Daily Readings in the Bible Nehemiah 1-3

Thirteen years had passed since Ezra’s return to Jerusalem. Though Zerubbabel had rebuilt the Temple and there had been some reform under Ezra’s spiritual leadership, the city remained destitute. A remnant of Jews remained in Persia (formerly Babylon). Of those that remained was Nehemiah, a cupbearer for king Artaxerxes. One of Nehemiah’s brothers returned to Persia with bad news after visiting Jerusalem: “The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction a...