Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryNehemiah 1

the book of NEHEMIAH [A combined introduction to Ezra and Nehemiah appears immediately preceding the comment on Ezra.]

The words. Heb. debarim, literally “words,” but also in the sense of “history” or “memoirs” (see Jer. 1:1; Amos 1:1), and is so used here. Nehemiah. The meaning of the name Nehemiah is “Yahweh has comforted.” At least two other men of the postexilic period bore this name (see Ezra 2:2; Neh. 3:16; Neh. 7:7). Neither of these men can be Nehemiah the cupbearer of Artaxerxes, for one lived in the time of Zerubbabel, a century earlier, and the contemporary of Nehemiah was a son of Azbuk, “ruler of the half part of Beth-zur,” while the author of the book was the son of Hachaliah, governor of Judea. The month Chisleu. It is obvious from the statement in ch. 2:1 that the 20th regnal year of King Artaxerxes is meant. For the identification of this king with Artaxerxes I, see Additional Note 2 on ch. 2. In the 20th year of Artaxerxes I the month Kislev, the 9th month (see Vol. II, p. 116), was Dec. 5, 445 through January 3, 444 B.C. (see p. 108). Shushan the palace. Shushan, known in ancient records under the same name, though called Susa by the Greeks, was the old capital of Elam. On the Kerkha River about 100 mi. (161 km.) north of the head of the Persian Gulf, it was one of several Persian capitals. Other capital cities were Babylon, Ecbatana, and Persepolis. Shushan was primarily a winter capital, because of its unpleasantly hot summers. Some have taken Shushan to be the scene of some of Daniel’s activities (see Dan. 8:2), and of the events described in the book of Esther (see Esther 1:2). French expeditions have been excavating the ancient city intermittently since 1884 (see on Esther 1:5).

Ellen G. White

One of my brethren. The Hebrew word translated “brethren” is often used of more distant relatives than blood brothers (see on 1 Chron. 2:7). Hanani, however, seems likely to have been the actual brother of Nehemiah, from the similar reference to him in ch. 7:2. I asked them. The arrival of Hanani and other Jews from the homeland seems to have been the first contact Nehemiah had been able to make with the returned exiles in Judea since the beginning of hostilities between Artaxerxes and Megabyzos, the satrap of the province called “Beyond the River,” of which Judea was a part (see on Ezra 4:10). During the period of Megabyzos’ rebellion very little reliable news from Judea seems to have reached Nehemiah, though he may have heard rumors of a Samaritan attack on Jerusalem and the destruction by them of a part of the recently rebuilt city wall. This being the case, Nehemiah would be anxious for further news. This came with the arrival of his own brother and other Jews with an eyewitness report of events that had probably taken place during the interruption of communications between Persia and Judea. See p. 350. 3. The wall of Jerusalem. Some commentators think that Hanani’s remarks refer to the destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces in 586 B.C. But this would hardly have been news to Nehemiah, unless it be assumed that Hanani and his companions reported merely that nothing had as yet been done by way of rebuilding the wall. Considering the shock occasioned by Hanani’s report (vs. 4–11), the events described

must have been recent. The words of Hanani do not necessarily mean that the whole wall had been destroyed and all gates burned with fire. That only portions of the wall and some of the gates were affected is clear from the subsequent description of the building of the wall found in Neh. 3. Some sections of the wall were merely repaired (ch. 3:4, 5), while others were “builded” (ch. 3:2). Similarly, some gates had to be rebuilt completely (ch. 3:1, 3), while others needed only repairs (ch. 3:6). That only a partial destruction had occurred may also be inferred from the space of time—52 days—in which Nehemiah was able to complete the rebuilding of the entire city wall (ch. 6:15). In so short a time it would have been all but impossible even under the most favorable circumstances to rebuild the entire wall, including its many gates, had it been in the condition in which Nebuchadnezzar left it. The rapid reconstruction was due not only to the great enthusiasm of both leaders and people, but also to the progress undoubtedly made under Ezra and others before the Samaritans destroyed part of it.

I sat down and wept. Nehemiah was deeply shocked when he learned about the plight of his countrymen and the humiliation they had experienced. Even if he had a partial knowledge of events in the province of Judea, the reality apparently exceeded his greatest fears and caused him to weep. Fasted. During the Captivity fasting became a common practice among the Jews (see Zech. 7:3–7). Solemn fasts had been introduced on the anniversaries of the taking of Jerusalem, the burning of the Temple, and the murder of Gedaliah (Zech. 8:19). Fasting had also been given a prominent place in personal devotions. Daniel (Dan. 9:3; 10:3), Esther (Esther 4:16), Ezra (Ezra 10:6), and Nehemiah are all mentioned as having fasted (see on Ezra. 10:6).

And said. The opening of Nehemiah’s prayer so closely parallels the thoughts and words of Daniel’s prayer (Dan. 9:4) that it is probable he had the words of the latter before him. If so, Nehemiah was familiar with Daniel’s writings and admired their tone and spirit. Here, his words differ from those of Daniel only in the substitution of “Jehovah,” Yahweh, for “Lord,” ’Adonai, and the addition of his own favorite phrase, “God of heaven.”

Ellen G. White

Ellen G. White

Have not kept. The ordinances of the law are frequently summed up under the three terms here used (Deut. 5:31; 6:1; 11:1; etc.).

If ye transgress. This is not a quotation from any particular passage in the Pentateuch, but a reference to the general sense of various passages, as, for example, Lev. 26:27–45; Deut. 30:1–5. Bible writers habitually refer to earlier inspired writings in this way, quoting the thought rather than the exact words (see on Ezra 9:11; Matt. 2:23).

Thou hast redeemed. This probably refers to deliverance from Egypt, “with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm” (Deut. 9:29; 26:8; etc.), and, more recently, from the Babylonian captivity.

This day. This phrase probably means no more than “upon this occasion,” and should not be pressed as evidence that here Nehemiah refers to the prayer he uttered on the day of his interview with the king (see ch. 2). This man. That is, King Artaxerxes, thus far not mentioned by name, but nevertheless always in the petitioner’s mind. Nehemiah realized that the reproach of Jerusalem could be lifted only through royal intervention, and was convinced that he would have to go to Jerusalem himself in order to change the prevailing situation.

I was the king’s cupbearer. Literally, “I was cupbearer to the king,” not sole cupbearer but one of several. He mentions the fact here, partly to explain the meaning of “this man” to the reader and partly because it was his office that gave him access to Artaxerxes. Nehemiah is one of many examples of exiled Jews attaining to positions of influence and working in the interests of their people. Because cupbearers had contact with the inmates of the royal harem (see ch. 2:6), most of them were eunuchs. It is possible that Nehemiah was a eunuch. Some manuscripts of the LXX render the Heb. mashqeh, “cupbearer,” as eunouchos, “eunuch,” rather than oinochoos, “cupbearer.”