Meaning of NEHEMIAH

"Jehovah has comforted."
(a) One of the princes who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7).

(b) Son of Azbuk and governor of half the district of Beth-sur. He collaborated in the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 3:16).

(c) Jew of the captivity, son of Hacaliah and author of the book of Nehemiah (Neh. 1:1). As cupbearer to Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia, he offered him wine. The sovereign realizing Nehemiah's sadness, he asked him the cause of it. He replied that Jerusalem, the city of his ancestors, lay in ruins.

Nehemiah asked permission to go and rebuild his walls (445 BC). The king allowed him this, and granted him an escort of horsemen and letters of recommendation for the governors of the different districts that he had to cross, also naming him governor of Judea, as Zerubbabel had been (Neh. 1: 1-2: 9 ; 5:14).

Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes (444 BC). Ezra, the priest who had arrived from Babylon thirteen years ago to rebuild the Temple, was in Jerusalem when Nehemiah arrived. The latter made a night patrol around the destroyed fortifications.

He then announced to the people his intention to rebuild them, asking for their help. The Jews agreed, and each notable among them set about rebuilding a section of the walls (Neh. 3). The neighboring pagan tribes became angry and opposed this effort.

Three of their leaders, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab, endeavored to stop the reconstruction. But they were unable to stop or intimidate Nehemiah. To prevent any attack, the builders dedicated themselves to working with only one hand, constantly holding a weapon in the other (Neh. 2:10; 4-6).

It took fifty-two days to rebuild the fortifications (Neh. 6:15), in 444 BC, about 70 years after the Temple was rebuilt. Nehemiah later dedicated himself to teaching the Law to the people (Neh. 8).

A revival of faith followed, and all religious and civil leaders, along with Nehemiah, set their seals to the covenant to worship Jehovah (Neh. 8:9; 10). After ruling Judah for 12 years, Nehemiah returned to Susa in 433 or 432 BC.

He then asked for a new license (Neh. 13:6) and returned to Jerusalem. This great reformer strove to bring all those who had signed the pledge to strictly observe the Law of Moses (Neh. 13:8-31).

Josephus claims that he reached an advanced age (Ant. 11:5, 8). Nehemiah appears to have held the position of governor of Jerusalem until his death. Bagohi, one of his successors, was governor of Jerusalem in 411 BC. (Elephantine Papyrus).