Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Liz,

> The king's edicts, once spoken, are the will of the god,
> and cannot be changed.
> This also goes for the king's satraps, governors, etc.
> They represent the king, speak in his name, and in the name
> of the god.
> This is why I see Ezra coming after Nehemiah. Ezra
> grants immunities to the priests and temple personnel,
> but in Nehemiah you see them working on the city wall.
> Work on the wall is liturgia, corvée labor. In order
> for that to have occurred under Nehemiah (and under the
> satrap, Neh. 3:7), Nehemiah must have been governor prior
> to the priests having received exemptions from the king
> in the time of Ezra. This is also why some officials
> reported to Ezra upon his arrival that there were intermarriages
> going on. Nehemiah had already forbade them, but other officials
> were engaged in them anyway. THis is the rebellion.
> Nehemiah's edicts were the law of the god and the king.

HH: The priests were working on the wall because 
they loved their country. They loved God and 
their country. They were part of a team that the 
returned Israelites formed under Nehemiah.

                                Yours,
                                Harold Holmyard