Tyndale Open Study NotesNehemiah 1

When Nehemiah heard about Jerusalem's ruins, he prayed for God's help (Nehemiah 1:1–11) and asked the king to send him to Jerusalem (2:1–8). Upon arrival, he urged the people to rebuild the city's wall (Nehemiah 2:11–20).

• Artaxerxes I ruled Persia from 465 to 424 BC.

• The fortress of Susa served as the Persian king’s winter palace.

• Hanani might have been one of Nehemiah’s actual brothers. In Hebrew, this word can also mean a fellow countryman (for example, Deuteronomy 1:16).

• the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile: See Ezra 2:64–65; 8:1–14.

• The wall of Jerusalem is broken down: This likely refers to a recent event in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:6–23), not the Babylonian conquest in 586 BC.

• disgrace: Foreigners could mock the destroyed city, claiming it showed that Israel’s God was too weak to protect it (compare Joel 2:17; Micah 7:8–10).

Nehemiah mourned, fasted, and prayed for about four months (compare Nehemiah 1:1; 2:1), deeply worried about Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s prayer includes:

• Praise (Nehemiah 1:5)

• Confession (Nehemiah 1:6–7)

• Remembering God’s promises (Nehemiah 1:8–9)

• A request (Nehemiah 1:10–11)

Nehemiah understood that Israel’s situation was not due to God failing His covenant of unfailing love. Instead, Israel’s ongoing sin led to the punishments described in the covenant.

I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed: Like Ezra (Ezra 9:5–15) and Daniel (Daniel 9:4–19), Nehemiah identified with his people's sins. He made no excuses and accepted his own responsibility and that of the larger covenant group that had sinned against God.

• Nehemiah remembers God's curse on sin and his promise to restore (Deuteronomy 4:25–31; 30:1–5).

• The place...for My Name was Jerusalem.

Nehemiah refers to God's long-standing covenant with the Israelites. God rescued them during the exodus (Deuteronomy 9:29) and made them his servants.

• grant him mercy in the sight of this man: Nehemiah knew God could make the king kind to him.

• As a cup-bearer, Nehemiah tasted the king’s wine to ensure it was safe. This role gave him daily access to King Artaxerxes.