“And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.”
Nehemiah continues his security instructions: "For the city was wide and large, but the population in it was small, and no houses had been built." The observation that Jerusalem has limited population despite its large area indicates that the city's restoration is incomplete; while the walls have been rebuilt, the city itself remains sparsely populated and inadequately developed. This notation explains the need for the genealogical list that follows; the restoration project requires identifying the returning exiles and their descendants and organizing the repopulation of Jerusalem. The emphasis on the small population relative to the city's size suggests that the primary challenge for the restored Jerusalem is economic and demographic—attracting and settling inhabitants rather than merely defending against external threats.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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