Nehemiah 1:1
King James Version (KJV)
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,
Translations
Nehemiah 1:1 - Amplified Bible
THE WORDS {or} story of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: Now in the month of Chislev in the twentieth year [of the Persian king], as I was in the castle of Shushan,
Nehemiah 1:1 - American Standard Version
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
Nehemiah 1:1 - Bible in Basic English
The history of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. Now it came about, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when I was in Shushan, the king's town,
Nehemiah 1:1 - Darby Bible
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the fortress,
Nehemiah 1:1 - English Standard Version
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital,
Nehemiah 1:1 - King James Version
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 - La Biblia de las Americas
Palabras de Nehemìas, hijo de Hacalìas.
Aconteciò que en el mes de Quisleu, en el año veinte, estando yo en la fortaleza de Susa,
Nehemiah 1:1 - The Message
The memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. It was the month of Kislev in the twentieth year. At the time I was in the palace complex at Susa. Hanani, one of my brothers, had just arrived from Judah with some fellow Jews. I asked them about the conditions among the Jews there who had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:1 - New American Standard Bible
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month Chislev, {in} the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the (Or {palace} or{ citadel}) capitol,
Nehemiah 1:1 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy
Palabras de Nehemìas, hijo de Hacalìas:
En el mes de Quisleu, en el año veinte del rey Artajerjes de Persia, estando yo en la fortaleza de Susa,
Nehemiah 1:1 - World English Bible
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
Nehemiah 1:1 - Young's Living Translation
Words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it cometh to pass, in the month of Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I have been in Shushan the palace,
Nehemiah 1:1 - Additional Comments
According to Jewish tradition, Ezra was the author of Nehemiah, though some think it was Nehemiah himself.
The Old Testament history closes with the book of Nehemiah.
It was around 730 BC that Israel fell to Assyria and the Israelites were deported.
It was around 586 BC that Judah fell to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:7, 5:12), Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Judean Israelites were taken into captivity.
Cyrus was ruler of Persia from 556-530. In 539 Cyrus marched on Babylon and took the country almost without a struggle. Babylon's King Nabonidus fled, and Babylon opened its gates to the Persians, probably with the connivance of the priests of the Babylonian god Marduk
Soon after the defeat of Babylon, Cyrus let most of the Jews return to Jerusalem, around 537 BC. It was at this time (the time of Ezra) that the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt.
Nehemiah went to Jerusalem around 444 BC, when Artaxerxes was in power (he reigned Persia from 465-424; his full name was Artaxerxes I Longimanus) (see 2:1). Ezra was a priest, teaching them the Jewish religion, but Nehemiah went to Jerusalem as the civil governor, with authority from the king of Persia to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and restore Jerusalem as a fortified city. In the almost 100 years the Jews had been back, they had made little progress beyond a rudimentary temple. They had tried to rebuild, but did not have the power against enemies or the resources to rebuild.
Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king of Persia, who came into power when his father Xerxes was murdered. Xerxes bride was Esther, who became queen of Persia about 60 years after the Jews returned to Jerusalem. So the Jews probably still had important influence in the palace (for Esther was probably still alive).
In chapters 4-6 the wall gets rebuilt, despite opposition from various enemies. It was finished in 52 days, 142 years after its destruction in 586 BC.
Shushan was the winter palace of the Persian kings.
The month of Chislev was similar to our November/December timeframe.
The book of Nehemiah consists of four parts:
1. An account of the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, and of the register Nehemiah had found of those who had returned from Babylon (ch. 1-7).
2. An account of the state of religion among the Jews during this time (8-10).
3. Increase of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the census of the adult male population, and names of the chiefs, together with lists of priests and Levites (11-12:1-26).
4. Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the arrangement of the temple officers, and the reforms carried out by Nehemiah (12:27-ch. 13).
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