with?
2. What was Nehemiah's position under King Artazerxes?
3. What two places did Nehemiah live in during his life?
4. What (one of) Nehemiah's title?
5. How many chapters are there in Nehemiah's book?
Source that were used:
Fireside New American Bible 2006-2007 edition
Neal M. Flanagan, O.S.M: (Sheed and Ward - New York 1964)p 125, 127
J. M. Myers (Prentice-Hall 1968) P 14, 49, 71, 77, 81, 96
Isedore Singes and Wilhelm Bacher, "Nehemiah," The Jewish Encyclopedia
A. Van Hoonacker Newadvent [Encyclopedia on-line] (New York: Robert
Appleton Company October 1, 1911, accessed April 13, 2008); availiable from
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10737c.htm
more places to learn about Nehemiah and his book in the Bible
