15-16. BIBLICAL EPIC: - Notes

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Ezra 1: Cyrus said, "Let the LORD's people go up to and rebuild the temple." He gave the articles from the temple to Sheshbazzar. The picks up where 2 Chronicles left off. Ezra himself is the main figure in chapters 7-10, which are written in the first person. It is widely thought that the author of Ezra wrote the as well, for in ancient times, the two books were counted as one. The events narrated in Ezra-Nehemiah cover almost a century (538-433 BC). As God’s people return to their land, city, and temple, God also provides Ezra, the great teacher of the law, who with Nehemiah instructs the people to follow that law. The “Law of God” (repeated some 51 times) is a persistent theme throughout the books. We could summarize Ezra-Nehemiah in this way: “In response to God fulfilling His promises, His people should repent, reform and ‘follow the Law of God,’ or literally, ‘walk in the Law of God’” (Neh 10:29). • 1:1-4. The Decree of Cyrus. The narrative of Ezra begins with words nearly identical to the last two verses of 2 Chronicles describing the decree of King Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC that Jewish exiles may return to Jerusalem and rebuild the ruined temple. This decree was given so “that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled” (Jer 25:11-14; 32:36-38; 51:11). The whole book of Ezra is the story of God’s work to fulfill His promises by bringing His people back from exile and establishing them once again in their land. The prophet Jeremiah had foretold an exile lasting 70 years (Jer 29:10-14), after which time would be punished and restored. Behind this decree is the LORD who “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia.” Isaiah 44:28; 45:1 speak of Cyrus as the LORD’s “shepherd” and “anointed.” This acknowledgment of God’s hand behind the events of the book is the perspective through which all those events are to be viewed. Cyrus’s proclamation is only the beginning of a series of events that will fulfill the prophecy. It is first made orally, and carried through the vast Persian Empire, and then set down in writing, giving it the status of a solemn decree. The focus of the decree is the rebuilding of the temple more than the returning of the exiles in itself. Cyrus both urges Jews to return and obliges the people of his kingdom to supply them with what they need for the temple and its worship. As the birth of the nation began with the spoils of the Gentiles, so the new beginning of God’s people began with the silver and gold of their former oppressors. • 1:5-11. The Exiles Respond to the Decree. The response is spearheaded by the leadership of the people, particularly of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi (who had constituted the former kingdom of Judah). To further aid their purpose, Cyrus gives back the “vessels of the house of the LORD” (v. 7), once stolen from the temple (2 Kings 25:13- 17). The returning remnant “were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem” (v. 11) in what amounts to a new exodus that reverses the exile. The text gives no details about the journey but emphasizes the departure and arrival. Ezra 2: The exiles returned to Judah with . A total of 42,360 people returned. The heads of families gave offerings for the temple. • 2:1-70. The Exiles Return. This long chapter documents the exiles’ return from Babylon to resettle in their former homes in Jerusalem and Judah. The information here is given again in :5-73 in connection with a covenant renewal under Nehemiah. It shows that the exiled Judeans responded to Cyrus’s decree and took it as a fulfillment of prophecy. The return is not just the end of the exile but also a reoccupation of the ancient homeland. The leaders of the community are named, with Zerubbabel (grandson of King Jehoiachin), the main figure, and Jeshua, the priest, given pride of place. The other names in Ezra 2:2 and following are mostly unknown. The Nehemiah and Mordecai mentioned in v. 2 are different from their more well-known namesakes, who come about 50 to 100 years later. Those who returned are divided into ordinary Israelites (vv. 2b-35) and servants of the temple, including priests and Levites (vv. 36-58). The same division recurs in vv. 59-63, regarding legitimacy. Priests make up about 10 percent of the returnees (while the response of the Levites is dismal). The balance of the chapter shows a clear interest in the temple and its staffing. This return is about reestablishing the worship of the LORD at the temple. These family names also suggest the fulfillment of God’s promise to give Abraham many descendants, though they also point to a progressive fulfillment of the promise—a promise that will have even greater fulfillment in the future. : The Israelites made regular offerings. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple, the Levites sang praise to the LORD. • 3:1-6. Rebuilding the Altar. The “seventh month” was the culmination of Israel’s year, including important festivals of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles (Lev 23:15-43). In the first year of the return, the people make their first pilgrimage to Jerusalem where they are “gathered as one man” (v. 1). While ch. 2 showed the importance of individuals, this chapter shows the importance of corporate unity. Their first priority concerns the altar, just as it had been at the first entry into the Land, many years before (Deut 27:1-8). On this occasion, the broken altar had first to be repaired so that sacrifices could once again be made to God. The leading roles of Jeshua and Zerubbabel are again emphasized, with some stress on the role of the priests. While opposition exists (which will be described in more detail in chs. 4-5), creating fear among the people, they remain resolute at this point. In vv. 4-7, they keep the Feast of Booths, with its proper sacrifices. This feast celebrated both the rescue from Egypt (Lev 23:42-43) and the blessings of harvest (Deut 16:13-15). Thus the returned exiles celebrated their faith in the LORD of the Exodus while remembering God as the LORD of creation—themes ultimately fulfilled in the new creation flowing from a greater Exodus to be accomplished at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31) and the harvest at the end of the age (Matt 13:39). • 3:7-13. Rebuilding the Temple. The next task is to rebuild the temple, which begins a year after the return (537 BC). The “second month” is the same time of year when Solomon had begun his temple. The preparations made in v. 7 also recall those made by King Solomon 500 years earlier (1 Kings 5:13-18; 1 Chron 22:4, 15; 2 Chron 2). Zerubbabel initiates the work as representing the line of David and Solomon – a further sign of continuity with the great days of Israel’s past. Along with Joshua the priest, the kingly and priestly representatives unite to lay the foundation. And when the foundation is laid, the people shouted praise, echoing the refrain of Psa 136. However, sadness is mixed with this rejoicing, for some of the very old remembered the former temple and believed that this new one would not match the former temple’s glory. The picture of mitigated celebration is a small symbol of the whole event of the return, which was in itself a triumph yet fell far short of the great hopes the people might have had. Ezra 4: Enemies hindered the work in Judah. Rehum wrote to Artaxerxes: "Jerusalem is a rebellious city." So Artaxerxes stopped the building. • 4:1-5. Adversaries Oppose the Rebuilding. This chapter begins the account of the opposition to building the temple. This opposition to the building of the temple and city wall will continue until the end of the book of Nehemiah. When a seemingly friendly group arrives asking, “Let us build with you” (v. 2), the author describes them as “adversaries” (v. 1), showing that their offer was not what it seemed. Their identity is clarified in that they had been brought to the land by King Esarhaddon of Assyria. Second Kings 17 describes the policy of the Assyrian kings who deported many of the people in the northern kingdom of Israel and replaced them with people from Babylon and beyond. The claim of these enemies that they also worshiped the LORD (v. 2) was probably true, but the problem was that they also worshiped the false gods of their homeland (2 Kings 17:3-22). If Zerubbabel allowed these people to help in the construction, it would be impossible to prevent them from worshiping there as well. Zerubbabel and the other returnees knew well the terrible price their nation had paid for their syncretistic practices and could never allow such a practice again. Wisely, Zerubbabel merely appealed to the decree of Cyrus, which had instructed only the returning exiles to build the temple. Their pretense is then exposed as they begin to openly oppose the building efforts and continue to do so for the next 20 years until the temple’s completion in 516 BC during the reign of Darius. • 4:6-24. Later Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes. This flash-forward shows how the opposition continued and intensified during the subsequent reigns of (son of Darius, aka Xerxes, the king from the ) and Artaxerxes. Ezra jumps into the future to show that opposition was not confined to the earlier period of temple building. This parenthesis in vv. 6-23 relates to opposition at two different times in subsequent reigns. In those later periods the hostility was directed not at the temple but at the building of the walls of Jerusalem. Thus, opposition to the returning exiles lasted a considerable time. The letter to Artaxerxes is full of exaggeration but was enough to convince the king to issue an order to stop the work. This order probably occurred before 445 BC. , and is the basis of the report made to Nehemiah (Neh 1:3). In v. 24, the narrative jumps back in time to pick up the story from v. 5. Ezra 5: Zerubbabel began to build the temple. Tattenai wrote to Darius: "The elders say that Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this temple." • 5:1-5. Rebuilding Begins Anew. After the thematic presentation of local opposition in chapter 4, the author returns to the situation in Darius’s day when construction was resumed and completed (chapters 5-6). The prophets, and Zechariah, mentioned in v. 1 are also known from their books, which contain prophecies made in the second year of King Darius, 520 BC. Haggai began preaching on August 29, 520 BC, delivering a series of four messages to stir up the people and impress on them the importance of temple building as a sign that God is present among them. He declared that the LORD was displeased with them because their priority was on their own houses rather than the temple (Hag 1:4-6). In response, temple work was resumed on September 21. Two months after Haggai’s first message, Zechariah began to prophesy, also encouraging the people in their rebuilding efforts by pointing to God’s promise of future glory with the coming of His kingdom. Verses 1-2 of this chapter bring out the connection between their prophetic work and the renewed action, following the discouragement recorded in 4:4-5, 24. In beginning again, Zerubbabel and Jeshua are simply reimplementing Cyrus’s decree, recognizing it as the will and purpose of God. The officials Tattenai and Shethar-bozenai (v. 3) are much more neutral than the officials named in 4:8-10. Clearly they have no knowledge of Cyrus’s decree, no doubt because the work had long stopped, and they presumably came to power only after the exiles first arrived. They are interested only in the proper authorization of this important thing that was happening under their jurisdiction, and they do not actually interfere with the work’s progress. The author knows that a higher authority, the “eye” of God (v. 5), was watching over the builders’ activity and that God was protecting them. While Tattenai inquired of direction from Darius, he did not stop the work. • 5:6-17. Tattenai's Letter to King Darius. Tattenai’s letter is different in tone and atmosphere from the one in ch. 4 and incorporates the Jewish leaders’ reply without loaded comments such as “that rebellious and wicked city” (4:12) and “you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River” (4:16). After a brief account of the factual details in vv. 6-10, the full reply of the Jewish leaders is also included in vv. 11-16. Verse 12 sums up well the message of 1-2 Kings. The decree of Cyrus (recorded in 1:2-4) will prove critical in establishing that the rebuilding is legitimate. Tattenai concludes in v. 17 with a suggestion that the royal archives be searched for this decree of Cyrus. Ezra 6: Darius issued a decree: "The cost of the temple shall come from the treasury." The temple was completed and the Israelites celebrated. • 6:1-12. The Decree of Darius. The search for Cyrus’s decree is made first in Babylonia, but the scroll containing the record of the decree was found in Ecbatana (v. 2), a summer residence of the Persian kings. This record (written in Aramaic) is not identical to the decree as recorded in 1:2-4 (written in Hebrew), as it makes new stipulations about the building, its location, its size, and its materials. While the original decree had required people in Babylon to support the cost of the exiles’ project (1:4), this record requires that the cost be met from the royal treasury. In vv. 6-12, Darius then instructs Tattenai and his fellow officials to allow the work to continue. Darius’s decree not only provided funds for reconstruction, but for the daily sacrificial offerings as well. His motivation was not wholly altruistic, but that the people would pray for “the life of the king and his sons” (v. 10). The decree ends in vv. 11-12 with a threat of savage punishment to anyone who would tamper with or violate the decree in carrying it out. • 6:13-18. The Temple Finished and Dedicated. In accordance with the decree of Darius (along with that of Cyrus who came before and Artaxerxes who will follow), and in accordance with “the decree of the God of Israel” (v. 14), the temple was finally completed (3½ years after construction initially began). The “sixth year of the reign of Darius” was 516 BC, 70 years after the destruction of the first temple (586), thus fulfilling the prophecy of 70 years of exile (one way of reading Jer 25:11-12; 29:10). While smaller than Solomon’s temple, it would endure longer (585 years until 70 AD). Just as the dedication of the first temple filled the people with joy (1 Kings 8:66), and as the rededication of the temple and the restoration of Passover in Hezekiah’s day brought joy (2 Chron 30:21), so now with the second temple, the people responded with great joy (as commanded in the law in Deut 12:7, 12, 18; 16:11,14). • 6:19-22. The Passover Celebrated. The author had used Aramaic from 4:8 through 6:18 since he was working with official Persian correspondence written in Aramaic. With that correspondence completed, he returned to Hebrew in these verses. The new temple allowed the full implementation of the sacrificial system that existed before the disaster of 586 BC when the first temple was destroyed. This celebration of Passover (probably April 21, 515 BC) would have been a momentous occasion for God’s people to remember their forefathers’ deliverance from Egypt as well as their own deliverance from exile. God had fulfilled His prophecies and answered His people’s prayers. Ezra 7: Ezra went up to Jerusalem to teach the law. Artaxerxes wrote: "I decree that whatever Ezra needs shall be done." So I was encouraged. • 7:1-10. Ezra Comes to Jerusalem. The second major part of Ezra consists primarily of the “Ezra Memoir,” which tells of the ministry of Ezra the scribe in bringing spiritual renewal to the Jewish people. The narrative skips to a time 57 years after the temple’s dedication, when Ezra is commissioned by King Artaxerxes to establish the Torah of Moses in the Jerusalem community. Ezra dominates chapters 7-10 and also reappears in Neh 8. Ezra is introduced first as a priest, his lineage going back to Aaron the chief priest (v. 5), the brother of Moses. He comes in the 7th year of the reign of Artaxerxes (v. 7; 458 BC), some 80 years since the early pioneers returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Ezra is also a “scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (v. 6). Ezra’s mission was to teach God’s “statutes and rules” (v. 10). Readers are told nothing of how this mission came to be in Ezra’s heart. The terms “study,” “do,” and “teach” (indeed, the whole account of Ezra 7-10) present Ezra as the ideal priest in Israel, whose task is to lead God’s people in worship and holiness of life. No doubt God raised up a scribe with expert knowledge of the law because, after 70 years of exile, the people badly need instruction in how to live according to the Law of Moses. Ezra has apparently asked the king for permission and resources to go to Jerusalem (v. 7). Artaxerxes is supportive, again at the prompting of God, who gives favor to Ezra. Along with Ezra comes a new wave of migrants, priests, laity, and Levites, including singers and gatekeepers (v. 7; cf. 2:36-58). As in the exile, the return from exile did not happen all at once. The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem (about 900 miles) takes nearly four months (April to August). • 7:11-28. The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra. This section tells how Artaxerxes supports Ezra by commissioning him and providing further for the temple. The text of the letter (vv. 12-26) is in Aramaic. The decree echoes that of Cyrus in authorizing any Jews who wish to go to Jerusalem (vv. 13-14) as well as providing for the needs of the temple (vv. 15-20). In v. 21, the decree specifically addresses the royal treasury officials in “Beyond the River,” compelling them to make provision for Ezra up to specified limits. In making these provisions, the king may actually intend to ward off the wrath of God against the “king and his sons.” Many regard this letter as the beginning point of Daniel’s first of 69 “sevens” (Dan 9:24-27). Others regard the commission of Nehemiah by the same king (Neh 1:1, 11; 2:1-8) as the starting point of this prophecy. In vv. 27-28, the language changes from Aramaic to Hebrew as Ezra praises the LORD in a psalm-like doxology, expressing confidence for the present and future as he, by faith, begins this new project. Ezra 8: I assembled the family heads from Babylon and gave the gifts for the temple to the Levites. We came to Jerusalem and made offerings. • 8:1-36. Ezra Journeys to Jerusalem with a New Wave of Returnees. This section gives a more extended account of Ezra’s return to Jerusalem (with language indicating a Second Exodus). Readers learn of those who returned with Ezra (vv. 1-14), of how he recruited additional priests (vv. 15-20), of their prayer for the journey (vv. 21-23), and of Ezra’s provision for the temple (vv. 24-36). The number who had returned 80 years earlier with Zerubbabel and Joshua was more than 40,000 men (2:64), while the list here shows only about 1500 men. While lower in number, this group nevertheless made a considerable addition to the community in Judah. There were two priestly divisions, namely, Phinehas (v. 2; son of Eleazar, Num 25:7) and Ithamar (v. 2; Exod 28:1). These were the remaining sons of Aaron following the judgment on Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-7). Ezra himself was of the line of Phinehas (Ezra 7:5). Daniel (v. 2) is otherwise unknown, and is not the Daniel who was carried off to Babylon in 605 BC. A third division is a line of David (v. 2). Ezra’s party therefore aims to replenish the priesthood, and perhaps also to renew the claims of the Davidic house to rule in Judah. The group sets out on “the twelfth day of the first month” (v. 31; Nisan, March/April); the plan to leave on the first day (7:9) had been delayed by the need to send for more Levites (the lower order of clergy). The next notes that it was the will of the LORD that was responsible for the willingness of the Levites to come with Ezra (vv. 18-20). They arrived on the first day of the fifth month (Ab, July/Aug). After a three- day rest, the treasures for the temple are handed over to the priests as planned (vv. 28-30). For these exiles it is a first chance to see and worship at the rebuilt temple, and their sacrifices resemble those made at its first dedication. : The leaders told me that the people had taken foreign wives. I tore my robe and prayed, "O God, we have forsaken your commandments." • 9:1-5. Ezra Discovers the Problem of Marriage to Idolaters. Four months after Ezra’s arrival, some of Israel’s leaders presented him with a genuine threat to the postexilic Jewish community— intermarriage between Jews and pagans. The extent of the problem is shown in that all three major groups of the community were involved— the laity (“the people of Israel”) as well as “priests” and “Levites,” and with the leaders and “chief men” taking the lead. It may be that early groups returning from Babylon had included more men than women, thus making it more difficult to find a wife. While marrying a foreign wife was not always forbidden (Joseph and Moses each had a foreign wife; note also Ruth), but intermarriage with local Canaanite groups was forbidden “so that they won’t teach you to do all the detestable acts they do for their gods” (Deut 20:18). King Solomon’s example certainly was remembered, as his numerous foreign wives “turned his heart away to follow other gods” (:4). Thus, the issue was not racial but religious. The term “holy race” (literally “holy seed”) in v. 2 alludes to the seed/offspring of Abraham, who bore the ancient promise of covenant and land. Isaiah 6:13 speaks of the “holy seed,” the surviving remnant that would be brought to life again (Ezek 37), fulfilled ultimately in the long-promised “seed” of Gen 3:15, Jesus. Ezra expresses his deep dismay by performing ritual acts of mourning. His severe reaction results from the fact that the “holy race” has compromised its newly won salvation by returning to the sins that had brought judgment in the first place. • 9:6-15. Ezra’s Prayer of Confession. This is one of the ’s great prayers. Its closest parallel is Daniel’s prayer (Dan 9:4-19): both Daniel and Ezra identify themselves with the sins of the people and become mouthpieces for their confessions. See also the prayer in Neh 9:5-37. Ezra began his prayer with his own shame and embarrassment but quickly shifted to a corporate confession of the nation’s sins. In referring to “our fathers,” Ezra is confessing Israel’s long history of idolatry and guilt. Although God had punished the nation, He graciously did not wipe them out completely. After all, there were many other Israelites scattered throughout the Persian Empire through whom God could fulfill His purposes. The book of Esther shows how the LORD continued to care for those who did not return to the land of promise. The commands that the people had abandoned are specifically spelled out in vv. 11-12 (cf. Deut 7:1-5). Ezra uses language from the “holiness” vocabulary to stress the incompatibility of the indigenous people’s way of life and worship with that mandated by the holy God of Israel. Ezra knows that God is both just and merciful. The very existence of the postexilic “remnant” proves His mercy; yet equally God would be justified in bringing renewed judgment on the sinful people. They should not presume upon God’s grace, but rather repent. The prayer serves as a petition for mercy, and it prompts Ezra and his close associates to turn the people from their sin. : The Israelites wept. They all assembled and Ezra said, "Separate from your foreign wives." The family heads investigated the matter. • 10:1-17. The People Confess Their Sins. Ezra’s public prayer and demonstration of grief bring a large number of people to repentance. Shecaniah speaks for the whole gathering, confessing that they have indeed “broken faith with our God” (v. 2) in marrying foreign women. However, the word translated “married” is not the usual one, but means literally “we have given a home.” Shecaniah’s words, then, may imply that these illicit relationships were not marriages in the full sense. Shecaniah’s belief that “there is hope for Israel” is dependent on making a “covenant” with God, meaning in this instance a solemn and binding promise to “put away” (not the usual word for divorce) the foreign wives and their children. Because this represents a different situation in a different context as compared to 1 Cor 7:12–14 (where Paul tells Christians not to divorce their unbelieving spouses), and because this example was recorded here in Ezra for descriptive rather than normative reasons, there would be no justification for anyone to take similar actions today. In Ezra’s context, members of God’s people had defied God’s law in taking these wives, while Paul gives his instructions to people who probably converted after their marriage. Paul does, however, give a similar injunction to believers to not be “unequally yoked” with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14). Ezra and the other leaders agree that anyone who refused to participate in the plan to renounce the foreign wives and children would share their excommunication. In vv. 12-15, they propose a practical means of conducting the plan and its inquiry. The whole procedure took three months, as the family heads met from December 29, 458 to March 27, 457 BC. • 10:18-44. Those Guilty of Intermarriage. The list of 113 names is surprisingly short, and may suggest a more limited problem than one might have expected. It is divided “top down,” progressing from the priests (v. 18), beginning with the High Priest’s own family, to the Levites (v. 23), and finally to all Israel (vv. 25-43). Sadly, the problem of intermarriage did not end during Ezra’s ministry, for Nehemiah confronted it once again about thirty years later (Neh 13:23-29). The abrupt ending of the book of Ezra, with no summations or conclusions, is attributable to the fact that Ezra was originally joined with Nehemiah. This was not originally a closing to a book, but merely a closing to the section on Ezra’s early ministry. The focus then shifted to Nehemiah, who, like Ezra, faithfully served God. : The words of Nehemiah: Men from Judah said, "The wall of Jerusalem is broken down." I prayed, "O LORD, give me favor with the king." • 1:1-3. Report from Jerusalem. Nehemiah, whose name means “Yahweh has comforted,” is identified as son of Hacaliah, to distinguish him from other people named Nehemiah (3:16; 7:7; Ezra 2:2) in the same era. The “twentieth year” is that of Artaxerxes’ reign ( 445 BC), 13 years after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:7). “Chislev” is the ninth month (November/December), in the winter (cf. Ezra 10:9). , in southwestern Iran, became the capital of Persia during the time of Darius, while later kings such as Xerxes and Artaxerxes used it as their winter palace. Hanani, who brings a report from Jerusalem, is perhaps Nehemiah’s biological brother, and is later appointed his deputy (7:2). The report about “the wall of Jerusalem” might mean that the wall had never been successfully rebuilt since the first return of exiles, or that an attempt to rebuild it had been thwarted, perhaps by command of king Artaxerxes (see Ezra 4:20). The lack of a city wall meant that the people were defenseless against attack. • 1:4-11. Nehemiah’s Prayer. Nehemiah’s response was like that of his predecessor, Ezra (Ezra 9:3-5), who also humbled himself before God. Nehemiah’s prayer is shorter than Ezra’s, but reflects the same language of Deuteronomy, acknowledging that Israel’s adversities had resulted from the nation’s covenant unfaithfulness and that their present survival was due solely to God’s abundant mercy. Before turning to petition, Nehemiah reiterates the greatness of God’s character and thus God’s ability to answer his request in v. 11. Like Ezra (Ezra 9:6), Nehemiah also identified with the sin of his people, confessing that “even I and my father’s house have sinned” (v. 6). This is coupled with an appeal to God’s covenant faithfulness. Just as Moses had interceded for his sinful people, reminding God that Israel was His people whom He had brought out of Egypt (Exod 32: 11), so too Nehemiah reminded God that they were His servants and His people whom He had redeemed. In the end, Nehemiah knows that God can move powerful people like Artaxerxes (“this man” in v. 11) to act in ways that accord with His own plans, and in favor of His people. Only at the end of the chapter does it become clear why a Jewish man like Nehemiah thought he would ever get to address the Persian king: “I was cupbearer to the king” (v. 11). The cupbearer was not only responsible for choosing appropriate wines for the king, but he tasted them himself to ensure they were not poisoned. God providentially placed Nehemiah in this position for such a time as this (cf. Esther 4:14). : The king granted my request to go and rebuild Jerusalem. Sanballat was displeased. I inspected the walls and said, "Let us rebuild." • 2:1-8. Nehemiah Sent to Judah. Four months later (perhaps the king had not been in Susa), an opportunity finally opens up for Nehemiah. Nehemiah is unable to hide his “sadness” and the king discerns some discontentment as the cause. Nehemiah was then “very much afraid” because he was about to say something that the king might take as disloyalty. Nehemiah first declares his loyalty (“Let the king live forever!”) and then carefully reveals the reason for his grief concerning the city of “his fathers’ graves” (v. 3). The Persian rulers went to great expense building tombs for their ancestors, and so Nehemiah’s concern for the condition of his ancestors’ tombs would certainly strike a sympathetic chord with the Persian king. When the king invites him to make a request, Nehemiah again (silently) prays, and then asks the king for permission to rebuild the city of his “fathers’ graves” in Judah. Nehemiah’s request to rebuild Jerusalem was bold in light of the king’s earlier decision (Ezra 4:12-16) to stop all construction on the project. After setting a timetable for his mission, the king grants the request. Neh 5:14 suggests Nehemiah spent at least 12 years on his first term as governor of Judah. Then he returned in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes’ reign to report to the king, after which he came back to Jerusalem for a second term (13:6-7). Finally, Nehemiah asked for and was granted letters verifying his authority as well as access to building resources for the project. • 2:9-20. Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls. Despite Nehemiah’s authorization, his arrival in “Beyond the River” was not well received by Sanballat, governor of Samaria, or , possibly governor of Ammon. They were threatened in some way by Nehemiah’s arrival, but their opposition could be more religious than political. When Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he does not set to work immediately but takes a rest for three days. This gives him time to assess the opposition so that the work is not stopped before it even starts. When he does take action to survey Jerusalem’s walls, it is under the cover of darkness and with only a few trusted men. Nehemiah did not make a complete circuit of the walls but only viewed the southern and eastern sides. The northern walls had probably been completely demolished because that was the direction from which the Babylonians had attacked. Nehemiah does not explain how he publicized his plans for rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, but he may have called an assembly like Ezra did (Ezra 10:7). Nehemiah’s priority was to alleviate not his sense of insecurity or danger but rather his sense of shame that Zion, the city of the great King, lay in ruins. He also emphasized God’s initiative in this enterprise (v. 18). He wanted the people had to understand that their bad situation was not irreversible because God could change things. Not surprisingly, opposition quickly mounts but Nehemiah presses on by trusting God. : The priests rebuilt the Sheep Gate, the Tekoites made repairs, Jedaiah repaired opposite his house, Meremoth repaired another section. • 3:1-33. Rebuilding the Wall. The next section of the book (3:1-7:4) records the building and repairing of the walls by all the people of Judah, despite the efforts of certain groups to stop them. The building work is described in this chapter, naming both the workers and their place of labor. The account moves counter-clockwise around the wall, section by section, beginning and ending at the Sheep Gate. The unity of the people, led by the high priest and his associates, shows that this chapter is an account not simply of long-dead builders but of those who built the wall to outlast their own time and commemorate God’s past faithfulness, His present help, and assurance of His future blessing. The point of this account is to show that the people as a whole responded to Nehemiah’s challenge, engaged in a concerted effort to work together, and believed God would give them success. The account suggests that most of the rebuilding centered around the gates, where enemy assaults were always concentrated. : Sanballat ridiculed us and plotted to attack Jerusalem. So we prayed and posted a guard. The builders carried swords as they worked. • 4:1-14. Opposition to the Work. Nehemiah’s first-person narrative again resumes as he gives an account of how rebuilding led to renewed opposition. Sanballat was “greatly enraged” because of the challenge to his authority. But he is less confident than he appears and resorts to blustering ridicule of the work. Nehemiah’s prayer in vv. 4-5 is the first of seven brief prayers (aside from the two longer ones in ch. 1, 9) in which he either petitions God’s help or asks God to take note of his efforts and fulfill purposes for His people (5:19; 6:9, 14; 13:14, 22). The sentiment here is that of the imprecatory prayers of the Psalms that calls for God’s judgments on the enemy. The city and province are now ringed with enemies: Sanballat in the north, in the south, Ammonites in the east, and Ashdodites in the west. Furthermore, the task itself is massive and discouraging (v. 10); the enemies have terrified the people with the threat of a deadly night attack (v. 11); and the friends and families of people who have come in from the villages to work on the walls try to persuade them to come home because of the danger (v. 12). Again Nehemiah shows his spiritual stature as well as his careful planning and precautions as he mobilizes the people to defend the weakest parts of the wall. Of course, the true defender of Jerusalem is the God who had in the past protected them. • 4:15-23. The Work Resumes. The work progresses as Nehemiah’s countermeasures continue and the people divide the labor between those who build and those who defend. Nehemiah also stationed a trumpeter beside him (v. 18), so they could concentrate their forces quickly in case of an attack. While Nehemiah trusted God for protection, he also prepared the people to defend themselves from attack. God often accomplishes His purposes through ordinary human means. Nehemiah led the people by example and they remained constantly alert day and night. : The people cried out, "We have to borrow to get grain." I told the nobles, "Let us stop exacting usury." I did not take my allowance. • 5:1-19. Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor. The rest of life did not stand still while the building work proceeded, and serious problems of poverty and food shortage emerged (vv. 1-13). The 52 days of building (6:15) could not in themselves have caused these problems, but diverting manpower from the work of agriculture to concentrate on building may have exacerbated the problem. Furthermore, the people were treating one another strictly on business terms rather than treating the disadvantaged as brothers and sisters. Nehemiah first responds personally; he is angry, but then channels that anger into a considered course of action. He urges creditors to forego their right to repayment with interest and instructs lenders to return land and property and cancel all interest due. Nehemiah not only eased financial burdens in Judah but also modeled generosity and social responsibility (vv. 14- 19). Former governors had exploited their position for personal gain, but Nehemiah refused, even refusing his allowance as governor. His hospitality in vv. 17-19 is quite generous, reflecting God’s own generosity. This is actually a bountiful provision, but more than that, it is a sign of the kingdom (consider Jesus’ parable of the banquet in Luke 14). While Nehemiah’s brief prayer in v. 19 has been criticized by some as self-serving, it is better seen as a statement of confidence that God is judge, and judges favorably those who sincerely seek to do His will. : Sanballat and Tobiah sent for me to do me harm. I replied, "Why should I come?" The wall was finished and our enemies were afraid. • 6:1-14. Conspiracy Against Nehemiah. With the wall almost complete, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the “rest of our enemies” turn in desperation to trickery, knowing that they cannot overcome the Jews by direct assault. Nehemiah would not divert time and effort from the LORD’s work for discussions with his enemies that he knew would be fruitless at best and probably dangerous to him as well. Sanballat then resorts to a fifth, public letter in which he accuses Nehemiah of rebellion through a mix of lies, innuendo and spurious plausibility. Nehemiah bluntly and completely denies the allegations, for he had no aspirations to kingship, nor indeed a claim to it, since there is no reason to think he was of the Davidic line. Nehemiah again prays (v. 9) recognizing that only the LORD can truly deal with this situation. With their attempts to lure Nehemiah out of Jerusalem having failed, Tobiah and Sanballat attempt to destroy Nehemiah’s reputation by hiring a false prophet, Shemaiah. Nehemiah sees through Shemaiah’s deceit and rejects his invitation to hide within the temple on two grounds: (1) as governor, it would be cowardly, and (2) as a layman he is conscious of the sanctuary’s holiness and has a horror of defiling it. This episode is just one of many attempts to stop the work. Nehemiah prays again in v. 14, not for personal vengeance, but for vindication. • 6:15-19. The Wall is Finished. Less than six months after Nehemiah first spoke to the king, the wall is finished in only 52 days – an amazing accomplishment. If God had helped the people of Judah so remarkably in this way, the nations would fear that this same God would turn Judah into a powerful nation that would be a threat to them. In v. 17, the complicity of the nobles of Judah with Tobiah strongly emerges. Tobiah was related to an influential family in Judah since his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam, who had helped to repair the wall of Jerusalem (3:4, 30). There was clearly a powerful lobby in Jerusalem committed to Tobiah and opposed to Nehemiah. Nehemiah 7: I gave Hanani and Hananiah charge over Jerusalem. I registered the nobles, rulers and people by genealogy. The assembly was 42,360. • 7:1-4. The Wall is Finished (cont.). These verses outline the further security precautions taken by Nehemiah, which were even more necessary because of the continued opposition noted in chapter 6. With Tobiah’s associates well entrenched in the city, Nehemiah needed people he could trust such as Hanani (who first alerted Nehemiah to the ruined condition of Jerusalem in 1:2-3) and Hananiah. Their appointment ensured that the next stage of the project would be carried out faithfully. Normally the city gates would be opened at dawn, but delaying their opening until the sun was high in the heavens would prevent the enemy from making a surprise attack before most people were up. The population of the city had not recovered from the Babylonian devastation a century and a half earlier. • 7:5-73. Lists of Returned Exiles. Nehemiah maintains a close relationship with God, as evidenced by his frequent prayers and his clear convictions about God’s guidance in his life. He now decides to make a census of the people, and is helped by the discovery of “the book of the genealogy” of the first returnees from the time of Zerubbabel. The list in these verses is virtually identical with the one found in Ezra 2 (v. 73b is an addition to Ezra 2:70, bringing the perspective back to Nehemiah’s time). Therefore, its purpose is not to give new information but to highlight Nehemiah’s next concern after completing the walls, namely, to repopulate Jerusalem (v. 4). Just as Nehemiah rebuilt the wall on earlier foundations, so he now rebuilds the community on the labors of earlier generations. The city of God must stand in direct continuity with the first returnees whom God rescued from Babylon in a second exodus that took them back to the land God had promised Abraham (Gen 15:18-21). The reference in v. 73b to the “seventh month” (Tishri) leads into the covenant renewal that follows. This was one of the most important months in the year. It started with the Festival of Trumpets, which was followed by the Day of Atonement and then the Festival of Tabernacles (Lev 23:23-44). The time was October/November 444 BC. With v. 73a, Nehemiah’s memoir in the first person gives way to records in the third person, which some take as part of the “Ezra memoir” (7:73b- 10:39), which would fall chronologically between Ezra 8 and 9. Biblical authors would sometimes organize their material thematically, not chronologically. The narrative about the repopulating of Jerusalem will resume in 11:1. : The people gathered and Ezra read from the law. Nehemiah said, "This day is holy. Do not mourn." The people held the Feast of Booths. • 8:1-12. Ezra Reads the Law. In this section (8:1-10:39), the “Book of the Law” is solemnly read, the Feast of Booths is kept, and a great act of covenant renewal is performed. For the first time in Nehemiah, Ezra enters the narrative. This section shows the unity of his and Nehemiah’s projects. With the walls securely in place, the centrality of the Mosaic law is once again made prominent, since it is not security alone that is essential to the life of the community, nor even the temple, but trust in God and obedience to God’s Word as revealed through Moses. The whole passage has Leviticus 23 especially in mind. Ezra reads “the Book of the Law” (either the Pentateuch or merely Deuteronomy) to all the people, men and women, and the Levites ensure that everyone has understood it. “Understanding” is a key theme in this chapter, since it was vital that all should be able to know and learn God’s ways as revealed to Israel. The role of the Levites in helping the people understand may have included translating the reading, which would have been in Hebrew, to Aramaic, the language that most of the people probably spoke. It also likely included explaining the passage, which remains a model for all who teach and preach the Word of God. The apostle Paul specifically instructed, “Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching” (1 Tim 4:13). The reading and teaching of the law may have been neglected in the generations since the first return from Babylon, but here the people’s desire to hear the Torah is underlined. However, worship for them was not just a mental exercise, but involved the whole worshiper, as they stood, spoke, and kneeled in humility before God. Their posture of standing in v. 5 during the reading (which lasted some 6 hours) has led many traditions to stand while God’s Word is being read. Though sorrow for sin was a positive response (v. 9), joy at renewed relationship with God was the teaching’s ultimate purpose (v. 10). “Joy” was a keynote because God had saved Israel, in both the remote and the recent past, and this story of salvation would have been told again in the reading of the Book of the Law. Note that while the phrase, “opened the book” (v. 5) is used in translation, the phrase is literally, “unrolled the scroll.” • 8:13-18. Feast of Booths Celebrated. The Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles (Exod 23:16; Lev 23:39-43), was both a harvest festival and a family-oriented festival that highlighted God’s protection of Israel in the desert before the conquest. The people kept this feast by living in temporary dwellings made from branches to commemorate how they had lived in booths in the wilderness after God had brought them out of Egypt. Although the Feast of Booths had been celebrated on occasion (cf. 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chron 7:9; Ezra 3:4), it had apparently not been celebrated in this way (with such overwhelming joy, or in such unsettled conditions, or with all the people participating). : The Israelites confessed. The Levites said, "LORD, you brought our fathers out of Egypt. They rebelled but you did not forsake them." • 9:1-38. The People of Israel’s Prayer of Confession, Penitence, and Covenant Commitment. The Festival of Booths ended on the 22nd day of the month, and it is now the 24th. This would be Oct 30, 444 BC. This day of national mourning and confession does not contradict the previous chapter’s emphasis on rejoicing but prevents that joy from being superficial. Some of the leading Levites who had helped the people understand the law while Ezra read it now lead in prayer (vv. 5b-37). This confessional prayer ranges widely and richly through Israel’s theology and history, following the biblical story, as told from Genesis through Kings. It begins with creation (vv. 5b-6), followed by the call of Abraham (vv. 7-8), the deliverance from Egypt (vv. 9-15), Israel’s rebellion and subsequent sojourn in the wilderness (vv. 16-26), the cycles of rebellion and repentance from the Judges through the Kings (v. 27-31), to a final plea to the LORD for mercy in the present. The prayer acknowledges again that the people sinned amid God’s blessing. While they have returned to the Promised Land, their sinfulness explains why they are in some ways still in exile. The nations are not flowing to Zion (Isa 2:2-5) nor is the desert bursting into bloom (Isa 35:1-3). Some promises have been fulfilled, but the ultimate fulfillment lies in the future. To mend the situation, the people will now enter a solemn covenant (v. 38) and pledge to keep faithfully what they now undertake. In some respects, this prayer resembles Ezra’s prayer of confession upon his discovery of the problem of mixed marriages (Ezra 9:6-15; compare also with Neh 1:5-11; Dan 9:4-19). It has even more in common with certain psalms of confession (such as Psalm 78; 105-106), which interweave confession with memories of God’s grace, and notes of petition. It powerfully reinforces the fundamentals of their faith by surveying God’s mercy and faithfulness and their sinfulness. : The leaders sealed a covenant. The people made an oath: "We will not marry foreigners. We will bring the offerings for the temple." • 10:1-27. The People who Sealed the Covenant. The long list of 84 people who put their names to the covenant is designed to show that the entire community—priests, Levites, and lay leaders—was wholeheartedly behind it. These are prominent people in the community; many of their names have appeared before in Nehemiah. • 10:28-39. The Obligations of the Covenant. Here, the people essentially undertake to keep the entire Mosaic law. These commands and prohibitions, prescribed in six crucial areas, are not just quotations from the Pentateuch but are an integration and application of the law to their present conditions. In some cases the OT laws are given greater specification or are broadened and applied to Israel’s new circumstances. What is clear is the presupposition of the absolute authority of the law as God’s revelation and the presupposition of its applicability to every generation. The six specific areas include forbidding intermarriage with foreigners (v. 30), buying and selling on the (v. 31a), a seventh year rest for the land (v. 31b), the temple tax (vv. 32-33), a wood offering (v. 34), and agricultural/first fruits offerings (vv. 35-38). Verse 39 summarizes the whole chapter and underlines the concern that the temple be worthy not simply as a place for correct ritual practice but also as the place where God meets with His people. : The leaders and one in ten of the people lived in Jerusalem. There were descendants of Judah and of Benjamin, priests and Levites. • 11:1-24. The Leaders in Jerusalem. Here the author returns to the Nehemiah Memoir and the narrative about the repopulation of Jerusalem first introduced in 7:4-5. Jerusalem was underpopulated, made up largely of “the leaders of the people” (v. 1). Nehemiah is concerned to repopulate the city and thus put both its spiritual and economic life on a secure footing. The solution to the problem was to have a tenth of the population come to live in Jerusalem, chosen by the casting of lots, a practice common in the OT and even into NT times (Acts 1:26). While this was a burden for those selected, this would not have been the selection of individuals but of families. The list in vv. 3-19 of community and religious leaders who lived in Jerusalem is probably selective. It parallels 1 Chron 9:2-21, a list of the first residents of Jerusalem after the return from Babylon. About half the names in the two lists are the same. The purpose here seems to demonstrate that a representative cross section of the nation was now living in the holy city. • 11:25-36. Villages Outside Jerusalem. This list of villages (vv. 25-30 for Judah; vv. 31-36 for Benjamin) is prompted by the allusion to the population in the province as opposed to Jerusalem (v. 1). A number of the place-names in Judah occur also in Josh 15:20-63. In general, the towns listed for Judah were south of Jerusalem, extending all the way into the Negev, while the towns listed for Benjamin were northwest of Jerusalem extending into the Shephelah. One explanation for the selectivity of this list is that it is of those towns that were not destroyed by the Babylonians in the sixth century BC and whose inhabitants remained in the land. It could also be that these villages were garrison towns along the northern and southern border, which could fit well with Nehemiah’s larger concern for defense. : All the Levites and leaders gathered to dedicate the wall. They made offerings and rejoiced. Men were appointed over the storerooms. • 12:1-26. Priests and Levites. This section records the priests and Levites from the time of Zerubbabel to Nehemiah. The aim is to show that the Levitical service was sustained during a very difficult era in Israel’s history. Zerubbabel was the first leader of the exiles and Jeshua was the high priest. Joiakim (v. 12) was high priest in succession to Jeshua, so the list in vv. 12-21 gives the priests in his day, including Ezra (v. 13). The list ends with the gatekeepers and their protective role. The historical note in v. 26 emphasizes the continuity of the family’s responsibilities and closely links Ezra and Nehemiah as contemporaries. These two men with very different gifts consolidated and invigorated the postexilic work of restoration and rebuilding that the first returnees began over a century before. • 12:27-47. Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem. The grand finale of Nehemiah’s ministry took place with the joyous dedication of the rebuilt wall around Jerusalem. Two processions, each consisting of a group of leaders accompanied by a choir, were to set out in opposite directions. Ezra led the southern group and Nehemiah went with the northern group. They were each to complete a half circuit of the city while priests played instruments, and then meet again at the temple square. The subsequent thanksgiving celebration is the culmination of Nehemiah’s work on the wall. Handing over the work of human hands to God’s ownership powerfully acts out a parable of the spiritual significance of all the hard and tedious work. The last paragraph on temple service (vv. 44-47) is a bridge to the final chapter. : I cleared Tobiah out of the temple. I confronted those who profaned the Sabbath and who married foreign women. Remember me, O God. • 13:1-31. Nehemiah’s Final Reforms. Ongoing reform is necessary as Nehemiah continues to face new challenges.  Foreigners Separated from Israel (vv. 1-3). As the Mosaic law is again read, it is noted that Deut 23:3-5 expressly excluded Moabites and Ammonites from the religious assembly of Israel because of their historical enmity against Israel and their infectious idolatry. The extent to which foreigners were excluded is unclear. Foreigners (notably Ruth) were always welcome if they were prepared to become part of the believing community.  Ejection of Tobiah the Ammonite from the Temple (vv. 4-9). Meanwhile, an old enemy, Tobiah (an Ammonite), reemerges, taking advantage of Nehemiah’s absence, and arranges a temple apartment for his own use. Giving Tobiah a room was not merely a compromise but an affront to the temple’s sanctity. After 12 years as governor (445-433 BC), Nehemiah had returned to King Artaxerxes to ask permission to return for a further period. He was likely gone for about six months. Upon his return, Nehemiah restores the polluted area to its proper use.  Dealing with Neglect of the Offerings (vv. 10-14). The incident in the temple was not isolated, for the provision for the Levites had effectively lapsed, which was their only source of income. As a result, they deserted their posts to go back to their fields. How quickly the peoples’ commitments made in 10:32-39 waned and the celebrations of chapter 12 vanished. Nehemiah once again puts the administration of the offerings on a firm footing, so that the restored community can actually live out its covenant privilege. Verse 14 records the first of four brief prayers to God by Nehemiah in this chapter. He asked the LORD not to erase his deeds of faithful love. The thought is that in the records of heaven his acts of faithful love would remain and be acknowledged by the LORD. Nehemiah’s “good deeds” were those acts of faithfulness to the commission laid upon him by God.  Dealing with Sabbath Breaking (v. 15-22). In 10:31 the people had pledged that they would not buy any merchandise or any kind of grain on the Sabbath, but when Nehemiah returned for his second stint as governor, he found they had changed their minds. Moreover, the people were working on the Sabbath as if it were just another day. Nehemiah not only rebuked the leaders but took action by closing the city gates into Jerusalem during the Sabbath. The second of four prayers in this chapter (v. 22b) records Nehemiah’s request that God honor His work in restoring the sanctity of the Sabbath and treat him in accordance with His “steadfast love.”  The Problem of Intermarriage Again (vv. 23-29). At least 30 years had passed since Ezra dealt with mixed marriages (Ezra 9-10), and a new generation had emerged with a steady erosion of the community’s identity, exemplified in the confusion of languages. In his violent but symbolically powerful reaction, Nehemiah calls the people back to the law (Deut 7:1-5) and points to the example of Solomon, who was turned from faithfulness to the LORD by his foreign wives (1 Kings 11). In Nehemiah’s third prayer in this chapter (v. 29), he asked God again to remember. However, he did not ask God to remember and bless, but to remember and judge.  Summary of Nehemiah’s Temple Reforms (vv. 30-31). These verses highlight all that Nehemiah had done to ensure pure temple worship and proper support for the priests. The concluding prayer in v. 31 may be taken as a general prayer for God to “remember” all of Nehemiah’s work from start to finish. While the conclusion to Ezra- Nehemiah may seem anti-climactic, the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah were crucial to the survival of the Jewish people. The small community of exiles struggled to preserve their people and their faith in a devastated land. They found in Ezra and Nehemiah two leaders who were used by the LORD to help them endure in a hostile environment, living as subjects of the Persian kings. That empire, with all its pomp and glory, would fall to Alexander the Great, while the Jewish community would survive not only Alexander and his descendants but the Romans as well. Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s faithfulness to God helped the Jewish people continue, so they could one day produce a son of Abraham, a son of David (Matt 1:1), who would redeem the world – Jesus!