Nehemiah 2 is the second chapter of the
Book of Nehemiah in the
Old Testament of the
ChristianBible,[1] or the 12th chapter of the book of
Ezra-Nehemiah in the
Hebrew Bible, which treats the
book of Ezra and the book of Nehemiah as one book.[2] Jewish tradition states that
Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the
Book of Chronicles,[3] but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from the 5th century BCE (the so-called "
Chronicler") is the final author of these books.[4] From the time he hears about Jerusalem during the month of
Kislev (November/December), Nehemiah waited until the month of
Nisan (March/April) to petition
Artaxerxes I of Persia to be allowed to go and help the rebuilding of Jerusalem.[5] His petition is granted by the king, and although with less authority than Ezra over the officials of "Beyond-the-River", Nehemiah was given an official position with an escort of officers and cavalry.[5]
Text
Nehemiah presenting the golden cup to Artaxerxes. Illustration on Fol. 178v of an illuminated manuscript in Latin (1270).
Nehemiah before the king Artaxerxes I. Illustration of Book of Nehemiah Chapter 2. Biblical illustrations by Jim Padgett
The scene of this part is the banqueting hall of King Artaxerxes, where Nehemiah carries out his duties as a cup-bearer.[9][10]H. E. Ryle suggests that Nehemiah is the king's "favourite cup-bearer".[11] Nehemiah is sad, and the king asks why. McConville argues that the display of a long face before the king shows three significant aspects of Nehemiah: courage, godliness and wisdom, which bear dire risk of his life (cf.
Esther before
Ahasuerus,
Esther 4:11).[12]
Verse 1
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king.
Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.[13]
"
Nisan": While Ezra uses numbered months (the nomenclature of the Torah), Nehemiah uses 'Babylonian calendrical names'.[14]
2So the king said to me, "Why is your face troubled though you do not seem sick? This is nothing but a troubled heart."
Then I became very much afraid3and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should not my face be troubled when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"[16]
"Became very much afraid": Nehemiah is worried about offending the king, despite 'what sounds like comforting concern', because with Nehemiah functioning as the official wine-taster, 'the emperor might well be worried if Nehemiah looks sick'.[14] Nonetheless, the king is happy to grant Nehemiah's requests (verse 8), as Nehemiah then was given letters and a military escort (verse 9) as well as materials for his journey to
Jerusalem.[14]
The king grants Nehemiah's requests. Illustration of Book of Nehemiah Chapter 2. Biblical illustrations by Jim Padgett
Reconnaissance and Opposition (2:9–20)
This part describes Nehemiah's journey to Jerusalem, and his first actions when he arrived there, especially his preliminary reconnaissance of the walls at night, and the revelation of his plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.[17] The resentment from local people (verses 10–12) recalls
Ezra 1–
6.[14]
Verse 9
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.[18]
The military escort given by the king to Nehemiah consisted of officers ("captains"; sārê), army (ḥayil), and cavalry ("horsemen"; pārāšîm).[14] The evidence of Persian soldiers stationed in Judah is shown in the cist-type tombs which otherwise can only be found in Persian archaeological sites.[19]
Verse 10
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.[20]
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.[23]
"Three days": The same "three days' interval" to 'rest after the journey and to prepare plans' is also used by
Ezra (
Ezra 8:32).[24]
Nehemiah inspected the walls of Jerusalem at night. Biblical illustrations by Jim Padgett.
Verse 19
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite subordinate, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"[25]
"
Geshem the Arabian": another enemy of Nehemiah (beside Sanballat and Tobiah), who can be the same person as "Geshmu—King of Kedar", a name mentioned in a bowl from Ismalia, because "Kedar" is associated with "Arab" as in
Genesis 25:13;
Isaiah 21:16–17;
42:11;
60:7, also in
Herodotus3.4.88.[26]
According to J. Gordon McConville, a conflict between good (tob) and evil (ra’) underlies the action of this chapter which is not immediately obvious in the English translation:[28] Nehemiah's face is "sad" (verses 1–3) is actually described using the word "evil", which is also used for the word "trouble" of Jerusalem (verse 17, or in 1:3), whereas the expression "it pleased the king" (verses 6 & 7) is literally "it was good to the king", as also in "the good hand of God is upon Nehemiah" (verses 8, 18), or "the good work" (verse 18), which is simply "the good" (or "the good thing”").[28] Verse 10 shows most pointed contrast, where "it displeased them" is literally "it was evil to them", whereas "welfare" of the Jews is "their good".[28] In this context, the king's decision and the rebuilding of the walls are "good", whereas the broken walls, Nehemiah's grief, or the conspiration of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, are "evil".[28]
^Stern, E. (1982), Material Culture of the Land of the Bible in the Persian Period 538–332 BC. Warminster: Aris & Phillips; Jerusalem: IBS; apud Smith-Christopher 2007, pp. 318, 324
Fensham, F. Charles (1982).
The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. New international commentary on the Old Testament (illustrated ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
ISBN978-0802825278. Retrieved October 28, 2019.