Book of Nehemiah ESV

Summary

Summary of the Book of Nehemiah

This summary of the book of Nehemiah provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Nehemiah.

Outline

  • Nehemiah's First Administration (chs. 1-12)
    • Nehemiah's Response to the Situation in Jerusalem (ch. 1)
      1. News of the plight of Jerusalem (1:1-4)
      2. Nehemiah's prayer (1:5-11)
    • Nehemiah's Journey to Jerusalem (2:1-10)
      1. The king's permission (2:1-8)
      2. The journey itself (2:9-10)
    • Nehemiah's First Actions upon Arrival (2:11-20)
      1. His nocturnal inspection of the walls (2:11-16)
      2. His exhortation to rebuild (2:17-18)
      3. His response to opposition (2:19-20)
    • List of the Builders of the Wall (ch. 3)
      1. The northern section (3:1-7)
      2. The western section (3:8-13)
      3. The southern section (3:14)
      4. The eastern section (3:15-32)
    • Opposition to Rebuilding the Wall (ch. 4)
      1. The derision of Sanballat and Tobiah (4:1-5)
      2. The threat of attack (4:6-15)
      3. Rebuilding the wall (4:16-23)
    • Social and Economic Problems (ch. 5)
      1. The complaints of the poor (5:1-5)
      2. The cancellation of debts (5:6-13)
      3. Nehemiah's unselfish example (5:14-19)
    • The Wall Rebuilt Despite Opposition (ch. 6)
      1. Attempts to snare Nehemiah (6:1-9)
      2. The hiring of false prophets (6:10-14)
      3. The completion of the wall (6:15-19)
    • List of Exiles (7:1-73a)
      1. Provisions for the protection of Jerusalem (7:1-3)
      2. Nehemiah's discovery of the list of returnees (7:4-5)
      3. The returnees delineated (7:6-72)
      4. Settlement of the exiles (7:73a)
    • Ezra's Preaching and the Outbreak of Revival (7:73b;10:39)
      1. The public exposition of the Scriptures (7:73b;8:12)
      2. The Feast of Tabernacles (8:13-18)
      3. A day of fasting, confession and prayer (9:1-5a)
      4. A recital of God's dealings with Israel (9:5b-31)
      5. Confession of sins (9:32-37)
      6. A binding agreement (9:38)
      7. A list of those who sealed it (10:1-29)
      8. Provisions of the agreement (10:30-39)
    • New Residents of Judah and Jerusalem (ch. 11)
      1. New residents for Jerusalem (11:1-24)
        1. Introductory remarks (11:1-4a)
        2. Residents from Judah (11:4b-6)
        3. From Benjamin (11:7-9)
        4. From the priests (11:10-14)
        5. From the Levites (11:15-18)
        6. From the temple staff (11:19-24)
      2. New residents for Judah (11:25-36)
        1. Places settled by those from Judah (11:25-30)
        2. Places settled by those from Benjamin (11:31-35)
        3. Transfer of Levites from Judah to Benjamin (11:36)
    • Lists of Priests and the Dedication of the Wall (ch. 12)
      1. Priests and Levites from the first return (12:1-9)
      2. High priests and Levites since Joiakim (12:10-26)
      3. Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (12:27-43)
      4. Regulation of the temple offerings and services (12:44-47)
  • Nehemiah's Second Administration (ch. 13)

From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, Nehemiah
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.