Nehemiah 2 explained: Permission to Rebuild Jerusalem's Walls

A risky sad face (vv. 1-3)

Nehemiah served the king his wine, a trusted post, and looking gloomy in front of a Persian king could be taken as an insult or a sign of disloyalty. This was spring, around 445 BC, some four months after he first heard about Jerusalem's ruin in the previous chapter.

A quick prayer, a bold request (vv. 4-8)

Nehemiah breathes a silent prayer before answering, then asks for leave to go, letters guaranteeing safe passage through the region west of the Euphrates River, and timber from a royal forest. He credits the king's yes to God's kindness toward him.

Opponents take notice (vv. 9-10)

Sanballat was a regional official, known from other ancient records as governor of Samaria to the north. Tobiah is called an Ammonite official, though scholars are unsure what post he held or where, and both men saw a stronger Jerusalem as a threat to their influence.

A secret night inspection (vv. 11-16)

Nehemiah quietly rides around the broken walls at night, at one point unable to pass for the rubble, before telling anyone his plan. Scholars are not certain exactly where some of the named gates and pools stood.

Call to build, and mockery (vv. 17-20)

Nehemiah tells the leaders that the ruined walls are a public shame and shares the king's backing, and they agree to start. When Sanballat, Tobiah and an Arab leader named Geshem sneer and hint at rebellion, he answers that God will give success and that they have no stake or rightful claim in Jerusalem.

Key verse: Nehemiah 2:18

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether this chapter is mainly a model of wise leadership to imitate or mainly a story of God quietly working through a foreign king, with Nehemiah's methods not meant as a pattern for others.

Something to think about

When something you care about is broken, what makes the difference between quietly grieving it and taking the risk of asking for help?