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Thread: Nehemiah: A Study

  1. #31
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    Nehemiah met with these businessmen and politicians responsible for the added hardships.

    (Are you seeing anything relevant here?)

    He accused these men of violating a basic economic law found in the Law of Moses. Usury. They were charging fellow jews interest on loans. He rebuked the wealthy jews for these destructive practices based on their own greed.


    In a large public gathering he brought both sides together. He rebuked the wealthy for usury but what he found particularly troubling was their practice of taking the jews given to them in exchange for loans, selling these same slaves to non jews, who in turn sold them back to the jews at a considerable profit. . The law of Moses prohibited such sales. (exodus 21:8) Verse 6 says these sales are wrong. Additionally these men should have revered God and let respect for God's law guide their actions.

    Nehemiah and many others WERE lending peope money and providing them with grain, BUT, in ways that did not offend God.

    Nehemiah had the King's authority. He ordered these jewish businessmen and politicians to "Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

    The jewish elites said:
    “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say. Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.

    13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” \

    At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 10-13-2020 at 06:21 PM.

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    Chapter 5 continued.

    v 14. Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

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    As a Persian Governor, Nehemiah was required to provide meals and entertain many people. It was also customary for these governors to obtain the food served at these banquets from locals over whom they administered.

    Nehemiah had over 150 people eating at his table on a daily basis. Large amounts of meats: one ox, six sheep, several chickens, and these were to be taken from local farmers.

    Also wine and other provisions.
    BUT Nehemiah did not do that. Nehemiah took these provisions from his own flocks and herds. He did this so as not to put an additional burden on a already heavily burdened people.

    Much like President Trump would not take a salary but rather donated it to other worthy causes. Something that no other president, in particular presidents of the last 30 years, have done.
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 11-17-2020 at 09:24 AM.

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  5. #34
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    Chapter 6

    Further Opposition to the Rebuilding


    1 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates, --

    2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.”
    But they were scheming to harm me;

    3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

    4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

    5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter

    6 in which was written:
    “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[b] says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king

    7 and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”

    8 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”

    9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
    10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”

    11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”

    12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

    13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

    14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me.

    15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.


    Opposition to the Completed Wall


    16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

    17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them.

    18 For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

    19 Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

    Footnotes
    1. Nehemiah 6:2 Or in Kephirim
    2. Nehemiah 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu, a variant of Geshem
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 11-17-2020 at 09:05 AM.

  6. #35
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    Chapter 6 cont.

    Nehemiah had success in filling all the gaps in the walls with the help of the people...they had not yet set the gates when their enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah and Gesham heard of their success. They came up with another plan to rid themselves of Nehemiah. Let's meet on the plain of Ono in one of the villages so we can talk.

    Nehemiah had word that the plan was to kill him.

  7. #36
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    Nehemiah sent word to Sanballat and Tobias that he was too busy to come down to them. Four times they asked him to come, four times he said he could not.

    Then came the fifth 'invitation' to meet. Sanballat's aid had another sealed letter with it in which Sanballat said that there was a
    rumor that Nehemiah planned a revolt to make himself king of Judah and he had better come or it will be reported to King Artaxerxes.

    Nehemiah replied that nothing of what they were saying was true and they were making it up. Don't tell me that the bible is not relevant to today. I'm sure you see the connection, reader.

    Nehemiah's enemies hoped to put such fear into the judite wallbuilders that they would be so frightened that their strength would leave them. Nehemiah prayed to God for the strength to go on and God answered by giving Nehemiah and the judites the strength needed.

    THEN, Nehemiah tells of the enemy within the walls trying to subvert the building. He went to the home of Shemiah. Shemiah said, 'let's go into the temple for safety because men are coming this evening to kill you. Nehemiah realized that Shemiah was the enemy.. he plotted and worked for Sanballat et al and was not to be trusted. The enemy would kill Nehemiah in the temple.

    Nehemiah asks God to remember that Sanballat, Tobiah, Shemiah and the prophetess Noadiah and her associates had intimidated Nehemiah out of his appointed task.

    The Wall was complete ....52 days. 25th of Elul. This is august/september on the Gregorian calendar. Temperature ranges for this time of the year in Jerusalem is 70s to 80s. That's in general. There are records that 108 at this time of year.
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 03-03-2021 at 06:12 PM.

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    Fear set in on the wallbuilder's enemies and the surrounding nations because they KNEW that the success of that wall...the short time in which it was completed was evidence that God was involved.

    Still there was subterfuge...many judah nobles were under obligation to Tobiah and many letters went back and forth between the nobles and Tobiah. (he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.)
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 03-03-2021 at 07:19 PM.

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    Tobiah was very politically well placed is what that means. What's worse is that these nobles kept saying very nice things about Tobiah to Nehemiah and then reporting to Tobiah what Nehemiah said in response.

    Tobiah was trying to infiltrate. He wanted to know more of what was going on no doubt so he could use any information he could get against Nehemiah.

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    Chapter 7.


    1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.

    2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.
    3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
    The List of the Exiles Who Returned

    4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

    5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:
    6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

    7 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

    The list of the men of Israel:
    8 the descendants of Parosh 2,172
    9 of Shephatiah 372
    10 of Arah 652
    11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) 2,818
    12 of Elam 1,254
    13 of Zattu 845
    14 of Zakkai 760
    15 of Binnui 648
    16 of Bebai 628
    17 of Azgad 2,322
    18 of Adonikam 667
    19 of Bigvai 2,067
    20 of Adin 655
    21 of Ater (through Hezekiah) 98
    22 of Hashum 328
    23 of Bezai 324
    24 of Hariph 112
    25 of Gibeon 95
    26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah 188
    27 of Anathoth 128
    28 of Beth Azmaveth 42
    29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth 743
    30 of Ramah and Geba 621
    31 of Mikmash 122
    32 of Bethel and Ai 123
    33 of the other Nebo 52
    34 of the other Elam 1,254
    35 of Harim 320
    36 of Jericho 345
    37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono 721
    38 of Senaah 3,930
    39 The priests:
    the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) 973
    40 of Immer 1,052
    41 of Pashhur 1,247
    42 of Harim 1,017
    43 The Levites:
    the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) 74
    44 The musicians:
    the descendants of Asaph 148
    45 The gatekeepers:
    the descendants of
    Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai 138
    46 The temple servants:
    the descendants of
    Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
    47 Keros, Sia, Padon,
    48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
    49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
    50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
    51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
    52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
    53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
    54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
    55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
    56 Neziah and Hatipha
    57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

    the descendants of
    Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
    58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
    59 Shephatiah, Hattil,
    Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon
    60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon 392

    61 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

    62 the descendants of
    Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda 642

    63 And from among the priests:
    the descendants of
    Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).


    64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

    65 The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.

    66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,[a] 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
    70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.

    71 Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver.

    72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.
    73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.

    Ezra Reads the Law

    When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,
    (see chapter 8)

    Footnotes
    1. Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
    2. Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
    3. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
    4. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
    5. Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
    Last edited by Calypso Jones; 03-03-2021 at 10:29 PM.

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    Chapter 7 continued.

    After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.


    2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

    3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
    ~~

    Pretty straightforward. Now the wall was finished and gates put in place. The temple priests (levites-only levites can perform those duties), musicians and gatekeepers were appointed.

    Hanani (nehemiah's brother) and Hananiah (commander of the citadel) were put in charge of Jerusalem. Nehemiah mentions that Hananiah was a good man of integrity and feared God more than most people did.

    He instructed them to keep the gates of Jerusalem closed till the sun grew hot in the day.
    Nehemiah also wanted Jerusalem residents as guards of the wall, either at certain posts or near their homes.

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