NEHEMIAH, BOOK OF, the latest of the historical books of the Old Testament, was in some ancient Greek and Latin versions called the second book of Ezra or Esdras. This may be accounted for by the intimate official relations between Ezra and Nehemiah, and by the similarity of the circumstances in which they acted and wrote. Without the title, "The words of Nehemiah"—prefixed to the book in modern Hebrew Bibles, and retained in the English version—its first words, "And it came to pass," might appear like a continuation of Ezra. The two books, however, contain internal marks of inae oundent authorship; and there is no more reason to doubt that Nehemiah wrote the one than that Ezra wrote the other. Some, indeed, to prove the difference of authorship, say that Nehemiah exhibits an egotism in speaking of his own actions from which Ezra is free. But to this it is replied that Ezra, in chapters viii, and ix., adopts the same style in speaking of himself in the first person which Nehemiah at greater length employs; and that both authOrs were led by similar circumstances to write in a similar way. While Nehemiah was doubtless the author of the book, he evidently compiled part of it from historical sources: chapter vii. 6-73, was, as he says, copied from a register which is found also in Ezra ii. The second part, chapters is said to be marked by a Levitical bias, different from the rest of the book, and by the use of the third person instead of the first when speaking of Nehemiah. Hence, some critics have ascribed these chapters to Ezra or some unknown writer. But critical scholars generally consider these views without force. The third part, chapters xi.–xiii., is acknowled:;ed by all to be chiefly, if not altogether, Nehemiah's work.
The book records: Nehemiah's sorrow over the desolations of Jerusalem and his prayer to God for the opportunity to rebuild it; the permission granted him by the king to undertake the work; his arrival at the city and survey of the ruins, followed by the rebuilding of the walls; the opposition of the Jews' enemies, and the plans by which their efforts were defeated; the complaint of the people against the oppression of the nobles, and the redress of the evil; the crafty plot of their enemies, and itS defeat by Nehemiah's straightforward boldness; the record of the families that returned first from Babylon, followed by an account of the offerings made by the rich and poor towards the work: the reading of the law by Ezra the scribe, accompanied with a joyful celebra tion. of the feast of tabernacles; the mourning, fasting, and repentance of the people,
expressed by a full confession of sin and by a solemn covenant sealed by princes, priests, and Levites. and confirmed with an oath by the whole multitude of the people, to observe the law, sanctify the Sabbath, sustain the services of the temple, and bring in all the tithes; the selection by lot of a tenth of the people to dwell in Jerusalem, and the distribution of the rest through the other cities of the land; the registry of the priests and Levites, and the gathering of the latter from all parts of the land to dwell in Jerusa lem; the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, accompanied with the offering of large sacrifices and the utterance of great joy which was heard afar off; the admission of heathen strangers into the temple during Nehemiah's absence in Persia, and their sum mary expulsion after his return; his enforcement of the broken covenant to pay the tithes, to sanctify the Sabbath day, and to refrain from marriages with the heathen around them.