Smoodock's Blog

The text concludes, from our previous study, that, at least in certain parts of Jerusalem, the wall could be viewed only on foot. A man on horseback was unable to inspect the condition of the walls around the entire city (Nehemiah 2:14). However, the fact that Nehemiah was able to inspect the condition of the walls on horseback, at least in some portions of the city, implies not all of the wall around the city was torn down by Nebuchadnezzar and his armies. Moreover, although the city walls extended all around Jerusalem, the valleys to the east, south and west prevented any successful attack from those directions. The fact is that Jerusalem, although surrounded by enemies during times of war, was always attacked from the north, the city’s most vulnerable point.[1] This is not to say that the city walls were in good condition from the other three directions, but the implication seems to be that in those directions at least parts, perhaps most, of the wall still stood.

Nevertheless, there is one point that needs to be made quite clear, as it pertains to the rebuilding process, vis-à-vis how long it took to complete the wall. We are told: “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul (the sixth month of the Jewish calendar; corresponding to late August and most of September), in fifty and two days”[2] (Nehemiah 6:15). Thus, concluding that the project was begun on the third of Ab (the fifth month in the Jewish calendar). From this, many Biblical scholars conclude Nehemiah finished his project in less than a year and returned to the king (cp. Nehemiah 2:6). Yet, Nehemiah tells us that he was in Jerusalem, building the wall and the Temple of God for twelve years (Nehemiah 5:14-19). So, this statement must be glossed over, if one holds to the ridiculous idea that the walls around Jerusalem were finished in a mere fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15)! Therefore, assuming the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), we must derive a logical answer that contradicts neither Nehemiah 5:14 or 6:15. I believe a credible interpretation is that the walls were completed all around Jerusalem in fifty-two days, so that there were no breaches in the wall, vis-à-vis that the wall continued from the east gate of the city all around Jerusalem to the east gate in the opposite direction from where one began. Yet, the same walls were not finished in height or breadth.

The building process was a major undertaking. Trees needed to be cut in the king’s forests (cp. Nehemiah 2:8). Large stones needed to be cut and transported from stone quarries to Jerusalem and the city walls had to be built up to a height that men were unable to scale during times of war. The ridiculous idea that many scholars have about how swiftly the walls were put up is nothing short of amazing (or childish), presuming that, because the text says, when the Jews’ enemies heard the walls were completed (Nehemiah 6:15), they “perceived that this work was wrought of our God,” that something like a miracle was performed. Well, God may be able to create the universe in 6 days (without the assistance of men), but, if he is going to use men to rebuild a city wall, he must do the thing in a much longer period of time, or else one could watch the rebuild like a modern video in fast motion! Really! No wonder secular critics view the word of God as nothing more than a myth thought up by men.

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[1] See Expository Notes of Dr. Constable, ‘The return to Jerusalem’ (Nehemiah 2:9-20): “Jerusalem was always attacked where she was most vulnerable, from the north; thus, there was little preserved in that direction.” [Note: Yamauchi, “Ezra-Nehemiah,” p. 689.]

[2] Josephus concludes it took two years and four months to rebuild the walls