Nehemiah's journey to Jerusalem was accomplished in safety. The royal letters to the governors of the provinces along his route secured him honorable reception and prompt assistance. No enemy dared molest the official who was guarded by the power of the Persian king and treated with marked consideration by the provincial rulers. His arrival in Jerusalem, however, with a military escort, showing that he had come on some important mission, excited the jealousy of the heathen tribes living near the city, who had so often indulged their enmity against the Jews by heaping upon them injury and insult. Foremost in this evil work were certain chiefs of these tribes, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. From the first these leaders watched with critical eyes the movements of Nehemiah and endeavored by every means in their power to thwart his plans and hinder his work. 636

Dette kapitel er bygget op over Neh 2-4
Nehemias kom til Jerusalem i god behold. Takket være kongens breve til statholderne i de provinser, som han drog igennem, fik han en ærefuld modtagelse, ligesom man ydede ham øjeblikkelig hjælp. Ingen fjende vovede at forulempe denne embedsmand, som stod under perserkongens beskyttelse og blev behandlet med så stor ærbødighed af provinsernes statholdere. Da han ankom til Jerusalem med militær eskorte, stod det klart for enhver, at han var kommet i et eller andet vigtigt ærinde. Det vakte derfor straks misundelse hos de hedenske stammer, som boede i byens nærhed. Disse havde ofte vist deres had til jøderne ved at gøre dem fortræd og fornærme dem. Der var visse stammehøvdinger, som var særlig ivrige efter at lægge deres ondskab for dagen, nemlig horonitten Sanballat, den ammonitiske træl Tobija og araberen Gesjem. Disse høvdinge betragtede lige fra begyndelsen Nehemias' bevægelser med kritiske øjne og forsøgte med alle til rådighed stående midler at krydse hans planer og hindre ham i arbejdet.