NEHEMIAH
The Historical Background
In 444 B.C., 14 years after Ezra’s return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah also returned and God used him to guide Judah in rebuilding the city’s walls and in reordering the people’s social and economic lives.
The Authorship / Date
Most Bible expositors agree that Nehemiah authored the book that bears his name. Nothing is known about Nehemiah’s childhood, youth, or family backgrounds, except that his father’s name was Hacaliah (Nehemiah 1:1) and he had a brother named Hanani (Nehemiah 1:2).
Date written: 445 – 410 B.C.
Date written: 445 – 410 B.C.
Book of Nehemiah Found Among the Scrolls / Scroll scholars find first fragment of Nehemiah
Biblical Archaeology Society Staff • 05/15/2012
"A gaunt Nehemiah guards the portal on the west facade of the Church of St. Lazare, in Avallon, central France. In a recent study, scroll scholars Torleif Elgvin and Esther Eshel identified the first known copy of the Book of Nehemiah among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Anyone familiar with the Dead Sea Scrolls can tell you that portions of nearly every book in the Hebrew Bible are represented in these ancient texts discovered in caves near the Dead Sea. The only exceptions were the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah;* scholars assumed the latter had been written on the same scroll as the Book of Ezra (as was common) but simply hadn’t survived—until now. In a recent blog post,** Norwegian scroll scholar Torleif Elgvin of Evangelical Lutheran University College in Oslo, Norway, announced that he and colleague Esther Eshel of Bar-Ilan University will be publishing a collection of more than two dozen previously unknown scroll fragments, including the first known fragment of Nehemiah. The scrolls in the new book come from Qumran Cave 4, Bar-Kokhba caves and Wadi ed-Daliyeh. The publication, Gleanings from the Caves (forthcoming from T&T Clark) will feature enhanced photographs of the scrolls by Bruce Zuckerman and his team, as well as “artifacts from the Judean Desert such as a scroll jar, a palm fiber pen, a bronze altar and inkwell.”
"A gaunt Nehemiah guards the portal on the west facade of the Church of St. Lazare, in Avallon, central France. In a recent study, scroll scholars Torleif Elgvin and Esther Eshel identified the first known copy of the Book of Nehemiah among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Anyone familiar with the Dead Sea Scrolls can tell you that portions of nearly every book in the Hebrew Bible are represented in these ancient texts discovered in caves near the Dead Sea. The only exceptions were the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah;* scholars assumed the latter had been written on the same scroll as the Book of Ezra (as was common) but simply hadn’t survived—until now. In a recent blog post,** Norwegian scroll scholar Torleif Elgvin of Evangelical Lutheran University College in Oslo, Norway, announced that he and colleague Esther Eshel of Bar-Ilan University will be publishing a collection of more than two dozen previously unknown scroll fragments, including the first known fragment of Nehemiah. The scrolls in the new book come from Qumran Cave 4, Bar-Kokhba caves and Wadi ed-Daliyeh. The publication, Gleanings from the Caves (forthcoming from T&T Clark) will feature enhanced photographs of the scrolls by Bruce Zuckerman and his team, as well as “artifacts from the Judean Desert such as a scroll jar, a palm fiber pen, a bronze altar and inkwell.”
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: The Rebuilding of The Walls (Neh. 1 – 6)
A) Nehemiah’s prayer voiced (1)
B) Nehemiah’s prayer answered (2:1 – 8)
C) Nehemiah’s Preparation for The Work (2:9 – 20)
D) Nehemiah’s Delegation of The Work (3)
E) Nehemiah’s Reactions to Opposition (4)
F) Nehemiah’s Handling of Internal Problems (5:1 – 13)
G) Nehemiah’s Service of Governor (5:14 – 19)
H) Nehemiah’s Response to Opposition against him personally (6:1 – 14)
I) Nehemiah’s Completion of The Project (6:15 – 19)
Pt 2: The Restoration of The People (Neh. 7 – 13)
A) The Security of The City (7:1 – 3)
B) The Census of The Returnees (7:4 – 73a)
C) The Ministry of Ezra (7:73b – 10:39)
D) The List of Judean residents (11 – 12:26)
E) The Dedication of The Wall (12:27 – 47)
F) The Reforms under Nehemiah (13)
A) Nehemiah’s prayer voiced (1)
B) Nehemiah’s prayer answered (2:1 – 8)
C) Nehemiah’s Preparation for The Work (2:9 – 20)
D) Nehemiah’s Delegation of The Work (3)
E) Nehemiah’s Reactions to Opposition (4)
F) Nehemiah’s Handling of Internal Problems (5:1 – 13)
G) Nehemiah’s Service of Governor (5:14 – 19)
H) Nehemiah’s Response to Opposition against him personally (6:1 – 14)
I) Nehemiah’s Completion of The Project (6:15 – 19)
Pt 2: The Restoration of The People (Neh. 7 – 13)
A) The Security of The City (7:1 – 3)
B) The Census of The Returnees (7:4 – 73a)
C) The Ministry of Ezra (7:73b – 10:39)
D) The List of Judean residents (11 – 12:26)
E) The Dedication of The Wall (12:27 – 47)
F) The Reforms under Nehemiah (13)