Nehemiah Chapter 3 1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. Equip. Most significant were its cracks, which [], [] I was having one of those days. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in 445 B.C. Notice the verse again. 5Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. May God bless your search. Dig into more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Societys vast library plus much morewith an All-Access pass. Building Jerusalem had been going on since the 1st year of Cyrus, that was never the issue. The temple lay uncompleted. In that verse, the word weeks is used in the same way that, elsewhere in the Book of Daniel, Jewish calendar units were used as cryptic references to Jewish festivals. He gathered his people together, he equipped them, and he led them in rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem. 8 years of Archaeology Odyssey online, exploring the ancient roots of the Western world in a scholarly and entertaining way, The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 11Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. @ William You have offered an interesting interpretation, but it is based on rebuilding the Temple, whereas Daniel 9:25 mentions restoring Jerusalem to a messiah (anointed one)/political leader, but does not say anything at all about rebuilding the Temple. I do not see a reference to Yom Kippur in these verses. WHAT DID NEHEMIAH DO THAT ENABLED HIM TO ENJOY THE FAVOR AND THE HAND OF GOD IN HIS TASK OF RESTORING. Verse 25 states the following: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah.. When Daniel received the vision, the 70 years of the captivity period spoken of in Jeremiah 25 were just drawing to a close. Nehemiah decides that the fortifications have to be rebuilt. One of the most astonishing facts about Nehemiah is that he finished the walls in just 52 days If you've ever been to Jerusalem, and seen the size and capacity of the stones you realize the monumental task that was at hand. Our God will fight for us.. This can only be sadness of the heart. Then I was very much afraid. Thus, the time periods being designated in verse 25 are seven Pentecosts and sixty-two Pentecosts. Darius Hystaspes checks the records and confirms that in fact Cyruss did issue a decree and therefore the contruction could go on. I really like all of the points youve made. Its just out there, bigger than I can [], [] The night following the release of these articles, I just finished reading the story ofNehemiah. There is a way to solve these problems but they do not wish to handle it that way. The 1st part of the verse says they builded and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. Read Did I Find King Davids Palace? by Eilat Mazar as it appeared in the September/October 2012 issue of BAR for free in Bible History Daily. Thus, if our anonymous artist had any intention, it would have been much more likely that this statue is his rendition of Lazarus rather than Nehemiah! The wall had lain in rubble for 140 years waiting; when Nehemiah presented the need, forty-two families responded to help in the reconstruction of the wall. . After each failed attempt a new Artaxerxes was chosen in order to make the prophecy work. Written by the worlds foremost biblical scholars and archaeologists, each chapter has been updated and expanded to incorporate more than a decades worth of outstanding new discoveries and fresh scholarly perspectives. One of the most astonishing facts about Nehemiah is that he finished the walls in just 52 days. 15So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Here is Gods version of revising history. 15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 13Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. This verse describes the commands which were instrumental in the rebuilding of the Temple and its eventual completion. Thats 12 years later than what ppl think!! Notice the context. One of the powerful messages of Nehemiah is how much you can accomplish when you align yourself with the will and plan of God. 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. Nehemiah 810 is considered part of the so-called Ezra Source (which includes Ezra 710), while Nehemiah 17 and 1113 are from a separate source that scholars call the Nehemiah Memoir. The Nehemiah Memoir is written in the first person and recounts details of Nehemiahs life, his deeds and his administration of the province, probably meant to serve as an official record of his accomplishments to be deposited in the Temple archives (by genaa). The new chronology I have introduced in my book Sacred Chronology of the Hebrew Kings (available for reading free on my website) shows how the chronologies of the Bible, Egypt, and Assyria are in perfect agreement when the correct chronology for the kings is used. See http://www.prophecysociety.org for a fuller explanation than can be provided in this forum. Eternal Wall represents the strength of God. Symbolically, it mightve made more sense for the building of the wall to take place over the course of 312 days [i.e. About a century and a half after Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, the walls and gates of the city were still broken down. No one has made it fit the biblical text that way. Now he could rebuild his beloved city of Jerusalem, its walls and gates. And the Old Testament book of Nehemiah records how Nehemiah completed that massive project in record time just 52 days. So why did chronologist place a gap in chronology between Ezra 6 &7 between Jeshua/Zerubabbel and Ezra/Nehemiah? The walls were built between 1535 and 1538, when Jerusalem was part of the Ottoman Empire, by the order of Suleiman I. As the Bible describes it, he was so driven to erect that barrier to protect the Jews from their enemies that he motivated a crew to work nonstop. The people of the prince to come were in fact those who destroyed the temple under Titus in 70 A.D. However, there is a world of difference between an artists own title to his work and the labeling of a picture hundreds of years later without any proof of the artists original intention. If the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah is Longimanus then this would mean those chiefs of their fathers were at the most conservative estimation, 122 years old. This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in August 2012. 17Then I said to them, You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burnt. 52 days God instructed Nehemiah to build a wall around Jerusalem to protect its citizens from enemy attack. @ William You say that building the Temple is the de facto event in building Jerusalem, but I remind you that that is not what God said through the prophet Daniel in verse 25. The world of the Bible is knowable. Notice the importance YHWH, not man, places on the construction efforts: Zechariah 1:13-16 And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. You see, God is NOT against building walls! These are just chronological events which take place after the first 7 sevens. http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/80353228.jpg, [] study is all about destiny and reversal of destiny. The prince to come is key to understanding these verses. 16After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired from a point opposite the graves of David, as far as the artificial pool and the house of the warriors. This then would naturally explain the chronological flow of Ezra. How long was the wall that Nehemiah rebuilt? A survey of websites with information on the town of Avallon and its church with its unusual, single portal statue (the front entrance of most mediaeval churches with such statues are usually lined by several of them on either side), ALL refer to it as depicting a prophet. In the past 2000 years, no one else has. Chapter 4 So let's pick up the story in Nehemiah 4. Of the three commands to rebuild the temple as mentioned in Ezra 6, clearly the command by YHWH through Haggai and Zechariah would be the one a Messianic Zealot or their followers would use to base their claim for the fulfillment of Daniel 9. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. .but I remind you that that is not what God said through the prophet Daniel in verse 25. Ill stick with what the biblical text states, that the key time-location events are the decree of Caesar in 44 BCE and the building of the broad place and moat in 43 BCE. The wall is completed in a stunning 52 days. So they relocated the eastern wall higher up the slope and, according to author Eilat Mazar, built it directly on top of a ruined wall of King Davids palace (also known as the Large Stone Structure) and its massive rampart (known as the Stepped Stone Structure). The prince (lowercase p) is not Jesus Christ. Although they simply repaired the pre-existing walls elsewhere in the city, the wall just above the steep Kidron Valley was too damaged and too difficult to mend. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. This wall is said to have been 4.5 miles long, 24 ft at the base and just over 26 ft. tall. Ezra 7:13-28. The first thing they did was use the weapon of mocking. Rebuild our health. Nehemiah brought all the Levites to Jerusalem for the inauguration. Thanks for the article. Notice then what YHWH says in verse 16: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.. 27After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. 19Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. Neither can be made to match the biblical record. This company acts as an image bank/agency they own, or represent photographers (and artists, if recent), with regard to copyright. Each of them has a name and a biblical story. 1In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was served to him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. It will represent the belief that He is alive, listening and able to respond. 14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. Though the temple has been rebuilt, the city walls were as they had been for the last 130 years, with the result that the inhabitants of Jerusalem had no way of defending themselves against their enemies (see Nehemiah 4:11). Ezra 7 begins with Ezra going up to Jerusalem in the 7th year of Artaxerxes the king. They were allowed to return to Israel to rebuild their nation. So about 444 bc Nehemiah journeyed to Jerusalem and aroused the people there to the necessity of repopulating the city and rebuilding its walls. However, week of years is not the meaning of the word weeks used to specify the seven weeks and sixty-two weeks in verse 25. Why did they have to build with one hand and have a weapon in the other hand? Read more. Rebuilding the walls showed that God was with His people. Cyruss decree which started contruction of the temple. He then rallied the people and, in the face of constant opposition from opponents, rebuilt the wall in 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15)a feat that put fear into the hearts of his opponents (Nehemiah 6:16). After the wall was built, Nehemiah ensured that the people were read God's Law, and they understood it. The Bible doesn't say Nehemiah had wall-building experience or even leadership experience. But thats not when he built the walls, its only when he inspected it for 3 days!! The third edition of the Biblical Archaeology Societys widely-acclaimed Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Destruction of the Temple serves as an authoritative history of ancient Israel. If the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah references Darius son of Hystaspes their minimum age would have been 66 years. Yodie. I am returned shuwb, the same word used in Daniel 9:25. YHWHs decree in the 2nd year of Darius Hystaspes (through Haggai & Zechariah) to restart contruction of the temple which had stopped sometime earlier. As already mentioned, most traditional expositors have interpreted the word weeks in that verse to mean a week of years. In other words, a week in Daniel is interpreted as meaning a period of seven years. This decree or command by YHWH (in the 12th month, 2nd year of Darius) followed a similar decree given to Haggai just a few months earlier(Hag.1). Daniel 9 is about Jesus. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.. If you count the years backwards you will find the 70 years of divine anger began at the departure of the Shekinah from the temple as described in Ezekiel. seventh] of one year, since work was not to be done on a sabbath. Nehemiah and his followers do what seems to be the impossible because they are doing what God has called them to do. Nehemiah 2:20 'The God of heaven will give us success. In Part 1 prayer was discussed and in this article we have discussed preparation and . Neamiah returned to king Darius when he finished building the walls. David Rohls chronology works only if one disregards major portion of the Hebrew Scriptures. http://kofh2u.tripod.com/kofh/. Ezras genealogy would make him impossibly old in the 7th year of Artaxerxes I, as his father was killed when the Mikdash was destroyed. I would like to see more biblical dating using David Rohls new Chronology. At the time, I was cupbearer to the king. Daniel 9:25 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. They make their money by licensing temporary rights for a specific use to newspapers, magazines and other media. No machinery. http://www.google.co.id/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/images/nehem3.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/nehem3.htm&h=487&w=479&sz=5&tbnid=QnjiF52e5PjYCM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=89&zoom=1&usg=__BFMaBwzC558rhaR9TbUt9gfkj1o=&docid=UL4e0C1vyquoqM&sa=X&ei=MgB-UMy6N4HJrQfEj4HQBA&ved=0CD4Q9QEwBA&dur=4303. The wall was at last completed52 days (a week shy of two months) after the reconstruction under Nehemiah commenced (verse 15). Even in the the 7th year of Daryavesh I he could be no younger than 70. Still, they are incorrect.Dan Bruce, The Prophecy Society. A link to the Universal (as it is now called) can demonstrate ALL the genealogy on the book of Genesis, using that demo as part of the theory verification: The burden-bearers carried their loads in such a way that each laboured on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. Not only did he trust God to bless his efforts, he physically did his part to complete the project. After the wall was built, Nehemiah ensured that the people were read God's Law, and they understood it. The picture of a statue of Nehemiah in this Bible History Daily article caused me to be suspicious. Video lectures from world-renowned experts. The liberal wants to revise history by dithering about dates . Here is how I understand it. There is certainly a lot to learn about this subject. 9Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. The new chronology I have introduced in my book Sacred Chronology of the Hebrew Kings (available for reading free on my website) shows how the chronologies of the Bible, Egypt, and Assyria are in perfect agreement when the correct chronology for the kings is used. He is even given letters from the king to ensure safe passage and to obtain timber from the kings forest for the gates and walls of Jerusalem. The prophecy fits his advent exactly. . Nehemiah 3 is even more specific. You don't have to rebuild a wall to do the will of God. Your theory is very interesting, but based on these statements alone, I cannot justify the 70 weeks referring to 70 years (or 70 Shavuot). 14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. "Nehemiah 6:15", and "The city of . 11Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them. 12Then they said, We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. (Neh.12:25-26.) In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, 2one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 5I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Dig into the illuminating world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access membership. He asked the king for permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem & was sent from Susa the Persian capital as Governor in 445 BC. Chapter 13 says Nehemiah 13:6 6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. The Temple, the city walls, and the gates had been destroyed as a result of the three invasions of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces in 606 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC. Once there, Nehemiah defied the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sidesSamaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistinesand rebuilt the walls within 52 days, from the Sheep Gate in the North, the Hananeel Tower at the North West corner, the Fish Gate in the West, the Furnaces Tower at the Temple Mount's South West. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. [52 days] What did Nehemiah do after rebuilding the walls? to quickly repair the breaches in the wall, Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Destruction of the Temple, http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/80353228.jpg, http://www.prophecysociety.org/books/LV2012/LV-091.html. 3. Daniel 9 did two things. Although there is no consensus about the relative chronologies of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (the Biblical dates are unclear), Nehemiahs return to Jerusalem probably preceded Ezras by a couple years. (Nehemiah 6:16). (Neh.8) This likely indicates this was a Sabbath year. 1Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin. 2 He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, 'What are these feeble Jews doing? So from the restoring of the wall in 492BCE to messiah the Prince in 2BCE, that equals 490. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, What is this that you are doing? Much work needed to be done, and Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah each led groups of the returned remnant in rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. The word restore is shuwb- its primary meaning is to return or turn back. So that the Mikdash would have been completed in his 6th year (Ezra 6), and Ezra would have led the return in his 7th year. The All-Access membership pass is the way to get to know the Bible through biblical archaeology. Another of Nehemiahs accomplishments was to make a record and genealogy of all the nobles, officials and people who were then living in Judah. I would also like to address a comment regarding Yeshu, the Roman Fabrication. Yeshua being a Roman fabrication is as reasonable and historically accurate as those who say Israel is a British one. And next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. 7We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. Nehemiah served as the kings cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11), which evidently put him in a position to speak to the king. Combining Nehemiah's times with his character, we get the message of this book: Nehemiah proves that seemingly impossible things . Ok here is chapter 2 of Nehemiah.. God bless those truly seeking Him. In this way the Persian era was eclipsed. After hearing about the sad state of affairs in Judah, Nehemiah acquired the kings permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and its fortifications. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house. According to Haggai 1, YHWH then spoke to Haggai and asked him why the people were building their own houses when the Temple was not completed. Read full chapter Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah 3 The Message (MSG) Nehemiah encountered hostility from the (non-Jewish) local officials in neighbouring districts, but in the space of 52 days the Jews under his direction succeeded in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. He is being closely watched, so he doesn't do much for his first three days in the city. 18Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days skins of wine in abundance; yet with all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because of the heavy burden of labour on the people. 17Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty people, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. Verse 24 gives the big picture overview of what takes place during the entire 70 weeks. Thats too big a price to pay. You too offer an interesting interpretation. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch-posts, and others before their own houses. 4The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few and no houses had been built. So we have: 1. Virtually any citizen of the ancient world could tick off three reasons why a wall was far more than just a pile of rocks. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace. 18I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Thats too big a price to pay, and unnecessary. Anyways, so ppl pin point the building of the walls by Nehemiah being in the 20th year of this king which is Darius the great who was married to queen Esther. Nehemiah 6:15 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) 15 The wall was completed (A) in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Ellul.