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.
They told me, 'The survivors who are left from the exile and are living in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem's wall is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.'
The writer is hearing devastating news that the Jewish people who returned from exile are struggling greatly, and Jerusalem's protective walls and gates are still destroyed.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Nehemiah, set around 450 BC during the Persian Empire's rule, Nehemiah was a Jewish exile serving as a cupbearer to the king when he learned about the dire conditions in Jerusalem from fellow Jews. The remnant refers to the survivors of the Babylonian captivity who had returned to Judah but were enduring great suffering, including oppression and ridicule from neighboring peoples, as the city's defenses had been destroyed during the Babylonian invasion in 586 BC. This news highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of the Jewish people and the urgent need for rebuilding to restore their security and dignity.
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