Nehemiah 2 – 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 2:1-6

1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.’

I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’

4 The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.’

6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

A. Find Out:

1. What was Nehemiah doing and why? v.1 (also 1:11c)
2. What did the king pick up on and what did Nehemiah feel? v.2
3. What reason did Nehemiah give? v.3
4. What did the king ask and what did Nehemiah do? v.4
5. What did Nehemiah ask for? v.5
6. What was the king’s response? v.6

B. Think:

1. Why might appearing happy be important for Nehemiah’s job?
2. Why do you think Nehemiah prayed in this passage?
3. What hinged on this conversation?

C. Comment:

  Nehemiah has prayed and fasted and now we come to see him performing his role in the royal court. To understand what went on we need to realise the dynamics of royal life in those days. First of all Artaxerxes was a very powerful figure. Powerful men have enemies and so kings we always vigilant in respect of what they ate and drank and so often had others taste their food or wine first. Also the demeanour of the servant was significant for a servant who felt rebellious and was plotting against the king would probably show it in his face.

  Thus when Nehemiah next comes to bring the king his wine (v.1) the king picks up on his sad countenance (v.2) which makes Nehemiah fearful (v.2c) that he might be accused of plotting against the king. He decides to be utterly truthful and explains about Jerusalem (v.3) It is probable that he said more than the few words in this verse, and so the king, not responding negatively, asks what he wants (v.4a). This is where it gets even more tricky because he is basically going to ask to leave the royal court and that may be misinterpreted and so he prays (v.4b) for he needs the Lord’s help.

  Having prayed, he asks the king for leave to go to Jerusalem (v.5) to arrange for it to be rebuilt, which could also be misinterpreted but after an initial question he agree to it happening (v. 6)

D. Application:

1. Wisdom from God is often the key to changing circumstances.
2. The ‘favour of the Lord’ also changes people’s hearts.  

Passage: Nehemiah 2:7-10

7 I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

A. Find Out:

1. What also did Nehemiah ask for, and why? v.7
2. And what further, and why? v.8
3. With what result and why? v.8v
4. What further provision was he given? v.9
5. Who were not happy about this, and why? v.10

B. Think:

1. What did these requests suggest about Nehemiah?
2. Why do you think it says the hand of God was on him?
3. Yet what ‘clouds on the horizon’ were there?

C. Comment:

  Nehemiah has been moved to tears, prayer, fasting, and then approaching his king on behalf of Jerusalem . The king has agreed to him going and so now Nehemiah thinks about the practicalities. In all ways he shows himself a good planner.

  He first asks the king for letters to the governors of that area to ensure he is given safe passage through their lands (v.7), Getting there safely is the first problem to be overcome. But once he is there, he is going to need materials in large quantities, timber for beams and doors to all the main structures that had been burned down in the city – the army fortress near the temple, the gates in the city wall and for his own residence (v.8).

  Note that he attributes the king’s approval to all this down to the hand of the Lord being upon him (v.8c)

  Next he sets off, complete with a protective army force and goes to the governors of the area with the king’s letters to ensure safe passage all the way to Jerusalem (v.9)

  However, when the word gets out that he is coming ,and why his is coming, there are those who are not happy that someone is coming to maintain the welfare of the Jews (v.10), Sanballat, who appears to be governor of Samaria (see 4:1,2) and Tobiah an Ammonite official, obviously friends. We will see more of them as we progress.

D. Application:

1. God lays the vision on our hearts; we then need His wisdom to do it.
2. Planning will not avoid the fact that there are often people against us.

Passage: Nehemiah 2:11-18

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate towards the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on towards the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

17 Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.

A. Find Out:

1. How long did Nehemiah wait before taking action? v.11
2. When did he go out and with whom? v.12a
3. What had he not done? v.12b
4. What did he do? v.13-15
5. Who knew of this and why? v.16
6. What did he then tell them and with what response? v.17,18

B. Think:

1. Why do you think Nehemiah held back speaking of his purpose?
2. How does his night time tour confirm this?
3. How was he able to convince the officials?

C. Comment:

  Nehemiah stayed in Jerusalem three days before he made a move (v.11), possibly just to rest after the journey there, possibly to get a feel of the place. He says nothing of his intentions (v.12,16) perhaps because he first wanted to see with his own eyes the extent of the task. Again, perhaps to keep his intentions secret and not raise false hopes until he was clear in his own mind what needed doing, to goes out by night (v.12a) and surveys the extent of the destruction (v.13-15).

  On his return, presumably next morning, he gets together with and the people, the priests, the noblemen and the officials (v.16,17), presumably at some public gathering and challenges them to rebuild the walls of the city and its gates (v.17b). To encourage them in this he then tells them of the king’s response to him and no doubt the provision he had made to enable Nehemiah to come and do this (v.18a). Their response was to do it and so the work started (v.18b).

  Perhaps we take this opportunity to note the significance of the rebuilding of Jerusalem . First the temple had been rebuilt, the meeting place with God. That had taken 21 years to complete. But the city was still wide open and vulnerable with its broken down walls and burnt gates and until it could have its defences and boundaries re-established it was both defenceless and lacking identity as a city.

D. Application:

1. Before going public with your vision ensure you are clear on it. 
2. Choose your time and way of sharing carefully.

Passage: Nehemiah 2:19,20

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’

20 I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’

A. Find Out:

1. Who now do what? v.19a
2. What do they ask? v.19b
3. What was Nehemiah’s initial message to them? v.20a
4. What also did he declare about them? v.20b

B. Think:

1. How has opposition apparently increased? (compare 2:10)
2. How was their ‘attack’ two pronged?
3. How was Nehemiah’s answer two pronged?

C. Comment:

  We have heard previously that Sanballat and Tobiah were disturbed when they first heard that Nehemiah had arrived. Now, presumably when the word gets out what Nehemiah intends to do, they are joined by another simply known as Geshem the Arab (v.19). This would suggest that there are now through different groups with distinct interests in not wanting Jerusalem to become a powerful place again, a fortress in the middle of the land that is a rallying place for the Jews.

  If we simply refer to this as opposition, for that is what it was, we see that the first tool they use is derision or mockery (v.19a). That was a standard approach of an invader to make the local inhabitants feel small. Another example of this was Sennacherib’s field commander when he came to Hezekiah (Isa 36:4-). It is the enemy’s strategy to undermine our confidence.

  The second tool they use is the suggestion of rebellion (v.19b). This makes other people who might join you, draw back for fear that they too might be labelled a rebel.

  Nehemiah’s response is twofold. First he simply declares that God will give them success (v.20a), perhaps echoing the approach of David against Goliath (1 Sam 17:37). These foreigners will not have a part in Jerusalem , is his second challenge (v.20b) for (implied) this is the City of God for God’s people. Perhaps not very wise not to mention they have the king’s permission but he is now relying on the Lord not a king.

D. Application:

1. Be aware of the strategies of the enemy to undermine and create fear.
2. Trust in the Lord, not in men.