'Bible (KJV) 16: Nehemiah' Summary

The Book of Nehemiah is a biblical text that recounts the efforts of Nehemiah, a Jewish official in the Persian Empire, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore the Jewish community in the mid-5th century BCE. The book begins with Nehemiah hearing news of the dilapidated state of Jerusalem's walls and the struggles faced by the Jewish community. Deeply concerned, Nehemiah prays to God and secures permission from King Artaxerxes I of Persia to lead a mission to Jerusalem to oversee the reconstruction efforts. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah faces opposition from Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab, who attempt to hinder the rebuilding process. Despite these challenges, Nehemiah rallies the Jewish people and, with the help of God, successfully completes the reconstruction of the walls in just 52 days. Following the completion of the walls, Nehemiah institutes a series of religious and social reforms, including the reading of the Torah, the observance of the Sabbath, and the prohibition of intermarriage with foreign nations. He also reorganizes the priestly and Levitical orders and establishes a system of tithes and offerings to support the Temple service. Despite these reforms, Nehemiah returns to Persia after a period of time, and during his absence, the Jewish community begins to backslide. Upon his return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah discovers that the people have abandoned many of the reforms he had implemented and have returned to their former practices. Nehemiah once again confronts the challenges and works tirelessly to restore the community to its former state of faithfulness. The Book of Nehemiah concludes with a prayer of dedication and a list of those who contributed to the rebuilding of the walls and the restoration of the Jewish community.