NEHEMIAH (ne-he-mi'ah), (Heb. nekh em-yaw', comforted of Jehovah).
3. The Jewish patriot, whose genealop-,y is unknown, except that he was the son of Hachaliah (Neh. i :r), and brother of Hanani (Neh. vii Some think he was of priestly descent, because his name appears at the head of a list of priests in Neh. x :1-8 ; but it is obvious, from Neh. ix:38, that he stands there as a prince, and not as a priest ; that he heads the list because he was head of the nation. Others with some probability infer, from his station at the Persian court and the high commission he received, that he was, like Zerub babel, of the tribe of Judah and of the house of David (Carpzov, introductio, etc., P. i, 339).
(1) Appointed Governor. While Nehemiah ‘vas cupbearer in the royal palace at Shushan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, or 444 years B. C., (See ARTAXERXES), he learned the mournful and desolate condition of the re turned colony in Judzea. This filled him with such deep and prayerful concern for his country, that his sad countenance revealed to the king his `sor row of heart' ; which induced the monarch to as certain the cause, and also to vouchsafe the reme dy, by sending him, with full powers, to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and `to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.' Being furnished with this high commission, and enjoying the protection of a military escort (chapter ii Nehemiah reached Jerusalem in the year B. C. 444. and re mained there till B. C. 432, being actively engaged for twelve years in promoting the public good (chapter v :14). The principal work which he then accomplished was the rebuilding, or rather the repairing. of the city wall, which was done 'in fifty and two days' (chapter vi :15). notwithstand ing many discouragetnents and difficulties. These were caused chiefly by Sanballat, a Moabite of Horonaim, and Tobiah, an Ammonite, who were leading men in the rival and unfriendly colony of Samaria (chapter iv :1-3). These men, with their allies among the Arabians, Ammonites, and Ash dodites (chapter iv:7), sought to hinder the re fortifying of Jerusalem, first by scoffing at the at tempt ; then by threatening to attack the workmen —which Nehemiah averted by `setting a watch against them day and night,' and arming the whole people, so that 'every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon' (chapter iv :7-18) ; and finally, when scoffs and threats had failed, by using various stratagems to weaken Nehemiah's authority, and evcn to take his life (chapter vi:r-r4).
(2) 1VIeets Hindrances. But in the midst of these dangers from without, our patriot encoun tered troubles and hindrances from his own peo ple, arising out of the general distress, which was aggravated by the cruel exactions and oppression of their nobles and rulers, (chapter v The,ze popular grievances were promptly redressed on the earnest and solemn remonstrance of Nehe miah, who had himself set a striking example of retrenchment and generosity in his high office (chapter v:6-19). It appears also (chapter vi: 17-19) that some of the chief men in Jerusalem were at that time in conspiracy with Tobiah against Nehemiah. The wall was thus built in 'troublons times' (Dan. ix :25) ; and its completion was most joyously celebrated by a solemn dedica tion under Nehemiah's direction (chapter xii:27 43)• (3) Reforms. Having succeeded in fortifying the city, our reformer turned his attention to other measures in order to secure its good government and prosperity. He appointed some necessary of ficers (chapter vii :I-3 ; also chapter xii :44-47), and excited among the people more interest and zeal in religion by the public reading and exposi tion of the law (chapter by the qualed celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (chapter viii :13-r8), and by the observance of a national fast, when the sins of the people and the iniquities of their fathers were publicly and most strikingly confessed (chapter ix), and when also a solemn covenant was made by all ranks and classes `to walk in God's law' by avoiding inter marriages with the heathen, by strictly observing the Sabbath, and by contributing to the support of the temple service (chapter x). But the inhabi tants of the city were as yet too few to defend it and to ensure its prosperity ; and hence Nehemiah brought one out of every ten in the country to take up his abode in the ancient capital which then presented so few inducements to the settler, that 'the people blessed all the men that willingly of fered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem' (chapter vii :4; also chapter xi :r-19).