Bible in one year 7/17/2022 Nehemiah Chapter 5-7 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 7/17/2022 Nehemiah Chapter 5-7

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce    

Christian Arts Ministries : Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

 

Chapter 5 Nehemiah urged the return of property held in pledge and the forgiveness of interest payments.

            It is uncertain whether the events of this chapter happened during the time the walls were being built (when normal means of gaining income would have been interrupted) or later (which v.7, the calling of a great assembly, and v.14 may indicate although v.16 seems to indicate otherwise). The landless were short of food (v.2); the landowners were forced to mortgage their land because of a famine (v.3); and borrowing was necessary to pay a property tax imposed by the Persians. On usury and slavery see notes on Ex.21:1-6;22:25-27;Lev.25:35-46;Deut.24:10-13. Nehemiah himself had bought back Jews sold into slavery to heathens. Nehemiah urged the return of property held in pledge and the forgiveness of interest payments, so that those in debt could begin to pay off the principal. the hundredth part of the money. Interest at the rate of 1 percent per month or 12 percent per year. (vv.10-11). During the entire twelve years of his first term as governor, Nehemiah did not take any salary or allowance from the people as former Persian governors had done.(v.14).

Chapter 6 the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul in fifty two days.

 Because progress on the wall had lessened the danger of attach, Nehemiah’s enemies tried to lure him to the plain of Ono, nineteen miles N. of Jerusalem, where they could more easily assassinate him or attack Jerusalem in his absence. Having failed to draw Nehemiah outside Jerusalem, Sanballat sent an unsealed letter, which was either posted or read publicly, accusing Nehemiah of wanting to be king. (v.5-6). Perhaps Malachi was prophesying at this time, and Sanballat deliberately twisted his message about Messiah the King and applied it to Nehemiah. (v.7). Shemaiah claimed to have a special revelation about a plot against Nehemiah's life and suggested that the Holy Place in the Temple would be the only safe place for Nehemiah. But the suggestion unmasked Shemaiah’s treachery, for only the priests could enter the Holy Place (Num.18:7). If Nehemiah had done so, his testimony would have been ruined.(vv.10-14).

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.(vv.15-16).  To finish in fifty-two days was a tremendous accomplishment, and one that was recognized as due to the power of God(v.16) Elul was August-Sept.  

Chapter 7 The register of the people

            Verses 4 to 73 this record probably stored in the Temple archives, is virtually the same as in Ezra 2 and was likely the basis for Nehemiah’s populating Jerusalem with those of pure ancestry(11:1).The whole company numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had 245 men and women singers. There were 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys. Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 drachmas of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 drachmas of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests. The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(vv.66-73).

Bibliography,

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986