Nehemiah 1:3

"They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”"

Key Reflection

This passage conveys the dire circumstances faced by those who had returned from Babylonian exile. They were in significant distress and shame, with Jerusalem’s protective walls destroyed and gates reduced to ashes, symbolizing both physical and spiritual vulnerability.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The attempt to rebuild the wall in the time of the Pseudo-SmerdisEzra 4:12-24had been stopped. It still remained in ruins. The Assyrian sculptures show that it was the usual practice to burn the gates.

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