Nehemiah 1 Commentary: A Burden for Jerusalem
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
Nehemiah 1 is a powerful opening to a story of restoration, resilience, and reliance on God. This chapter introduces us to Nehemiah, a man of influence in the Persian court, whose heart is deeply burdened by the news of Jerusalem's broken state. His response—a potent combination of grief, prayer, and fasting—serves as a model for how we should approach challenges and seek God's intervention in our lives and communities. This chapter also highlights the principle that God often works through individuals who are willing to be used by Him. Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, would accomplish in fifty-two days what had not been accomplished in 141 years. His story is a reminder that fixing what is broken down doesn’t take long if you put God first.
Nehemiah's Position and the Weight of News (Nehemiah 1:1-3)
The book opens by identifying Nehemiah as the son of Hacaliah, placing the narrative "in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year" (Nehemiah 1:1). This sets the scene, establishing both the time and the context of the events that are about to unfold. Nehemiah held a significant role as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in the Persian Empire (Nehemiah 1:11). This was more than just tasting food; the cupbearer was often a trusted advisor and confidant to the king, a position of considerable influence and responsibility. King Artaxerxes would’ve made sure to fill the spot with someone who had a great reputation and could be trusted.
The narrative takes a somber turn when Hanani, Nehemiah's brother, arrives from Judah with news about the remnant who had survived the exile. The report is devastating: "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire" (Nehemiah 1:3). This news strikes at the heart of Nehemiah. He remembered where he came from. The broken walls and burned gates were not merely a physical problem; they were a symbol of vulnerability, shame, and the complete breakdown of social, political, and spiritual order. Those in his homeland were experiencing insecurity galore because that was a sign of degradation galore. The people who’d returned to Israel had made absolutely no progress in reestablishing what God had intended with regard to their physical, social, political, economic, and family life.
Nehemiah's Response: A Model of Prayer and Fasting (Nehemiah 1:4)
Nehemiah's reaction is immediate and profound. "When I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4). This is not a fleeting moment of sadness; it's a sustained period of grief and intercession. He backed away from his personal peace and affluence long enough to ask, “What about those at home who don’t enjoy the privileges I know?” Some of us are on our way to heaven and are satisfied. When is the last time you wept over relatives who don’t know Christ?
Nehemiah wept and mourned... fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. His actions highlight the importance of taking the brokenness of the world seriously and bringing it before God in prayer. It sounded like Jerusalem’s was a society of broken people. Broken people cannot fix broken walls. Is prayer the first thing or the last thing that you do when you see that something is broken? If it’s the last thing, then you waste time in everything you do that leaves God out of the equation to fix it. Far too often, we allow other things to push prayer aside rather than allowing prayer to push other things aside.
Nehemiah also fasted. Fasting indicates that you are really serious about your relationship with God. It is being willing to give up something that your body craves in order to gain something your spirit needs.
What wall has crumbled in your personal life? Your family life? Your career? Push everything else aside and connect with God on the matter.
Nehemiah's Prayer: Acknowledgment, Confession, and Remembrance (Nehemiah 1:5-11)
Nehemiah's prayer is a masterpiece of humility, reverence, and faith. He begins by acknowledging God's greatness and covenant faithfulness: "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" (Nehemiah 1:5). This is a crucial starting point. While most of us would have jumped in and said, “Fix this problem, Lord,” Nehemiah reminds us that we should start off reminding ourselves of who our God is and what our God can do!
A woman once said to British evangelist G. Campbell Morgan, “I only take small things to God because I don’t want to worry him with the big things.” To this he replied, “Lady, anything you bring to God is small.” We tend to magnify our problems, when we should magnify God instead. If we rightly see him for who he is, we’ll never see our problems as too much for him to handle.
He then confesses the sins of the people of Israel, including himself and his family: "Let 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 the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah prayed day and night (Nehemiah 1:6). In Nehemiah 1:1, his prayer began during the month of Chislev, and in Nehemiah 2:1 we’ll see that he didn’t get an answer until “the month of Nisan”—four and a half months later! I am often asked, “How long should I pray for something?” To this I respond, “Until you get an answer.” God can say, “Yes,” or he can say, “No.” Or, he can say nothing, which means, “Wait.” Until God says, “Yes” or “No,” you pray.
To understand what Nehemiah did in this part of his prayer, we need to know that God places his people in culture as a preservative (see Matthew 5:13-14). He works through people to address society at large. But, the sons of Israel, who had a covenant with God, had sinned (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah included himself in this problem; he identified with Israel and understood his contribution to their woes (Nehemiah 1:7). He knew he was in a representative position. A real man says, “I identify with this problem; it is mine.”
This man’s focus on sin when the wall’s state was likely foremost on his mind indicates that deterioration—whether in personal life, family life, or society—can be traced back to sin. And, one of the great failures in our culture is the failure of the church of Jesus Christ to acknowledge its own. The Bible says, “the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household” (1 Peter 4:17). Only then we can address the unrighteous.
He appeals to God's promise to Moses, reminding God of His word: "Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there’" (Nehemiah 1:8-9). This is an awesome line: Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses (Nehemiah 1:8). Now, we know that God does not forget. So, what Nehemiah was saying, in effect here, was, “Lord, you remembered your word about cursing us: If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you. But, remember your other word: If you return to me . . . I will gather [you] (Nehemiah 1:8-9).
No matter what mess you have created, no matter how far you have gone, God has good news for you. He’s in the gathering business. In other words, if you are faithful, he will turn circumstances around. No matter how bad things get, God will honor his word.
Nehemiah concludes his prayer with a specific request: "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man" (Nehemiah 1:11). The word servants here is a good reminder that God obligated himself to the believing world, so the believing world could get things done for the non-believing world. He then reveals that he is the king's cupbearer, setting the stage for the next chapter where he will approach the king with his request.
Nehemiah was a layman who had become upper class because he had gotten some unique privileges. It dawned on him that God had positioned him to make a difference. The man he referred to was the king. He was getting ready to ask his permission to go back and rebuild Jerusalem.
Now, you don’t just ask the king for such a leave of absence if you are his cupbearer, because you are the one who makes sure no one assassinates him. It would be unlikely that he’d let you disappear for months at a time. Nevertheless, Nehemiah intended to ask.
In the church, we often separate our careers from our worship. But, Nehemiah saw his career as a strategic position. King Artaxerxes was an unregenerate man, but he had the power to solve the problem. So, after arming himself with prayer, Nehemiah needed to ask for it. Prayer is the power for action. God can use the unrighteous to fulfill his goal for the righteous.
Perhaps you work for a major organization, but you have not interpreted your “cupbearing” as an opportunity to make a difference for the glory of God. If we are going to rebuild our communities, we need to learn to kingdomize our skills. Any person who uses a computer who then takes time to teach a brother or sister to use that skill so that they can become employed and become a contributing member of society and take care of their family has kingdomized his skill. Ask the Lord to show you how to use your job situation to make a kingdom difference.
Also of note here is the word today. Spoiler alert: what Nehemiah would ask would not work out for four and a half months. But, this pause is good news for you if you’re waiting for divine intervention: God has not forgotten you; he is working out a network of events. Sometimes, God has to let A go over to Z to get back to T to enter with B so you can have a well-defined alphabet of life. He is dependable and he is faithful. Don’t give up, but “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matthew 6:33).
Nehemiah 1 serves as a powerful reminder that God is attentive to the prayers of His people and that He often works through ordinary individuals who are willing to be used by Him. Nehemiah's example encourages us to cultivate a heart of compassion, to engage in fervent prayer, and to trust in God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
Nehemiah 1 is a powerful opening to a story of restoration, resilience, and reliance on God. This chapter introduces us to Nehemiah, a man of influence in the Persian court, whose heart is deeply burdened by the news of Jerusalem's broken state. His response—a potent combination of grief, prayer, and fasting—serves as a model for how we should approach challenges and seek God's intervention in our lives and communities. This chapter also highlights the principle that God often works through individuals who are willing to be used by Him. Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, would accomplish in fifty-two days what had not been accomplished in 141 years. His story is a reminder that fixing what is broken down doesn’t take long if you put God first.
Nehemiah's Position and the Weight of News (Nehemiah 1:1-3)
The book opens by identifying Nehemiah as the son of Hacaliah, placing the narrative "in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year" (Nehemiah 1:1). This sets the scene, establishing both the time and the context of the events that are about to unfold. Nehemiah held a significant role as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in the Persian Empire (Nehemiah 1:11). This was more than just tasting food; the cupbearer was often a trusted advisor and confidant to the king, a position of considerable influence and responsibility. King Artaxerxes would’ve made sure to fill the spot with someone who had a great reputation and could be trusted.
The narrative takes a somber turn when Hanani, Nehemiah's brother, arrives from Judah with news about the remnant who had survived the exile. The report is devastating: "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire" (Nehemiah 1:3). This news strikes at the heart of Nehemiah. He remembered where he came from. The broken walls and burned gates were not merely a physical problem; they were a symbol of vulnerability, shame, and the complete breakdown of social, political, and spiritual order. Those in his homeland were experiencing insecurity galore because that was a sign of degradation galore. The people who’d returned to Israel had made absolutely no progress in reestablishing what God had intended with regard to their physical, social, political, economic, and family life.
Nehemiah's Response: A Model of Prayer and Fasting (Nehemiah 1:4)
Nehemiah's reaction is immediate and profound. "When I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4). This is not a fleeting moment of sadness; it's a sustained period of grief and intercession. He backed away from his personal peace and affluence long enough to ask, “What about those at home who don’t enjoy the privileges I know?” Some of us are on our way to heaven and are satisfied. When is the last time you wept over relatives who don’t know Christ?
Nehemiah wept and mourned... fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. His actions highlight the importance of taking the brokenness of the world seriously and bringing it before God in prayer. It sounded like Jerusalem’s was a society of broken people. Broken people cannot fix broken walls. Is prayer the first thing or the last thing that you do when you see that something is broken? If it’s the last thing, then you waste time in everything you do that leaves God out of the equation to fix it. Far too often, we allow other things to push prayer aside rather than allowing prayer to push other things aside.
Nehemiah also fasted. Fasting indicates that you are really serious about your relationship with God. It is being willing to give up something that your body craves in order to gain something your spirit needs.
What wall has crumbled in your personal life? Your family life? Your career? Push everything else aside and connect with God on the matter.
Nehemiah's Prayer: Acknowledgment, Confession, and Remembrance (Nehemiah 1:5-11)
Nehemiah's prayer is a masterpiece of humility, reverence, and faith. He begins by acknowledging God's greatness and covenant faithfulness: "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" (Nehemiah 1:5). This is a crucial starting point. While most of us would have jumped in and said, “Fix this problem, Lord,” Nehemiah reminds us that we should start off reminding ourselves of who our God is and what our God can do!
A woman once said to British evangelist G. Campbell Morgan, “I only take small things to God because I don’t want to worry him with the big things.” To this he replied, “Lady, anything you bring to God is small.” We tend to magnify our problems, when we should magnify God instead. If we rightly see him for who he is, we’ll never see our problems as too much for him to handle.
He then confesses the sins of the people of Israel, including himself and his family: "Let 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 the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah prayed day and night (Nehemiah 1:6). In Nehemiah 1:1, his prayer began during the month of Chislev, and in Nehemiah 2:1 we’ll see that he didn’t get an answer until “the month of Nisan”—four and a half months later! I am often asked, “How long should I pray for something?” To this I respond, “Until you get an answer.” God can say, “Yes,” or he can say, “No.” Or, he can say nothing, which means, “Wait.” Until God says, “Yes” or “No,” you pray.
To understand what Nehemiah did in this part of his prayer, we need to know that God places his people in culture as a preservative (see Matthew 5:13-14). He works through people to address society at large. But, the sons of Israel, who had a covenant with God, had sinned (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah included himself in this problem; he identified with Israel and understood his contribution to their woes (Nehemiah 1:7). He knew he was in a representative position. A real man says, “I identify with this problem; it is mine.”
This man’s focus on sin when the wall’s state was likely foremost on his mind indicates that deterioration—whether in personal life, family life, or society—can be traced back to sin. And, one of the great failures in our culture is the failure of the church of Jesus Christ to acknowledge its own. The Bible says, “the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household” (1 Peter 4:17). Only then we can address the unrighteous.
He appeals to God's promise to Moses, reminding God of His word: "Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there’" (Nehemiah 1:8-9). This is an awesome line: Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses (Nehemiah 1:8). Now, we know that God does not forget. So, what Nehemiah was saying, in effect here, was, “Lord, you remembered your word about cursing us: If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you. But, remember your other word: If you return to me . . . I will gather [you] (Nehemiah 1:8-9).
No matter what mess you have created, no matter how far you have gone, God has good news for you. He’s in the gathering business. In other words, if you are faithful, he will turn circumstances around. No matter how bad things get, God will honor his word.
Nehemiah concludes his prayer with a specific request: "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man" (Nehemiah 1:11). The word servants here is a good reminder that God obligated himself to the believing world, so the believing world could get things done for the non-believing world. He then reveals that he is the king's cupbearer, setting the stage for the next chapter where he will approach the king with his request.
Nehemiah was a layman who had become upper class because he had gotten some unique privileges. It dawned on him that God had positioned him to make a difference. The man he referred to was the king. He was getting ready to ask his permission to go back and rebuild Jerusalem.
Now, you don’t just ask the king for such a leave of absence if you are his cupbearer, because you are the one who makes sure no one assassinates him. It would be unlikely that he’d let you disappear for months at a time. Nevertheless, Nehemiah intended to ask.
In the church, we often separate our careers from our worship. But, Nehemiah saw his career as a strategic position. King Artaxerxes was an unregenerate man, but he had the power to solve the problem. So, after arming himself with prayer, Nehemiah needed to ask for it. Prayer is the power for action. God can use the unrighteous to fulfill his goal for the righteous.
Perhaps you work for a major organization, but you have not interpreted your “cupbearing” as an opportunity to make a difference for the glory of God. If we are going to rebuild our communities, we need to learn to kingdomize our skills. Any person who uses a computer who then takes time to teach a brother or sister to use that skill so that they can become employed and become a contributing member of society and take care of their family has kingdomized his skill. Ask the Lord to show you how to use your job situation to make a kingdom difference.
Also of note here is the word today. Spoiler alert: what Nehemiah would ask would not work out for four and a half months. But, this pause is good news for you if you’re waiting for divine intervention: God has not forgotten you; he is working out a network of events. Sometimes, God has to let A go over to Z to get back to T to enter with B so you can have a well-defined alphabet of life. He is dependable and he is faithful. Don’t give up, but “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matthew 6:33).
Nehemiah 1 serves as a powerful reminder that God is attentive to the prayers of His people and that He often works through ordinary individuals who are willing to be used by Him. Nehemiah's example encourages us to cultivate a heart of compassion, to engage in fervent prayer, and to trust in God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises.