Ok kislev is November, and notice it says the 20th year of the king? So that the Mikdash would have been completed in his 6th year (Ezra 6), and Ezra would have led the return in his 7th year. Written by the worlds foremost biblical scholars and archaeologists, each chapter has been updated and expanded to incorporate more than a decades worth of outstanding new discoveries and fresh scholarly perspectives. Chapter 13 says Nehemiah 13:6 6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. [] hidden behind weed-like wildflowers that grew out of cracks in the wall. They completed the wall in a mere 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). 4. I do not see a reference to Yom Kippur in these verses. Daniyel 9:25 says that the first seven shavuim begin min motsa davar in Daniyels own lifetime, whenever his supplications began (naturally, when the Temple was destroyed). But afterwards, in applying the prophecy to Theudas, and Judas of Galilee, and at length to Bar Cochab, they seem to have shortened the reign of the Kingdom of Persia. (Chron. Once the defenses had been rebuilt by Antipater, the seven weeks and sixty-two weeks and one week (totaling seventy weeks) could begin, and that is exactly what happened. Once there, Nehemiah defied the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sidesSamaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistinesand rebuilt the walls within 52 days, from the Sheep Gate in the North, the Hananeel Tower at the North West corner, the Fish Gate in the West, the Furnaces Tower at the Temple Mount's South West This divine anger ended in the 2nd year of Darius. Few people are familiar with the Biblical figure Nehemiah, and yet he was instrumental in the rebuilding and reestablishment of Jerusalem in the fifth century B.C. The prince (lowercase p) is not Jesus Christ. Verse 25 states the following: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah.. 7You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, There is a king in Judah! And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Will they restore things? I am not a scholar or a biblical archaeologist, just someone who has viewed Nehemiahs role and strategies as a model of best practise in leadership and how to empower a community/ people. According to a story, Nehemiah, a high official in the Persian court of King Artaxerxes I at the capital city of Susa, was very troubled that there was no wall to protect his beloved city of Jerusalem, its walls and gates. By hand. The following text is the first portion of the Nehemiah Memoir (1:17:4) from the New Revised Standard Version. Based on Ezra 6:14 this was none other than Darius son of Hystaspes. And the plot thickens 14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. Along comes Bible History Daily, rents the picture, crops it to show just the face and upper portion of the body. It made the city smaller than the original boundaries. He also urged them to set up guards to defend against the constant threat of those who opposed their efforts, including the armies of Samaria, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. Thus, if our anonymous artist had any intention, it would have been much more likely that this statue is his rendition of Lazarus rather than Nehemiah! Ezras genealogy would make him impossibly old in the 7th year of Artaxerxes I, as his father was killed when the Mikdash was destroyed. @ Willaim If you can make that translation fit history, more power to you. That decree restores Jerusalem to a messiah (anointed one)/political leader (in this case, the high priest and ethnarch Hyrcanus II), and indicates that the seventy weeks will be fulfilled AFTER the broad place and moat has been rebuilt, an event that happened between 44 BCE and 43 BCE, when Antipater, appointed by Rome to assist Hyrcanus govern the city of Jerusalem, is known to have rebuilt the wall and tower gate (with the broad place for assembling troops behind the tower) and restored the moat in front of the wall by clearing out the rubbish that had been used by Pompey in 63 BCE to fill in the moat so his Roman troops could use siege engines against the wall. As the Bible describes it, he was so driven to erect that barrier to protect the Jews from their enemies that he motivated a crew to work nonstop. May God bless your search for understanding. Neither can be made to match the biblical record. Key Notes: The wall was done in 52 days. 3. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Did the Ancient Israelites Think Children Were People. (who came up with Zerubabbel) Talmon and Akkub were porters who kept the gates during the time Nehemiah was in Jerusalem. Of course, no artist can claim knowledge of what any biblical character looked like. No machinery. So we have: 1. And the Old Testament book of Nehemiah records how Nehemiah completed that massive project in record time just 52 days. 9So I said, The thing that you are doing is not good. Nehemiah is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work in rebuilding Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.He was governor of Persian Judea under Artaxerxes I of Persia (465-424 BC). Ill stick with what the biblical text states, that the key time-location events are the decree of Caesar in 44 BCE and the building of the broad place and moat in 43 BCE. 4Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Nice talking to you. Only this time the Christian chronologists have removed the contextual necessity of association between the command given by YHWH and the 2nd year of Darius even- Artaxerxes. (Site from http://www.biblicalarchaelogy.org) []. 15The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. following the Babylonian exile. Nehemiah Prays for His People. It went from November in the 20th year in chapter 1 to April in the 20th year in chapter 2. It took Nehemiah 52 days to reinforce the gaps and rebuild the wall. . 7Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothitethe men of Gibeon and of Mizpahwho were under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province Beyond the River. It identified the time of the introduction of the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah that would be offered to Israel by John the Baptist, and it identified the anointed one, Jesus, who would confirm that new covenant during the Passion Week. This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in August 2012. The 70 weeks are thus seventy Feasts of Weeks and are divided into three divisions: 7 weeks from 42-36 BCE, 62 weeks from 35 BCE-27 CE, and the final week ending in 28 CE at the beginning of Jesus ministry. 2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. Nehemiah 3 is even more specific. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, What is this that you are doing? of Ancient Kingdoms Amended). None of the Persian-era decrees fit the text of Daniel 9. External attacks on the Church and some of the repair-workers. Daniel 9 is about Jesus. It was God's work and He protected His people and they completed the wall in 52 days. This company acts as an image bank/agency they own, or represent photographers (and artists, if recent), with regard to copyright. Now the king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me. Nehemiah 1:2-4 & 6:15-16. They went up on the wall by the stairs at the Fountain Gate and then marched in opposite directions around the city. He also made the other nobles and officials forgive all outstanding debts and ordered them to return all land and money that had been taken as taxes so the people would be able to feed themselves and their families. But thats not when he built the walls, its only when he inspected it for 3 days!! I would like to see more biblical dating using David Rohls new Chronology. I really like all of the points youve made. Of the three commands to rebuild the temple as mentioned in Ezra 6, clearly the command by YHWH through Haggai and Zechariah would be the one a Messianic Zealot or their followers would use to base their claim for the fulfillment of Daniel 9. Nehemiah gathered the people together to rebuild the walls. Trying to apply that prophecy to the Persian period is simply incorrect. And the Old Testament book of Nehemiah records how Nehemiah completed that massive project in record time just 52 days. Since Ezra and Nehemyah were together in Yerushalayim at some point (Ezra 8:9) it is unlikely to have been a different Artakhashast in each story. How difficult would that be to hold a weapon and build the wall? (Neh. 16And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Another of Nehemiahs accomplishments was to make a record and genealogy of all the nobles, officials and people who were then living in Judah. 6So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work. How long was the wall that Nehemiah rebuilt? Each new messiah or their followers claim fulfillment of the prophecy based on a 2nd year of a Persian Artaxerxes. The accounts are punctuated by prayers to God, such as Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people (Nehemiah 5:19). 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. 16Indeed, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 16After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired from a point opposite the graves of David, as far as the artificial pool and the house of the warriors. * Both men worked together to restore the city and rededicate its people to God. Its just out there, bigger than I can [], [] The night following the release of these articles, I just finished reading the story ofNehemiah. I would also like to address a comment regarding Yeshu, the Roman Fabrication. Yeshua being a Roman fabrication is as reasonable and historically accurate as those who say Israel is a British one. 1Then the high priest Eliashib set to work with his fellow-priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. Nehemiah served as the kings cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11), which evidently put him in a position to speak to the king. In this way the Persian era was eclipsed. Equip. Why did they have to build with one hand and have a weapon in the other hand? Not even Michelangelo and his David! A claim to an artists impression of Nehemiahs likeness is thus born. Ok so Ill show you something that ppl dont see and its on the 490 weeks of years prophecy Jeremiah wrote but Daniel was given the chronology on it. Nehemiah 2:20 'The God of heaven will give us success. 2. He organized them into two groups of singers. It also has nothing to do with feasts of weeks, nor does Daniel say anything at all about seventy weeks.. And Jerusalem is a symbol of the city of God, God's dwelling place and the center of life for the world. It would mean they would have to admit the redactions. 13I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thats not true if you hold to Chronicles and Kings you can see some major discrepencies. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Ezra and Nehemiah took place during the period of what?, What nation was in power during the events in Ezra and Nehemiah?, This persian king allowed the jews to return and rebuild the temple of Jersualem and more. 9Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. Joshua & Zerubbabel restarted construction but their enemies lodge a protest with Darius Hystaspes. Nothing symbolically or literally even comes close to this command by YHWH, a command which was witness by both Haggai and Zechariah. [Nehemiah 5:14 - Governor for 12 years before returning to the palace.] 2So the king said to me, Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? Interestingly, after the completion of the wall, the people gathered in the 7th month, dwelt in booths and read the law according to the Torah. Nehemiah's willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of others Although they simply repaired the pre-existing walls elsewhere in the city, the wall just above the steep Kidron Valley was too damaged and too difficult to mend. Nehemiah asked some friends about Jerusalem. I have read your theory and I do understand your position. 7We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. (Site from http://www.biblicalarchaelogy.org) [], [] Nehemiah was a high official in the Persian court of King Artaxerxes I at the capital city of Susa, which lay 150 miles east of the Tigris River in what is now modern Iran. Chapter 4 So let's pick up the story in Nehemiah 4. The walls were built between 1535 and 1538, when Jerusalem was part of the Ottoman Empire, by the order of Suleiman I. 16 Therefore thus saith YHWH; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. The word restore is shuwb- its primary meaning is to return or turn back. Read Did I Find King Davids Palace? by Eilat Mazar as it appeared in the September/October 2012 issue of BAR for free in Bible History Daily. The Scriptural basis for their calculations was likely Ezra 6:14. If the Bible chronology is followed exactly as written, the reigns of the Hebrew kings synchronize perfectly with one another, without having to disregard Scripture and without having to accept long co-reigns not supported in the biblical text, and those reigns synchronize perfectly with the traditional chronology of Egypt as proposed by Ken Kitchen. The third edition of the Biblical Archaeology Societys widely-acclaimed Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Destruction of the Temple serves as an authoritative history of ancient Israel. The prince to come is key to understanding these verses. The symbolic focal point of the rebuilding efforts, the Temple, lie waste. Then after the 62 7- sevens the Messiah is cut off. God bless. 6Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. Nehemiah and his followers do what seems to be the impossible because they are doing what God has called them to do. 15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 13Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. The Jewish community in Jerusalem had been there for 80 years. The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. Sometime during the next 16 years (between 1st year of Cyrus & 2nd year of Darius Hystaspes) construction of the 2nd temple stopped. This is the command to return and build Jerusalem. Let's get started." They rolled up their sleeves, ready for the good work. @ William You say that building the Temple is the de facto event in building Jerusalem, but I remind you that that is not what God said through the prophet Daniel in verse 25. In the reign of King Artaxerxes, Scribe Ezra, was authorised to take charge of the Jewish nation. This evidence of God's blessing encourages the Jews and is a terrific blow to the self-confidence of their enemies. No one has made it fit the biblical text that way. If you count the years backwards you will find the 70 years of divine anger began at the departure of the Shekinah from the temple as described in Ezekiel. 12 gates in that map is still remain today? After the wall was built, Nehemiah ensured that the people were read God's Law, and they understood it. By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. 9So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. Why is a broken-down wall such a big deal? And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. Each issue of Biblical Archaeology Review features lavishly illustrated and easy-to-understand articles such as: Fascinating finds from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament periods, The latest scholarship by the world's greatest archaeologists and distinguished scholars, Stunning color photographs, informative maps, and diagrams, Reviews of the latest books on biblical archaeology, 45+ years of Biblical Archaeology Review, 20+ years of Bible Review online, providing critical interpretations of biblical texts. Ezra and Nehemiah, and the wall built during their time, have nothing to do with Daniel 9. Joiakim was the son of Jeshua the high priest. These take place in the 2nd year of Darius. Nehemiah 10 identified many of those same men as being sealed with Nehemiah in the 20th year of Artaxerxes. So from the restoring of the wall in 492BCE to messiah the Prince in 2BCE, that equals 490. The words of Ezra 6 lays it all out in chronological order. If the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah references Darius son of Hystaspes their minimum age would have been 66 years. Write "Nehemiah and the people build the wall in 52 days!" in the middle of the yellow paper. 2In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. See http://www.prophecysociety.org for a fuller explanation than can be provided in this forum. He wanted them to know what standards he and they would live by. Israel became a nation 69 years ago!! Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls (Nehemiah 2:11-16) Landmarks in Building the Wall of Jerusalem ( Larger map) Notice carefully Nehemiah's strategy. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the wallsin 52 days.