MSB Book Notes: 

Nehemiah, the cup bearer, is only mentioned in this book.  In the LXX and the Latin Vulgate, this book is called Second Ezra, though it recounts selected events of Nehemiah's leadership.

It is nearly unanimous that this book was written by Ezra about Nehemiah.  Externally, because they are one book in the oldest manuscripts, and internally because of several phrases common to both books, and because the author of both books had ready access to the archives of the Persian government.  This was rare, and for two consecutive, but different authors to have this access is a bit of a stretch.  Chapter one starts in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (446 BC), which is after Ezra's book ended.  Esther was Artaxerxes stepmother, and so in a position to influence him...possibly.  Daniel's 70 weeks start with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem issued by Artaxerxes in 445 BC. 

2022 - Any possibility that the 70th begins when the decree to build a temple in Jerusalem occurs in the future?  I mean...isn't it about the last seven years?  How did that start in 445 BC?

2024 - It is the beginning of the 70 weeks, not the beginning of the 70th.  The 70th begins when the age of the Gentiles ends.  I misunderstood what it said.

Note that all of chapters 1-12 cover about one year, chronologically.  Then there are 20 years of unrecorded history, and then we have chapter 13.  Nehemiah was governor two different, unconnected times.  The first was 445-33 BC, the second is approximate, beginning possibly in 424 BC, and ending by 410 BC.

Chapter 1

Nehemiah is in Susa, the citadel (also called Shushan?  YES) when his brother (don't know if he means blood kin or just a person he knows well) comes from Jerusalem.  The brother reports that things are in a bad way for the exiles in Jerusalem as they have no walls and the gate has been burned.  (I note that though written by Ezra, this is written in first person, as if Nehemiah were writing.)  Nehemiah prays a heartfelt prayer.  He addresses God as the highest.  He asks to be heard.  He says he is praying for Israel.  He confesses his sins and the sins of Israel.  He reminds God of His words in the Mosaic Covenant.  He acknowledges that God has brought them home from exile in Babylon, and then he prays for success in his plans that day involving "this man".  Then he tells us he is cupbearer to the king.  (The covenant promises are not from a single place.  Nehemiah knows of promises from various places in the Book of Deuteronomy, for the most part, and he strings those together.  This is a good reason to read the whole Bible.  Sometimes, the whole picture is like a puzzle in various places, and only "learnable" if you find the pieces.)

2024 - We might also pattern our own petitions for intervention by God after this prayer of Nehemiah.  Most of Chapter 1 is his prayer.  Note that he begins with fasting.  Fasting to "afflict himself before God", not to lower his hbA1C.  He addresses God, and praises the greatness of God, and his attributes.  He requests God's attention to his prayer, asking for both eyes and ears to be turned toward him.  He confesses sin, both the sin of those in Jerusalem on whose behalf he is praying, and his own sin.  He goes into more than a little detail, in a sense acknowledging and accepting responsibility for the actions that God has taken that resulted in the present distress.  God did it, because they earned it.  Then he reminds God of his promise to gather them back if they repent.  It is specifically about Israel, and they are specifically gather to the Promised Land.  This is not a promise for Gentiles.  And last of all, Nehemiah asks for a specific thing - the point of the whole prayer - and that is for success before "this man".  That's a pretty good model for a prayer of petition to God.

Chapter 2
This chapter starts in the month Nisan.  Chapter one started in Chislev.  Here are the Jewish months, as found in a Google Search:
Tishri (Sept/Oct)  7th(?) month, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tivet, Shevat, Adar confirmed as 12th month, Nisan 1st month in March/April, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul.  Jewish months always begin with a new moon.  The calendar is based on the lunar cycle, which is 29.5 days long.  Therefore, Jewish months have either 29 or 30 days each.  To make the 360 day lunar year of 12 months sync with leap year, and to make sure the months fall at the correct season, there are seven "leap months" in each 19 year cycle.  This makes up for the 11 day difference between a solar year and a 12 month lunar year of 360 days work out.  The month of Shevat usually, almost always begins in either January or February - depending on the new moon.  Sometimes there are two months of Adar on the calendar, one of 30 days, and 2nd Adar would have 29.  There are many more rules.  A good explanation of all of it is here:    https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/months-of-the-jewish-year/

So, with all that, this chapter begins four months after the last chapter.  Nehemiah has a sad face before the king (on purpose or sincerely I cannot tell), and the king asks about it.  The king asks Nehemiah what he requests.  Here is an example of the "flare prayer".  This verse:
4 Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." [Neh 2:4-5 ESV]  There's the question, the prayer, and the answer to the question - all in one smooth moment.  This is a good FB post.

Nehemiah says it is hard to be happy when the place of his fathers' graves lies in ruins.  Nehemiah's request is to return to Judah, to Jerusalem.  He asks for letters to the governors (plural) of "the Province Beyond the River" (singular), for safe passage, and he asks a letter to the keeper of the king's forest for timber to repair the walls and the house he will live in.  The King, with the Queen also right there, asks how long he will be gone.  This seems to indicate that the King and Nehemiah were friendly, that the King wanted his friend to come back.  Once Nehemiah sets the time he will be gone, all he requested is granted.

Nehemiah arrives in tPBtR, and presents his letters.  Sanballat the  Horonite (presumably the governor) and Tobiah his servant, very much disapprove of help being sent to the Jews.  In the MSB intro, it says this Sanballat and another mentioned in this book are also mentioned in the "Elaphantine papyrii (Egyptian documents), saying that Sanballat was governor of Samaria at this time.  
2023 - I note this year, and for the first time, that Tobiah is the Ammonite servant of Sanballat.  In my head, Tobiah was also an official in the Province Beyond the River.  Not so.  He had the ear of the governor, but was a servant.
Nehemiah goes out by night, unknown to the officials of the city, and he does a thorough inspection of the walls, and assesses what repairs are needed.  He's told no one at this time that he is there to repair the walls.  
Then Nehemiah persuades those living in Jerusalem to begin repairing the wall.  Sanballat and others jeer at them, and then accuse them of rebelling against the King.  Nehemiah tells them God is with them.  (Had they not read the letter to the keeper of the king's forests?)

Chapter 3
There is a high priest, Eliashib.  (It occurred to me that even though Israel has had no king since Zedekiah, the office of high priest continued until Jesus' time and after.  At least until 70 AD, and then that too was gone.  A good study would be to see what covenant included a king on the throne of David, vs the promise that said a Levite would continually be present.  They have to be different covenants.)
All of this chapter is a recounting of exactly who repaired what.  There were teams, and each team repaired a gate and/or a length of the wall.  All worked, independently and together, to provide the walls and gates for Jerusalem to defend itself at least a little.  Before this, you couldn't have kept a cow out of the city.
2020- It occurs to me that this chapter is a survey of each section of the wall of Jerusalem at the time, along with many details of what was located within the walls at various points.  This would be a great guide to archeologists in identifying just where and when things are.  I wonder if the walls were pulled down in 70 AD or just the temple?

Chapter 4
The first three verses are the criticisms of Sanballat and Tobiah.  Tobiah says a fox could break down these new walls.  Nehemiah prays for bad things to happen to them.  He prays that God will not overlook their taunts.  I've seen this kind of prayer before.  It has always "scared me" to pray for the harm of others.  
2021 - Here is verse 4:
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. [Neh 4:4-5 ESV].  Nehemiah is praying for God to be God where the opposition is concerned.  Nehemiah does not take it upon himself to retaliate against these insults and demeaning of the Jews.  But he certainly asks God to take care of it.  He asks that God NOT forgive them for what they're doing, to chastise/punish them for belittling the power of the God of Israel.  And they are influencing others to also belittle God.  Nehemiah thinks now would be a good time for God to correct them, and he prays for God to do so.  On those days when it seems like the whole country is spinning out of control, the days when it seems like the bad guys, the godless, the irreverent are winning on every side, we can pray this prayer of Nehemiah's, and ask God to hold back his forgiveness and mercy toward His enemies, and show his displeasure with the actions of those who disdain Him.
Possible FB post.

vs 6 says they completed the wall to half its original height, all working together.  
This provokes Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, and other neighbors to join together and threaten to attack Jerusalem.  They are apparently near enough to inhibit the work, and to frighten those working on the wall.  Nehemiah sets up guards.  Jews from nearby come and help with the defense of the city.  Nehemiah urges the builders to continue their work.
2021 - This verse:
9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. [Neh 4:9 ESV]  A good principle to remember when we are fearful of events.  Pray for safety, pray for God's protection, and then lock the doors and leave a light on.  Pretty sure these guarding the walls would have had weapons too.  Sometimes God says "Stand back and watch how I take care of you", sometimes he says "Pray, and set a guard on the wall".  
Possible FB post together with the one where God had the opposing armies kill each other.  In both cases, prayer came first, then mobilization.

Half of those present worked on the wall, the other half stood guard over them.  They stayed dressed 24/7 in case they had to fight, night or day.  The workers worked with swords on.  It must have been a truly tense time.
2021 -
14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." ... 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." [Neh 4:14, 19-20 ESV]  Nehemiah is talking about tactics here.  The strategy was to keep half his men available to fight immediately, and the other half armed at all times.  But tactically, he recognized that he could be attacked from anywhere, and devises a "rallying cry" to quickly concentrate the defense against any point of attack.  He prayed for God's help, but he also does his part.  Like the priest on Poseidon Adventure.  And look at how his instructions end!  Rally to the trumpet, and God will fight for us.  His prayer for God's help, and his dependence on God for help, are intertwined and inseparable from his own preparations.  This isn't an either/or situation.  The strategy is about prayer and preparation.  The outcome is up to God.
Possible FB post, 3 of 3?

Chapter 5
Some begin to complain.  While working on the wall, the workers had to abandon their fields.  So there was no grain harvested, they were hungry.  Also, with no crops, they couldn't pay the kings tax on their land and were having to sell their children into slavery or otherwise borrow from wealthy Jews to pay the tax.  With no income, they could not hope to redeem their children.  And, they were worn out from the labor on the wall.  Their complaints had merit, but they were looking at their own abilities, not on God's.
Nehemiah gathers the abusers together and rebukes them.  They are convicted, and agree to give back what they have "stolen" from their own people, and to stop charging interest.
2021 -
11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them." [Neh 5:11 ESV]  What principle are we to learn from this?  Perhaps that the labor of the poor should not be exploited to enrich the wealthy?  There are always more poor than wealthy.  When there's work to be done, the majority of the workers will be the poor.  If their labor is protecting you, then you need to cut them as much slack as possible, not seize the opportunity to appropriate what little they have to support themselves by charging high interest - indeed any interest!  Would that work today?  Military personnel get interest free government loans to support their families - to retain their homes and so on?  How else could this be applied?  Eviction moratoriums during covid when the whole country is trying to protect each other?

While Nehemiah is governor, he forgoes what Persian law allows him as a privilege of his position.  He can demand that the people feed him by taking a tax to cover the cost of it.  But he does not do so, because the tax is heavy.  He eats with money from his own pocket.  And he feeds 150 more from his own pocket, every day.

He prays this prayer:
19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. [Neh 5:19 ESV]
He asks for credit from God for his works.  Or the writer of the book says that Nehemiah prayed this prayer.  Could have been taken from Nehemiah's diary.  Presumably, this too is an acceptable prayer.  

So we can pray God will punish our enemies, and we can pray that God will give us credit for what we do in His name.

2021 - This book is truly a guide for the proper way for public servants to behave while they are in office.  What a contrast to the government we have in this country now.

Chapter 6
Sanballat and his cronies hatch a plan, a trap really, when they learn that all breaches in the walls of Jerusalem have been repaired.  Some of the gates are still missing, but the walls are repaired.  So they invite Nehemiah to come to a place or their choosing for a meeting.  He has sense enough not to go.  He replies that he is too busy working on the walls.  They send invitations to him four times.  Then Sanballat sends a fifth invitation.  

In this last invitation, Sanballat says he's heard - it has been reported - that the Jews are repairing the walls so they can rebel against Persia, and accusing Nehemiah of wanting to be the King of Judah, and of having "prophets" proclaim a new king in Jerusalem.  Nehemiah denies all these claims, perceiving that the point of the "open letter" is to make those working afraid of reprisals from the governor, or worse from the king of Persia, to the end that they stop their work.  Nehemiah - who is afraid also I am sure - prays for God to strengthen his hand.  I pray the same, for the work God would have me do while I am still able.

A prophet named Shemiah, a friend of Nehemiah (or the son of a friend maybe?) is confined to his home and Nehemiah goes to see him.  This Shemiah "prophesies" that Sanballat has sent people to kill Nehemiah in the night, and that Nehemiah should hide himself in the temple (MSB says in the Holy Place), so that they cannot kill him.  Nehemiah recognizes this too as a plot - a false prophecy, bought with money by Sanballat.  The problem is that Nehemiah was not a priest, and if he did enter the Holy Place, he would be profaning the temple.  This would bring his dedication to God before himself into question, bring his bravery into question, and so on.  While he would still be alive, he would be so discredited as to lose his ability to lead the people of Jerusalem.  This was a very nasty and devious twist of tactics by Nehemiah's enemies.  But Nehemiah sees through it.  He prays that God would "remember" these who have hatched this plan, and those who assisted with it, some of whom were Jews living in Jerusalem.  I'm certain that God did remember them, and made a special place for them.

Then this verse:
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. [Neh 6:15 ESV]  Only 52 days have passed since this all started.  There must have been many working on it, and working hard!  The enemies all around recognize that this is an almost miraculous thing, and that God is surely helping with it, and so they "fall in their own esteem".  We learn that many in Jerusalem are bound by an oath to Tobiah, and that Tobiah receives regular reports of the work and goings on in Jerusalem from these men, and they receive letters - instructions no doubt - in return.  

Chapter 7
Once the wall is finished and the gates in place, Nehemiah appoints men to various positions.  There will be singers.  But there will also be guards at all the gates.  The gates are to be closed until the sun is hot.  And they are to be closed back before the guards leave the walls.  At night, there are appointed guards, some on the walls and at the gates, some at their own houses.  This is because the city inside the walls is large, but the residents of the city are few.  There are very few habitable houses in the city.  So probably most of the workers went home when the gates were set.

Nehemiah decides to do a census.  He finds the accounting of all those who came back from Babylon at the first - those who came with Zerubbabel and Joshua.  It also says they came with Mordecai.  Was it the same Mordecai that is in Esther?  They are listed by family - not by individual name.  We learn that 42,360 people came back in this first return.  

This verse caught my eye:  The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
Nehemiah 7:65 ESV
Certain people claiming to be Levites but unable to prove it were excluded until their claims could be proven or disproven with Urim and Thummin.  Maybe something like that is how the 10 Northern Tribes will be identified in Trib/Great Trib.

Chapter 8
Timeline is a little unclear to me, but MSB seems to indicate that the census was taken at some point after completing the wall, and then shortly after that, the Feast of Booths arrives, and the people gather in the city for that.  MSB says the Feast came early that year, at the beginning of the seventh month, rather than in the middle.  They ask Ezra (his first mention in this book) to read the Book of the Law of Moses to them.  He brings out the scroll, and, flanked by many men, including Zechariah (the prophet?  Possible, since he lived during this same time), reads from early in the day until mid-day.  

2023 - This verse:  2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. [Neh 8:2 ESV].  Note the phrase "all who could understand what they heard".  Is this another oblique reference to an age of accountability?  They weren't held responsible for doing the Law until they were mentally able to understand what it said?  

2021-This verse is perhaps the reason so many preachers ask the congregation to stand for the reading of the word:
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. [Neh 8:5 ESV]

All the people bow, with their faces to the ground, when Ezra blesses the Lord, the great God.
Several men are named who also helped the people understand what the reading meant. To clarify.  They had been in Babylon 70 years, and none of the laws had really been practiced, or at least most had been forgotten. So these were present that the people could not only hear the word, but understand the meaning, and apply the laws to their lives.
The people are grieved and mourn because they have not known nor followed this law.  Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites tell them this is a time of joy and feasting, and they shouldn't grieve.  They are told to celebrate, and to share their food with those who have none.
As they study further, they see that they are to dwell in booths during this feast. They gather sticks and such to build the booths, and they build them on their roofs and in their courtyards and various other places.  It is the first time since Joshua the son of Nun that they have done this.  Each seven years, it was required to read the Book of the Law, though it had not been done while in Babylon.  So they read the law daily, and they dwell in booths, and there is a sort of "revival" among the people.

2025 - Here is another interesting verse:
7 Also...the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. [Neh 8:7-8 ESV].
There must always be teachers.  It is not enough just to read, we need to understand the sense, the implication, the purpose of the Law.  And this encourages us to seek out teachers, reference books, and active open discussion with others so that we appreciate the full import of the Word.  

Chapter 9
Starts on the 24th of Tishri, just a week or so after 8, and the people are wearing sackcloth and have earth on their heads.  Those of Israel separate themselves from foreigners and confess their sins and the sins of their fathers.  They read the book, they worship, and then the Levites lead them in further worship.  The revival is ongoing.    
The Levites begin a recitation of the history of the nation, beginning with Abram, from Ur of the Chaldees up until their present time.  This history comprises most of chapter 9.  
The nation is repentant before God, recounting several big rebellions and noting that there were repeated rebellions and chastisements, repentance, and repatriations, but that each repentance has been followed by further rebellion.  Even from the Assyrians until this time.  This verse, summarizing at the end of the prayer of the Levites:
35 Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. 36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. [Neh 9:35-36 ESV]
They have been brought back yet again, but even here in the land God gave Abraham, they are slaves.  Still under chastisement.  So they sign a sealed document, containing a firm covenant - the commitment of the princes, the Levites, and the priests, to follow God's law.  They are repentant.  Repentance is required for forgiveness, for restored blessings.  God's punishments are always just.  With Israel, punishment had been declared by God - His wrath unleashed - and He said over and over in Jeremiah that He would not relent, would not forego.  There will be no parole.  They were going to have to serve out their entire sentence this time.  The whole history recounted in 9 shows that God had forgiven the nation countless times, restored them, had set aside the rest of the chastisement, basically paroled them, and they repeatedly, consistenly rebelled again, every single time.  This is why they were given double punishment this time.  And certainly by the time Jesus arrives, they have returned to their rebellious ways.
I think it is important that from the return from Babylon, there was never again a King of Israel.  The office of High Priest remained until 70 AD, but there was no King.  They were not technically a nation during the time between the return and 70 AD.  Though they are on the map today as a nation, no son of David sits on the throne of Israel.  They are still set aside.  They are only marking time.  The only Jews now preserved are those that are part of the New Covenant in the church.  
But their time will come.  In the Millennial, they will have both King and Priest again.

Chapter 10
The names of those who sealed their commitment are listed at the start of this chapter.
Vs 28 through the end of the chapter summarize the extent of their commitment.  They are going to do all that is in the law of Moses.  Obey the commandments.  They will not intermarry in any way with the peoples around them.  They will not do business on the Sabbath, not only will they not sell, but they will not buy from those who do.  Every seventh year the land will rest, and debts will be forgiven.
Taxes are discussed beginning in vs 32, as are their commitment to give the offerings - the firstfruit offerings - and to support the Levites and priests with those offerings throughout the land.

2025 - The "taxation" verse:
32 "We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: [Neh 10:32 ESV].  All economic classes taxed the same amount.  No progressive taxation, no penalizing the millionaires.  I think this works just fine so long as there are enough people being taxed to cover the expenses, at an amount small enough to be paid without hardship by all.  No one should have to forego basic necessities in order to pay their taxes.  Taxes should not be a burden on the poor.  But this verse says they should not be exempt from taxes because they are poor.  All that does in encourage people to be poor.

These people are making a firm commitment - much as they did at Sinai - to be God's people. Their commitment is to hold up their end of that Sinai Covenant as individuals, and as a nation.  If they maintain this, then God will be their God, and will keep His promises also.  We know from history that they wandered off again, got distracted, and began again to do things in their rebellious, ungrateful, arrogant way.  Just like we do, all day every day.  For these, the cycle will end in 70 AD, with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the killing of their own deliverer.  The double punishment will be fulfilled, and from that time to this, no high priest, no sacrifices, no people.

Chapter 11
The leaders of the returned nation live in Jerusalem.  The rest of the returned cast lots and one of every ten moves into the city.  Apparently they needed more people in order to defend the city, the walls, the temple.  They blessed those who willingly lived in the city - in harms way I suppose.

Those who live in Jerusalem are listed, along with their responsibilities to the city.  There is a head count.  The city was woefully under-populated.  There is also a list of the other towns and cities where returning exiles settled.  They are back, but they are certainly no longer like the sand of the seashore.  As a people, this chapter shows the devastation done to them by Babylon, as it executed God's punishment on them  They are a shadow of what they once were.

Chapter 12
This chapter goes backward (as MSB told us it would at the beginning) and lists those who came from Babylon with Zerubbabel in the first wave of returning exiles.  

Some of the background of the celebration they had when the walls were restored is given here.  There were several groups, including one led by Ezra and another by Nehemiah, that walked along the walls and they played music and sang and gave thanks as they went.  As I read it, all the groups converged at the temple.  It's like they went and prayed over the wall, as some will pray over a new building on church property.  They sang loudly, because it says "And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away."

The people were happy and attentive to support the Levites and the sons of Aaron, to make sure they had the "tithes" that were for their support as required by Moses and the order of the King.  It is necessary to take care of those who lead us in worship.  

Chapter 13
This chapter continues the "flashback", opening with the reading of the Book of Moses.  They figured out that they were not to intermarry with Ammon and Moab, because these are the ones who hired Balaam to curse Israel.  Once they realized it, they "undid" the damage.  
Vs 4 starts with "Now before this..."  Seems to mean before the celebration of the completion of the walls.  It talks about Eliashib making room in the temple for Tobiah. (MSB note refers us back to Neh 2:10.  Tobiah was an Ammonite.  Eliashib made it possible for an Ammonite merchant to live in the temple of God.  Surely there was room in Jerusalem for him to have a regular house!)  

Then vs 6 makes it look like this incident with Eliashib and Tobiah happened much later, while Nehemiah was back in Persia, as he had promised the King.  So I can't really decipher the chronology.  Almost has to be later.  Because Nehemiah says that he returned from Persia yet again, and when he got to Jerusalem, he discovered what Eliashib had done.  

Yes, we seem to be seeing the condition of things in 32 of Artaxerxes, as Nehemiah returned the second time.  Vs 10 says that the people had stopped supporting the Levites, so that these Levites had to go "home" and farm their own land to survive.  The singing and caring for the temple had been abandoned by the people.  Nehemiah remedies this, after chastising those who were "leading" the people.  Nehemiah also puts "better" people in charge of storage and distribution of the tithes that support the Levites.

2023 - This in vs 11:  11 So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. [Neh 13:11 ESV].  Things had gotten very slack in Jerusalem since Nehemiah went back to Persia.  He is angered upon his return that the people are behaving just like they did before the Babylonian captivity, doing the exactly the things that had angered God so much he gave them over to Babylon.  It seems that without a strong leader, an almost taskmaster to keep them doing as they ought to do, Israel quickly, predictably, constantly abandons their God and begins to worship whatever other god might be available.  I think this can all be traced back to them not knowing what they ought to do.  They have the scroll of Moses, but they don't read it.  How can they do as they should if they don't know what that is?  This is the case with so many Christians today who have Bibles that gather dust.  I too was one of these, and I am sure there was much more sin in my life because of my neglect of the word.  And sin has consequences, so surely there were more problems in my life and in my family because of my neglect.  But I found that it is never too late to start reading the Bible.  There are dozens if not hundreds of reading plans available.  You don't have to read it in a year if you don't have that kind of time and many do not.  Read it in two years - here is a GREAT plan to do that: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/two-year-bible-reading-plan/.  Or read it in five years if that's what it takes!  Yep, it's out there:  https://www.elimcarlisle.org/reading-plan-bible-in-5-years/.  Here's another thing.  There are no "Bible reading police" out there to make you wait until January 1 to start this, and you do not get a ticket if you miss a day and have to catch up the next day!  Life happens, but it won't keep you from reading your Bible...it just modifies your schedule sometimes!  Start today, and just keep going!  This passage in Nehemiah shows how quickly, how inevitably Israel falls into sin and idolatry when they don't "read their Bible".  We ought not be so arrogant as to say the same won't happen to us.  
Possible FB post for...way out there.

And for a second time, he prays that God will remember him for his deeds, for his part in setting this all up.  Perhaps this prayer is here to inform us all that it is our responsibility to pay the tithes, because they support the constant worship of God, rather than just the Sunday worship of God?  And it may be letting us know that God will bless those who support ongoing worship by giving not just the tithe, but going beyond the minimum.

vs 15 says the people were also profaning the Sabbath by working, by buying and selling from the Tyrians, and so on.  This verse:
18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath." [Neh 13:18 ESV]

Nehemiah sees the pattern repeating.  So at least one man recognized that they were making the same old mistakes again, and reminds them of what the consequences were the first time!  They knew.  They kept on.  At this point, I believe it had to be this way because God's wrath required double punishment.  I believe they were already spiraling down to the attitudes that would lead to the crucifixion, the rejection of their own Messiah, and to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  So many were killed at that time because the sin was so great, and because God's purpose was to reduce Israel to a remnant.

Nehemiah, as governor, requires that the city gates be locked as the Sabbath starts, and stay locked until after, and he orders the merchants to stop coming that day.  So...he makes the people plan ONE DAY AHEAD, so that they have no need to buy or sell on the Sabbath.  How hard is that, really?  And then again, Nehemiah prays that God will remember his efforts in regard to keeping the Sabbath.  So the prayers are:
1.  Neh 5:19, As Governor, he did not tax the people for his own support, but instead, gave of his own to support many.
2.  Neh 13:14, His effort to restore the support of the Levites who kept the house of God, and continually worshiped.
3.  Neh 13: 22b, His efforts to honor the Sabbath by prohibiting buying and selling on that day.  
These may not be the only three, but they are the only ones I remember today.  This would be an excellent, though long, FB post for how politicians ought to behave!  Would need to re-read the book, and make sure I haven't missed any prayers.  Just because there are "three", which seems just right, doesn't mean that's all their are!  (Nope, that's not all.  Last sentence of last verse of the book:  "Remember me, O my God, for good.)

Nehemiah also finds the people intermarrying with women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.  Yet again.  It hadn't been that long since they'd "undone" this mistake.  But it's worse - vs 24 says half the children of these marriages didn't even speak Hebrew, but only the language of their mothers.  This seems to have angered Nehemiah most of all.  This is a bit long, but his anger about this should be taken seriously:
25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. [Neh 13:25-26 ESV]
He beats some because of this.  He reminds them of the "why".  He makes them swear to stop doing this.  Even the wisest of the wise, King Solomon, was undermined by the worship of his wives.  So will we be.

This was about keeping Israel pure as a race.  This was not about racism.  These races were not inferior, they were pagan!  It was about their gods, not about their race or nationality.  Those who turn these verses into racism are in error.  Further, this was about preserving Israel - whom Satan has tried repeatedly to annihilate, and he will keep doing so right into the end times when he pursues the woman with the child.  He knows that his time will end when the covenant is fulfilled, and has tried from the beginning to preclude that fulfilling.  This is not about white people, black people, and Asian people being "pure races".  Not even close.
2023 - But you need the context of the whole story of Israel, not just this one verse, to understand what it really means.