Nehemiah 1 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-4

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’ 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 

A. Find Out:

1. Who wrote this book? v.1a
2. Where was he, and when? v.1b
3. Who came from where and what did he ask? v.2
4. What did they say about the returned exiles and Jerusalem ? v.3
5. What was Nehemiah’s response? v.4a
6. So what did he then do? v.4b

B. Think:

1. From the historical table above, how many years has passed since the Temple had been completed?
2. What was that state of Jerusalem ?
3. Why do you think Nehemiah responded as he did.

C. Comment: 

  The Jews had first returned to Jerusalem under Cyrus about 537BC and hard started rebuilding the Temple (see studies on Ezra). This had been completed in 516BC Ezra had gone to Jerusalem in 583BC and brought reforms but now, about seventy years after the Temple had been finished and 13 years after Ezra had gone there, news comes to one Nehemiah in the city of Susa (a major city in the south-west of what is now Iran), in the twentieth year (v.1) of King Artaxerxes (see also 2:1).

  The news was brought by one of his brothers and some other men (v.2a) who had obviously travelled back to Jerusalem and now returned to Susa . So Nehemiah is interested to know what is happening back in the homeland in Jerusalem and enquires of them (v.2b).

  The answer that he gets, is that things are not going well for the Jews back in Judah and Jerusalem (v.3a). Throughout the period of the book of Ezra there had been local opposition and this presumably carried on, and because the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down and the gates burnt (v.3b), the occupants of Jerusalem were prey to marauders. This news wrecks Nehemiah’s heart and he weeps (v.4a) and then fasts and prays for some days (v.4b)

D. Application:

1. In the West, Christians are a minority (remnant).
2. How do we feel about that?

Passage: Nehemiah  1:5-11

5 Then I said:

‘Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 ‘Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”

10 ‘They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.’

I was cupbearer to the king.

A. Find Out:    

1. How does Nehemiah address God who does what? v.5
2. On whose behalf was he praying? v.6a
3. What does he confess? v.6b,7
4. What does he ask the Lord to remember? v.8,9
5. What does he say of them? v.10
6. What does he ask the Lord to do? v.11

B. Think:

1. How does Nehemiah reassure himself at the opening of this prayer?
2. Upon what is he relying in the middle of it?
3. What has he obviously got in mind, therefore, at its end?

C. Comment:

  In response to what Nehemiah is told by those who had been to Jerusalem , he weeps, fasts and prays (v.4) and we are now given the gist at least of this prayer, but whether it was repeated in various forms over those several days is not made clear.

He starts by acknowledging the Lord’s greatness but also recognising that God expresses His love to those who love Him and obey Him (v.5). God’s love is there for everyone, but it is only apprehended, so to speak, by those who respond to God.

He asks the Lord to listen to his ongoing prayers (v.6a). This is a picture of a man praying with all his heart and that doesn’t mean just a quick prayer but prayers than go on day after day. He acknowledges (implied at least) that God has dealt righteously with them for they had failed the Lord and been disobedient (v.6b,7), i.e. they deserved it.

But, he goes on, he remembers that Moses spoke of both judgement (v.8) AND restoration possibilities (v.9). These people – both in Jerusalem and here still in exile are still the Lord’s people (v.10) despite what He’s done with them (implied). Thus he asks the Lord to hear and consider his request that the Lord would give him favour with the king (.v11). It may not be spoken, but he obviously has in mind asking for help for Jerusalem and maybe the return of more exiles.

D. Application:

1. When we pray, remember who we are addressing.
2. God works on relationships (covenants). Remember that.