Nehemiah

NEHEMIAH

Two Books? The last four books of the Hebrew Bible are Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Chronicles, in that order, considered to be the work of one author, the Chronicler. Later, Ezra and Nehemiah were separated and divided into two parts, known as the First and Second Books of Ezra. Eventually, the second part was named Nehemiah, highlighting the character by giving him a book of the Bible.

The Order of the Books and Events. The twenty-three chapters are not arranged in chronological or original literary order. They reference two stages separated by a century: the first repatriation, marked by the activities of Haggai and Zechariah, and the second repatriation, characterized by the efforts of Ezra and Nehemiah. The first stage is crucial because it affirms the continuity of the people and their history. The second stage is important because of its protagonists and serves as a reliable source of information for us. Nehemiah likely acted before Ezra.
Considering the difficulty of restoring the original order, we suggest the reconstruction we think most likely, without going into the final details.
Ezra 1–6: Repatriation in 538 B.C. 1: Decree of tolerance. 2: List of repatriates and their arrival dates. 3: Construction of an altar, resumption of worship, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Preparations for the temple and laying of the foundations, 4:1–5:24 Obstacles to the work, 5 Work resumes, 6 Dedication of the temple, 4:6–23 Intrigues against the Jews.
Nehemiah 1–7: Rebuilding the wall. 1: In court: bad news and prayer. 2: Permission granted, journey, night inspection, obstacles. 3: Assigning construction work, mockery. 4: Threats; the builders arm themselves. 5: Social issues and Nehemiah’s indifference. 6: Enemy intrigues, intimidation, and false prophecy. 7:1-3 The city gates.
Nehemiah 7:4-72; 11–12: The repopulation of Jerusalem. 7: The repopulation of the capital and a list of returnees. 11: The continuation of the lists. 12: Lists of priests and Levites. The inauguration of the wall. A summary.
Nehemiah 8–10; 13: Covenant and Reforms. 8: Reading of the Law and Feast of Tabernacles. 9: Penitential liturgy and Ezra’s prayer. 10: Renewal of the Covenant. 13: Nehemiah’s reforms.
Ezra 7–10:7: Ezra receives authority from the Persian king. 8: List of returnees. Journey to Jerusalem. 9: Mixed marriages and penance. 10: Assembly, commitment, and execution. List.

Sources, Author, and Date. The author has used the following sources: lists of people and places preserved, possibly in the Temple archives or some civil archives; some of these were already included in the memoirs. An Aramaic account of the Temple’s rebuilding, which the author consists of without translation: Ezra 5 and 4:6-23. The memoirs of Ezra include Ezra 7:12–8:36, Nehemiah 8, Ezra 9, and Nehemiah 9. The memoirs of Nehemiah cover Nehemiah 1–7; 11–13.
The author makes changes and additions at several points; overall, he respects the original text. We should thank him for letting the protagonists speak for themselves.
Some believe that the author of this entire work is the same as that of the Chronicles. This is why this historical work is often referred to as the History of the Chronicler. Its most likely date of composition is around 400 B.C. By interrupting the narrative with Ezra’s initial activity, he suggests that the following years did not feature any significant events. Thus begins a lengthy period of historical silence, which lasts until the time of the Seleucids.

Religious Message. What do these books add to the message of Chronicles? Those who separated this book from the earlier chapters, known as Chronicles, believed that this new section marked the start of a new era. A new era, a new book. It is precisely God’s interest in human history that makes this new era possible and tangible. The Lord, who “incited” Nebuchadnezzar to punishment, now “raises up” Cyrus for reconstruction.
Thus, God’s prominence is affirmed: history may be measured by human kingdoms, but its true driving force is God. His instrument is the heart of man: “The heart of the king is a channel at God’s disposal; he directs it wherever he wishes” (Prov 21:1).
By issuing an edict of religious tolerance “in the first year of his reign,” Emperor Cyrus established his policy and marked the start of a new era. A new chapter also began in Israel’s history. From that point on, the Israelites would become the Jews, the priesthood would replace the kings, and eschatology would take the place of the prophets. The community of the future would be formed during this period.