What is the context?
Nehemiah is in the citadel of Susa when Hanani and other men arrive from Judah. He asks about both the Jewish people who have survived the exile and the condition of Jerusalem.
The answer is troubling: the people are in distress and disgrace, the city wall is broken down and the gates have been burned. A return to the land has taken place, but important needs remain.
Nehemiah sits down and weeps. His grief continues for days and becomes fasting and prayer before the God of heaven. The book begins with attention to other people’s condition before it describes the work he will undertake.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Henry emphasizes that distance and a position at court have not removed Nehemiah’s concern for his people. Gill likewise reads the report as the distress of a vulnerable community. His mourning and prayer show that the inquiry is more than an interest in news.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.