Book of Nehemiah: Overview and Scholarly Commentary
13 chapters · 10 video commentaries · covered in 5 courses
Nehemiah recounts the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and the reestablishment of the Jewish community in Judah after the Babylonian exile. It details Nehemiah's leadership in these efforts, including his reforms to enforce adherence to the Law.
AuthorTraditionally attributed to Nehemiah, critical scholarship views Ezra-Nehemiah as a single work, likely compiled by a redactor in the Persian period, incorporating earlier memoirs and documents.
WrittenLate 5th to early 4th century BCE for its final compilation, describing events from the mid-5th century BCE.
GenreHistorical narrative, memoir
AudienceThe post-exilic Jewish community in Judah, encouraging adherence to the Law and the rebuilding of their national and religious identity.
PurposeTo document the restoration of Jerusalem and the community's commitment to the Mosaic Law under Nehemiah's leadership, emphasizing the importance of covenant fidelity.
Covered inEveryday Life in Ancient Israel · Jesus and the Old Testament · Judaism Before Jesus · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube
What our scholars get into
Our commentary on Nehemiah explores the historical context of the Persian Empire, including the Cyrus Cylinder's role in allowing exiles to return, as discussed in *Everyday Life in Ancient Israel*. We examine Ezra's public reading of the Law in Nehemiah 8, noting how it highlights the rise of written scripture and the immediate need for interpretation, a key point in *Jesus and the Old Testament*. Scholars also discuss the 'discovery' of the Festival of Booths, suggesting the Torah Ezra brought was new or newly emphasized, and point out discrepancies between the laws in Ezra-Nehemiah and other biblical texts, as detailed in *Judaism Before Jesus*. Furthermore, we delve into Nehemiah's forceful enforcement of the Law in chapter 13, revealing that Ezra's initial reforms were not entirely effective, and consider how Nehemiah has been invoked in modern political discourse, such as by Robert Jeffress comparing Donald Trump to Nehemiah, as Bart Ehrman notes on his YouTube channel.
Introduction drafted from the lecture transcripts by AI, pending the team's edit.
While it's often stated that every book of the Hebrew Bible except Esther is found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, this claim is debatable. Ezra is also not explicitly present, though it's sometimes grouped with Nehemiah. Furthermore, some books like Chronicles are barely represented, suggesting that the Qumran community did not possess the same biblical canon as later Judaism, nor did they necessarily consider all books equally authoritative.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 12: The Dead Sea Scrolls · watch the clip
Background and context
Restoration of the Law and the Canon
After Jerusalem's destruction, the law (Torah) is revealed anew to Ezra, who dictates 24 books to five scribes for public dissemination, representing the canonical Hebrew Bible. Additionally, 70 secret books are to be given to the wise, which are thought to be the pseudepigrapha. This suggests a fixed canon for public use, alongside a body of esoteric writings.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 20: After the Fall · watch the clip
Courses that cover Nehemiah
Everyday Life in Ancient Israel
Jesus and the Old Testament
Judaism Before Jesus
The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel
