Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall in 52 days, with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other

When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and its gates burned, he sat down and wept. Then he spent months praying before he did anything else.

Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, a position of trust close to the king. The Jews had returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem, but the city was still in ruins and its people were in “great affliction and reproach” (Nehemiah 1:3).

Prayer and planning

Nehemiah’s first response was prayer. Chapter 1 records his confession of the people’s sins and his request for favour. When the king noticed his sadness, Nehemiah “prayed to the God of heaven” before answering (2:4), then asked for permission to go and rebuild, along with letters for safe passage and timber for the work. On arrival, Nehemiah inspected the walls by night before telling anyone his plans (2:12 to 16). Then he gathered the leaders and said, “Let us rise up and build” (2:18).

Chapter 3 lists families, priests, goldsmiths, perfumers and rulers, each assigned to a section of the wall, often near their own homes. The list shows ordinary people building together, each doing their part.

Opposition and justice

Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem mocked the builders. Tobiah joked that a fox would break down their stone wall (4:3). When mockery failed, they plotted to attack. Nehemiah set guards and armed the builders: “every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon” (4:17). His enemies tried to lure him away to a meeting. Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down” (6:3).

Nehemiah also dealt with injustice among his own people. Wealthy Jews were charging interest and taking the land of poorer families. Nehemiah confronted them and they agreed to return what they had taken (chapter 5). He also refused the governor’s food allowance to avoid burdening the people.

52 days

“So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days” (6:15). Even the enemies recognised that “this work was wrought of our God” (6:16). Nehemiah prayed, planned, organised and persevered. He faced opposition from outside and injustice from inside. Churches rebuilding after hard times often study his book.

His answer to the distractions is the line many pastors quote: I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.