Week 24: Ezra 7 – 10, Nehemiah 1 – 13

[Vinna TanModerator]

EZRA 7 – 10 AND NEHEMIAH 1 – 13 Study Guide

7:1-10 – The return of Ezra to Jerusalem (458 BC). Note his profile, v. 6b, 10. A “scribe” was a scholar who studied and taught the scriptures. The Persian ruler was King Artaxerxes I, step-son of Esther.
7:11-28 – Ezra’s commission from Artaxerxes and his song of praise.
8:1-20 – The list of those returning with Ezra.
8:21-36 – A fast observed, treasures protected; the arrival at Jerusalem (note v. 22,31).
9:1-4 – Ezra’s strong reaction at the mixed marriages that had occurred among the returnees.
9:5-15 – Ezra offers prayer for the sins of the people (notice how he includes himself).
10:1-17 – As a result of a great assembly of the people a decision was made to make a covenant with God to send away the foreign women and their children, and plans were made to carry it out.
10:18–44 – A list of the offending priests, Levites, and other Israelites. What must have been a most difficult covenant was carried out.

NEHEMIAH WAS CUPBEARER TO KING ARTAXERXES I. A “cupbearer” was a trustworthy servant of the king, one of whose duties was to taste the king’s wine before giving it to the king to be sure it was not poisoned. Ezra had returned to Jerusalem in 457-458 BC.
Nehemiah returned about twelve years later (445 BC) with the specific purpose of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (thus re-establishing security) and then repopulating the city.

1:1-11 – Nehemiah received a heart-rending report on the condition of the returnees and of the city of Jerusalem, and made a decision to do something about such. He prayed to God and sought His help in carrying out his plan (11b).
2:1-8 – He made his request to the king (though very much afraid) to be given leave to return to
Jerusalem and rebuild it, requesting also covering letters for safe passage and for the provision of materials Notice the planning, the prayer (4b), and the recognition of God’s part in his success (8:b).
2:9-10 – The king provided a military escort for the journey. But opposition was aroused by his plans. Ancient records show that Sanballat was governor of Samaria.
2:11-20 – Nehemiah wisely inspected the walls secretly at night and made his plans, then revealed those plans to the people (notice the “let us rebuild”, v 17). But the enemy was aroused.
3:1-32 – Rebuilding the walls. The workers and the places they worked. Every builder a volunteer. The high priest leads the list and various other rulers are listed (9,12,14,15,ff), but a wide range of people is listed of many occupations, working next to others, and in many cases working on the wall next to or near their own houses (10, 23, 28, 29, 30). Some are pointed out for not doing their share (5b) – shaming?
4:1-23 – Opposition to the rebuilding stiffens. There is ridicule (2,3), answered by prayer (5) and a recommitment to the work. Attack is threatened by the enemies; answered by prayer and setting of guards (7-9). At vulnerable locations people were stationed with weapons; and encouragement given to remember God and fight from their families (10-15). Some built while others guarded, workers armed themselves, a trumpet signal was arranged so help could be summoned (15-20).
4:21-23 – People who didn’t live in Jerusalem stayed there overnight as security. Nehemiah and those with him never took off their clothes, continually available.
5:1-13 – A time of economic crisis developed, with famine. Some Jews took advantage of others, charging them interest on loans and even forcing the children of some families into slavery as collateral for debt. Such was clearly forbidden by God’s law (Lev. 25:35-37). Nehemiah called a great assembly and forced those doing this evil to correct matters.
5:14-19 – Nehemiah could present his own conduct as an example to the people.
6:1-9 – Enemies of the Jews spread rumors about them and repeatedly (v. 4) urged Nehemiah to stop his work and come to talk with them. Nehemiah denied the rumors and refused to allow them to divert him from his work.
6:10-14 – A Jew working for the enemies tried to get Nehemiah to hide in the temple on the basis a plot was formed to kill him. Nehemiah recognized the goal to discredit him as a coward and refused to accept the bait.
6:15-19 – The wall was completed in 52 days. There were traitors among the Jews who aided the enemies, and letters were sent to intimidate Nehemiah.
7:1-4 – Security appointments and security standards for Jerusalem. Was Nehemiah about to return to the Persian court and so wanted good people in charge while he was gone?
7:5-73 – The genealogy of those who had returned.
8:1-12 – Nehemiah worked with Ezra toward spiritual renewal. Ezra read from the book of the law to a general assembly of the people, who stood from morning to midday out of respect. It appears that Ezra read in the Hebrew language and helpers translated into Aramaic, which was replacing Hebrew at that period of time.
8:13-18 – The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) was kept as the law of God prescribed.
9:1-5 – An assembly where there was fasting in sackcloth, separation from foreigners, confession of sins, and reading from the book of the law of the LORD.
9:6-38 – A prayer of confession and a firm agreement in writing, sealed and inscribed with the names of the leaders.
10:1-27 – The names of those who signed the sealed document.
10:26-39 – A summary of the covenant to keep the law of God.
11:1,2 – An agreement to lead to the repeopling of Jerusalem.
11:3-24 – A list of the people who lived in Jerusalem.
11:25-36 – Those who lived in villages outside of Jerusalem.
12:1-26 – A list of the priests and Levites who had come with the first returnees (see Ezra 2:1,2).
12:27-47 – The dedication of the rebuilt city walls. Note that two processions circled the walls, one to the right led by Ezra (31-37) and the other to the left led by Nehemiah (38-42).
13:1-3 – The law regarding Ammonites and Moabites was to be obeyed (cf. Deut. 23:3-5).
13:4-9 – While Nehemiah was away for a while to the court of the king, the priest Eliashib allowed his relative Tobiah, an Ammonite (2:30), to occupy a room in the temple complex, so defiling it. Nehemiah acted with righteous anger and vigor to correct the situation.
13:10-14 – Nehemiah corrected a failure to provide for the Levites and singers, appointing faithful men to look after the matter. Note v. 14.
13:15-22 – When he discovered sabbath violations, Nehemiah shut down the sabbath business,
and required the gates of the city to be closed over the sabbath to prevent traders from entering the city. Note 22b.
13:23-29 – Jews where discovered who had married non-Jews. Nehemiah acted vigorously against such intermarriage and cited Solomon as to the dangers of such.
13:30,31 – Conclusion. “Remember me, O my God, for good.”

The priest-scribe Ezra and the civil ruler Nehemiah combined to lead a spiritual reformation among the returned Jews. The work that Nehemiah did was not his job any more than anyone else’s – it was his because he cared. He gave up security and ease in exchange for hardship and suffering for at least 12 years because he saw a need. Yes, he is remembered for good!

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