Nehemiah 1

Who is Nehemiah?

Nehemiah is a cupbearer to the king (v. 11).

Why did Nehemiah mourn and fast?

Nehemiah mourned and fasted after he heard the news from his brother, Hanani, that the wall of
Jerusalem is broken down and the gates burned with fire (v. 3-4).

Nehemiah 2

What favor did Nehemiah ask from the king?

Nehemiah asked the king for permission to go to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the city. King
Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission to return and he also provide him with a letter to Asaph,
the keeper of the royal park so that he will have the timber to make beams for the gates of the
temple citadel (v. 1-10).

Who opposed Nehemiah’s coming to help the Israelite to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem?

Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite (v. 10)

What is the first thing that Nehemiah do when he arrive at Jerusalem?

Nehemiah rode on a donkey and went around the walls of Jerusalem to inspect it.

Nehemiah 4

What did Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod plotted
against the Ammonites?

Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod plotted to come and fight
against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it (v. 7). They also plotted to kill the Jews that are
rebuilding the wall and put an end to the work (v. 11).

What did Nehemiah do to defense himself against the enemies?

Nehemiah posted people by familiars that are equipped with swords, spears and bows at the
lowest points of the wall at the exposed places (v. 13). He equipped the men who are doing the
work with spears, shields, bows and armor (v. 16).

Nehemiah 5
What did the people complain to Nehemiah?

The people complained to Nehemiah that the Jewish high officials, which are the same flesh and
blood as them, had imposed expensive tax on them even though they are poor. They had to
borrow money to pay tax. Some had no choice but to sell their children to slavery to pay tax.

How did Nehemiah help the poor?

Nehemiah rebuked the Jewish nobles and officials who impose usury on the poor Jewish people
and instructed them to return to them their fields, vineyards, olive groves, houses and the
interests they charged them. They listened to Nehemiah and did what he said (v. 6-12). Besides,
Nehemiah also shared his food with 150 Jews and officials who eat with him at his table. He also
did not demand the food allotted to the governor, like what the preceding governors do (v. 14-
18).

Nehemiah 6

How did Sanballat try to intimidate Nehemiah? What is Nehemiah’s reaction?

Sanballat sent a letter with the message that Nehemiah is rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem
because he and the Jews are planning a revolt, that he is about to become the king and rule over
them, and have even appointed prophets to proclaim him as the king of Judah. He threatened him
to come and meet with them otherwise he will send the report to the king. However, Nehemiah
was not afraid of them. He prayed to God to strengthen him (v. 1-9).

How did Shemaiah try to trick Nehemiah?

Shemaiah lied to Nehemiah that men are coming to attack and kill him so they should go inside
the temple and close the doors to hide from the enemies. However, Nehemiah did not listen to
him because he know that he did nothing wrong and that God will protect him (v. 10-12).

Nehemiah 8

Who read the Law before the assembly?

Ezra, the priest, read the Law before the men and women who can understand from daybreak till
noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate (v. 2).

Who instructed the people in the assembly in the Law?

The Levites read from the Book of Law to the people and make it clear, giving the meaning so
that the people could understand what was read to them (v. 7-8).

What festival did the people celebrate?

The people celebrated the Festival of Shelters, in commemoration of how God take care of the
Jews during the 40 years of wandering in the desert. They celebrated the festival by building
temporary shelters and living in them (v. 17).

Nehemiah 9

How long did the people spent on reading from the Book of the Law of God, in confession
and worshiping God?

A quarter of the day is spent on reading the Book of the Law of God and another quarter of the
day is spent on making confession and worshiping God (v. 3).

What agreement did the people made with?

The people made an agreement that they will serve God and keep his commandments.

Nehemiah 10

What promises did the people make?

 They promised not to give their daughters in marriage to foreigners or take the
daughters of foreigners for their sons.
 They promised not to sell and buy on the Sabbath.
 They promised to give 1/3 of a shekel every year for the service.
 The priests, Levites and people promise to cast lots to determine which family will
bring a contribution of wood to the altar of God every year.
 They also promise to bring the firstfruits of their crops to the house of God every year.
 They promised to bring the firstborn of their sons, cattle, herds, and flocks to the house
of God to the priests ministering there.
 They promised to bring the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit
of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil to the priests.
 They promised to bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites who collect the tithes in all
the towns where we work.
 The Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the
storerooms of the treasury (v. 30-39).

Nehemiah 11

How did the people determine who will settle in Jerusalem?

The people cast lots to bring 1 out of every `0 to live in Jerusalem. The remaining 9 are to stay in
their own towns (v. 1).
Nehemiah 12

What did Nehemiah do to give thanks to God during the dedication of the wall of
Jerusalem?

Nehemiah assigned 2 large choirs to give thanks to God. The first group is to proceed on top the
wall to the right, towards the Dung Gate. The second choir is to proceed in the opposite direction
(v. 31-39).

Nehemiah 13

What did Nehemiah do when merchants spend the night outside Jerusalem even when the
gates is closed on the Sabbath?

Nehemiah warned the merchants that he will arrest them if they continue to linger outside the
gate on the evening before Sabbath or on the Sabbath (v. 20).