When the walls were built and doors hung, Nehemiah appointed gatekeepers, singers and the Levites. He put Hanani, his brother, and Hananiah, the leader of the citadel, in charge for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. (1,2) The purpose of the building was so that they could worship God. It seemed that Nehemiah was expecting to return to Persia and so someone was needed to take charge in his absence.
Nehemiah wasn’t thinking of being in charge in Jerusalem, he gave charge to his brother Hanani and Hananiah. He was not looking for personal glory but the glory of God. However, he was selective as to who he should leave in charge, proven men, faithful to God and God-fearing, spiritual men. Hanani was the one who first reported to him of the condition of Jerusalem in chapter 1:2.
Nehemiah made plans and gave instructions (v3), “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”
They were to stand guard because it was important to establish security for the newly built walls. The enemies had tried to prevent them being built so there was every reason why they would not be giving up even though they were finished.
Security being established; it was time to build up the city. It was large and the occupants few and there were no rebuilt houses (v4,5). One assumes they were mainly dilapidated or abandoned. Some who helped in the building of the walls worked opposite where they lived. It is possible they were in tents or living in the dilapidated houses. Nehemiah was led by God to gather the nobles, rulers and the people that might be registered by genealogy. He found a register of the genealogy of those in the first return.
In verses 6-73 we are given a list which is almost identical to the one in Ezra 2 led by Zerubbabel. Any discrepancies may be due to death or some not joining the move or even extras going on it. “Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers.”
The figures, I understand, indicate that only around 2% of those Jews who were taken into exile by the Babylonians returned. God considered them so important they are listed twice. Someone has said that it was generally a privilege to have your name mentioned in the Bible. Obviously, we can’t but God does enter our names in The Lamb’s Book of Life and the book of remembrance mentioned in Malachi 3:16.
Also listed are those who gave gifts to the work of God. Nehemiah carefully noted the amounts which they gave. The details were important to the work. Nehemiah was meticulous in his details as some could not be priests until their family connections were investigated and ensure that they were descended from Aaron and thus of the priestly line. Initially the work was rebuilding the walls, but it also was necessary to build up the people in their worship of God.
By the seventh month the work had been completed, and the children of Israel were in their cities.
