Nehemiah and the issuing of the decree to restore & rebuild Jerusalem Thru the Bible: Nehemiah 1-5 The name Nehemiah means “the Lord comforts” and so his life story followed in the path of his namesake.   As we've discovered in recent studies, Nehemiah was a contemporary with Ezra, though he did not come to Jerusalem until later after Ezra had already been there probably for some time. Nehemiah is to Ezra what the Levites were to the Priests.  Ezra, having been given favor with the king by God, had gone to Jerusalem to rebuild the tabernacle and restore a level of revival and holiness to the Israelites who had willingly returned from their captivity. So Ezra’s focus was directly spiritual, while Nehemiah was given favor from God to return and rebuild the wall AND the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah who was one of the primary instruments of God bringing the words of Gabriel to Daniel to pass. “From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.” - Dan. 9:25 Blessings!