Nehemiah 1
Lutheran reading notes
In Nehemiah chapter 1, the account continues the story of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and renewing covenant life. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
1
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
Nehemiah 1:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and {certain} men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province {are} in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also {is} broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Nehemiah 1:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned {certain} days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Nehemiah 1:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
Nehemiah 1:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
Nehemiah 1:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Nehemiah 1:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, {If} ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
Nehemiah 1:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
But {if} ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, {yet} will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Nehemiah 1:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
Now these {are} thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
Nehemiah 1:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.
Nehemiah 1:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.