III. The Walls Dedicated and Nehemiah's Reform, Chs. 11-13.

1. Those who dwelt in the city, 11:1-12:26.

2. The walls dedicated, 12:27-47 end.

3. Evils corrected, Ch. 13.

For Study and Discussion. (1) Point out elements of strength in the
character and work of Nehemiah. (2) The greatness and difficulty of
Nehemiah's task, (a) the rubbish, (b) the size and length of the wall,
(c) the strength of their enemies. (3) The reforms of Nehemiah, (a)
religious, (b) moral, (c) political. (4) The public meeting and new
festival, 8:1-18. (5) The covenant 9:1-10:39. (6) The repeopling of
Jerusalem, Chs. 11-12.

Name. This is taken from its principal character, a Jewish maiden
became queen of a Persian King.

Purpose. To explain the origin of the feast of Purim work of
providence for God's people.

Time. The events narrated are thought to have occurred about 56 years
after the first return of Zerubbabel in 536 B. C. The King then would
be Xerxes the Great, and the drunken feast may have been preparatory
to the invasion of Greece in the third year of his reign.
Connection with Other Books. There is no connection between Esther and
the other books of the Bible. While it is a story of the time when the
Jews were returning to Jerusalem, and very likely should come between