Nehemiah 1:3-4
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What's striking here is the phrase "the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." This isn't a recent disaster; it's the continued state of ruin from Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, underscoring that God's people were living in shame and vulnerability not because of a new catastrophe, but because a deep wound had never healed. Their present "affliction and reproach" is directly tied to this enduring brokenness that no one had dared or been allowed to fix.
And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah, upon hearing about his kinsmen in Jerusalem, asks about their well-being and the state of the city. His friends respond by painting a grim picture: the Jewish remnant in the province (Judea) suffers greatly and is publicly shamed by surrounding peoples. This distress stems from Jerusalem's defenses being utterly destroyed, with its walls broken down and gates burned, a condition that has persisted since the Babylonian destruction centuries earlier.
Imagine hearing that your ancestral home is still in ruins, a century and a half after it was devastated. What does that say about the community's resilience and the lingering effects of past destruction?
The people who spoke to Nehemiah described the dire state of Jerusalem: its wall was broken down, and its gates were burned. This wasn't a recent event, but a condition that had persisted since Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of the city.
A Lingering Devastation
What's the difference between just being in a tough spot and feeling deeply shamed and despised by everyone around you?
The report Nehemiah receives isn't just about physical danger; it's about the emotional and social toll on the people. They are in 'great affliction and reproach.'
The Double Sting
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Understand the original words
she'erit · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the survivors of God's people, especially those who returned or remained after divine judgment (exile). It implies a small portion saved by God’s grace to maintain the covenant lineage.
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
A state of public humiliation or dishonor, often resulting from divine judgment or the reproach of enemies against God’s people and their city.
tsum · Hebrew Verb
A voluntary act of abstaining from food to humble oneself before God, express deep spiritual burden, and intensify intercessory prayer.
The devastating destruction of Jerusalem's walls by Nebuchadnezzar over 130 years prior left the city vulnerable and a constant source of shame for the returned exiles, a situation Nehemiah's report vividly brings to light.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and its Walls
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and tear down the city walls and gates, exiling much of the population.
538 BC
Return of Exiles and Temple Rebuilding
Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, but not the city walls.
c. 520-516 BC
Temple Completion
The Second Temple is completed by the returning exiles, though Jerusalem itself remains largely undefended.
c. 522-520 BC
Rebuilding Efforts Halted
Samaritan adversaries accuse the Jews of planning to rebuild the city walls, leading the Persian authorities to halt any construction efforts.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Hears of Jerusalem's Plight
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes, hears from visitors that the wall of Jerusalem is still broken down and its gates burned.
This passage describes the ongoing 'affliction and reproach' faced by exiles, mirroring the people's condition in Nehemiah's time, highlighting God's awareness of their suffering.
Jeremiah 52:14This verse directly recounts Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem's walls and gates, providing the historical context for the 'broken down' state Nehemiah's informants describe.
Ezra 4:12This passage shows external opposition to rebuilding efforts, explaining why the walls and gates remained in ruins despite the return of some exiles.
Psalm 79:1This psalm laments the destruction of Jerusalem's sanctuary and city, echoing the deep shame and brokenness that the people in Nehemiah 1:3 are experiencing.
Romans 8:37While seemingly disparate, this verse speaks to overcoming severe affliction and reproach through God's love, offering a New Testament parallel to the hope that emerges from desperate circumstances.
pulpitNehemiah 1:3: "And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."
Verse 3. - The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down. It has been supposed, either that the demolition of the wall here referred to was quite recent, having occurred during the space of twelve years which intervenes between the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, or else that i…
gillNehemiah 1:3: "And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."
And they said unto me, the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province,.... In Judea, now reduced to a province of the Persian empire: are in great affliction and reproach; harassed and distressed, calumniated and vilified, by their enemies the Samarita…
What's striking here is the phrase "the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." This isn't a recent disaster; it's the continued state of ruin from Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, underscoring that God's people were living in shame and vulnerability not because of a new catastrophe, but because a deep wound had never healed. Their present "affliction and reproach" is directly tied to this enduring brokenness that no one had dared or been allowed to fix.
Nehemiah, upon hearing about his kinsmen in Jerusalem, asks about their well-being and the state of the city. His friends respond by painting a grim picture: the Jewish remnant in the province (Judea) suffers greatly and is publicly shamed by surrounding peoples. This distress stems from Jerusalem's defenses being utterly destroyed, with its walls broken down and gates burned, a condition that has persisted since the Babylonian destruction centuries earlier.
Nehemiah, upon hearing about his kinsmen in Jerusalem, asks about their well-being and the state of the city. His friends respond by painting a grim picture: the Jewish remnant in the province (Judea) suffers greatly and is publicly shamed by surrounding peoples. This distress stems from Jerusalem's defenses being utterly destroyed, with its walls broken down and gates burned, a condition that has persisted since the Babylonian destruction centuries earlier.
"And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wep…" — What's striking here is the phrase "the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." This isn't a recent disaster; it's the continued state of ruin from Nebuchadnezzar's…
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Last reviewed October 2026
