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The Daily Insight

Who destroyed the walls of Jerusalem that Nehemiah rebuilt

Author

William Smith

Updated on April 10, 2026

The walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. The walls were still in ruin 140 years later when Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. Upon hearing that the wall of Jerusalem was down and destroyed, along with the gates being burned down, Nehemiah cried.

Who broke the walls of Jerusalem?

According to 2 Kings 25:10, “The entire Chaldean [Babylonian] force that was with the chief of the guard tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side” (The Jewish Publication Society Tanakh).

How did Nehemiah rebuild the wall of Jerusalem?

It took Nehemiah 52 days to reinforce the gaps and rebuild the wall. He gathered his people together, he equipped them, and he led them in rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem. … Nehemiah prayed and fasted to God for four months before petitioning the King to return to his home and reinforce Jerusalem’s city walls.

How many times were the walls of Jerusalem destroyed?

Similarly, the state of Israel has most of its government institutions in the city while Palestinians aspire to be a state and hope to establish their capital in the city of Jerusalem. Throughout its history, the city has been destroyed at least two times, attacked 52 times, besieged 23 times, and recaptured 44 times.

Was the temple rebuilt before the wall?

The temple was rebuilt before the walls of Jerusalem.

Why was Jerusalem destroyed?

The Jewish Amoraim attributed the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem as punishment from God for the “baseless” hatred that pervaded Jewish society at the time. Many Jews in despair are thought to have abandoned Judaism for some version of paganism, many others sided with the growing Christian sect within Judaism.

Who first built the walls of Jerusalem?

The Walls of Jerusalem surround the old city of Jerusalem (approx. 1 km²). The walls were built between 1535 and 1538, when Jerusalem was part of the Ottoman Empire, by the order of Suleiman I.

Why did Nehemiah build the wall?

God instructed Nehemiah to build a wall around Jerusalem to protect its citizens from enemy attack. You see, God is NOT against building walls! And the Old Testament book of Nehemiah records how Nehemiah completed that massive project in record time — just 52 days.

How many times was Jerusalem rebuilt?

Terminology. Although the Temple is referred to as a single institution here, it is important to note that the Jerusalem Temple was rebuilt at least three times in antiquity. The first was erected under Solomon, as is described in great detail within 1 Kings 5-6, approximately during the 10th century BCE.

Was Nehemiah a prophet?

Nehemiah was a Jewish prophet who served the Persian king Artaxerxes as a cupbearer, built the walls of Jerusalem, and wrote the Book of Nehemiah. He built the wall with the help of the Jews who returned from their exile in Babylon. … Nehemiah was the son of Hachaliah.

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Did Nehemiah return to the King?

After 12 years as governor, during which he ruled with justice and righteousness, he returned to the king in Susa. After some time in Susa he returned to Jerusalem, only to find that the people had fallen back into their evil ways.

Who destroyed the Second Temple?

The fall of the city marked the effective conclusion of a four-year campaign against the Jewish insurgency in Judaea. The Romans destroyed much of the city, including the Second Temple.

How many times was Temple destroyed?

The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed twice: ~586–587 BCE (according to secular estimates) / ~422 BCE (according to religious sources): the first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. ~70 CE: the second Temple was destroyed by the Romans.

Who destroyed the First Temple in Jerusalem?

The Temple suffered at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylonia, who removed the Temple treasures in 604 bce and 597 bce and totally destroyed the building in 587/586.

How were the walls of Jerusalem destroyed?

During the First Temple period the city walls were extended to include the northwest hill as well, i.e. the area where today’s Jewish and Armenian Quarter (Jerusalem) Quarters are located. The entire city was destroyed in 587/86 BCE during the siege led by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

Did Solomon build the Western Wall?

The Bible’s First Book of Kings—widely believed to have been written centuries after the time period in question—says Solomon, king of Israel, built a defensive wall in Jerusalem. The new discovery is the first archaeological evidence of this structure, Mazar says.

What are the 7 gates of Jerusalem?

The seven gates at the time of Suleiman were: Damascus Gate; Golden Gate; Herod’s Gate; Jaffa Gate; Lions’ Gate; Silwan Gate (also known as Mughrabi Gate, and now as Dung Gate); and Zion Gate.

Who destroyed Jerusalem in the Bible?

In 589 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II laid siege to Jerusalem, culminating in the destruction of the city and its temple in the summer of 587 according to Albright, or 586 BC according to Thiele.

Why was the Second Temple destroyed?

The Second Temple (Hebrew: בית־המקדש השני, romanized: Beit HaMikdash HaSheni, transl. … The Second Temple stood for approximately 585 years before its destruction in 70 CE by the Roman Empire as retaliation for an ongoing Jewish revolt.

What happened to Jerusalem after Jesus?

The Babylonians occupied Jerusalem in 586 B.C., destroyed the Temple, and sent the Jews into exile. About 50 years after that, the Persian King Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. … Jesus was crucified in the city of Jerusalem around 30 A.D. The Romans destroyed the second Temple in 70 A.D.

How many times Israel was destroyed?

During its long history, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice.

When did Jerusalem fall to Islam?

DateNovember 636 – April 637LocationJerusalemResultRashidun victoryTerritorial changesJerusalem captured by the Rashidun Caliphate

Who are the Canaanites today?

The people of modern-day Lebanon can trace their genetic ancestry back to the Canaanites, new research finds. The Canaanites were residents of the Levant (modern-day Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine) during the Bronze Age, starting about 4,000 years ago.

Did Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem?

Distressed at news of the desolate condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah obtained permission from Artaxerxes to journey to Palestine to help rebuild its ruined structures. … So about 444 bc Nehemiah journeyed to Jerusalem and aroused the people there to the necessity of repopulating the city and rebuilding its walls.

What happened to Nehemiah's wall?

“This find opens a new chapter in the history of Jerusalem,” Mazar said. … The Bible relates that despite the resistance of hostile neighbors who had occupied the area around Jerusalem in the Jews’ absence, the whole wall was completed in a speedy 52-day period.

How many times did Nehemiah pray in the book of Nehemiah?

There are fourteen prayers in the Book of Nehemiah.

What Nehemiah means?

The name Nehemiah is primarily a male name of Hebrew origin that means God Has Comforted. Nehemiah Persoff, actor.

What did Ezra and Nehemiah do?

Zerubbabel and Nehemiah both play a part in restoring God’s temple, with Zerubbabel taking charge over governing affairs and Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Ezra, a descendant of Aaron, arrives in Jerusalem later and teaches God’s laws to the post-exile Jewish generation.

How many gates are in Nehemiah?

Nehemiah and the people rebuilt 10 city gates. Each of them has a name and a biblical story. Studying them will reveal something about getting close God.

What is a cupbearer in biblical times?

A cup-bearer was historically an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty was to pour and serve the drinks at the royal table. … He would guard against poison in the king’s cup, and was sometimes required to swallow some of the drink before serving it.

What book of the Bible focuses on rebuilding the temple?

Ezra is written to fit a schematic pattern in which the God of Israel inspires a king of Persia to commission a leader from the Jewish community to carry out a mission; three successive leaders carry out three such missions, the first rebuilding the Temple, the second purifying the Jewish community, and the third …