After the completion of the wall, in the month of Tishrei, the people gather before the Water Gate to dedicate themselves as the people of God. It is around this time that the Festival of Booths occurred in the time of Moses, but the feast had fallen into disuse, as well as the day of atonement.

The people call for Ezra to bring the book of  the law and read the law and pledge themselves to the Lord. Ezra raises the book, and praises the Lord and all the people fall and bless God. The Levites went into the crowd to help the people understand the word of God. When the people understood this law, they wept.

The famine in Israel was deep enough that farmers are going into debt and some are requiring extreme amounts of collateral to cover their debts. Nehemiah is so concerned that he demands that all debt collections stop and the payments are reversed.

As the building of the wall comes to a close, Sanballat, through his agents, tries to convince Nehemiah to discuss Nehemiah and Judah's role in the area, but Nehemiah saw that it was a trick to derail his work. Nehemiah goes to meet with Shemaiah, who was homebound, Shemaiah suggests that they go to the temple to discuss, but Nehemiah knows that they want to make it seem as though he is seeking sanctuary, and refuses.

The wall is finished, and a census is taken. Again, some who claim to be priests but whose lineage is unknown are excluded from the priestly functions until a priest can consult the Urim and Thummim.

Nehemiah came in to a dispirited land and brought about a seemingly unanimous decision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Even Jews as far away as Gibeon and Mizpah came to assist in the rebuilding, though some were more dedicated than others. Even what little some may do is made more difficult by a famine in the land.

Sanballat, a Samaritan, prepares to launch an attack on the Jews who are rebuilding the temple, but the plan is discovered. The rebuilding is interrupted, and Nehemiah sets up a patrol to protect the rebuilding process.

Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem and evaluates the work to be done but does not immediately tell anyone of his plans. When confronted about the rebuilding of the temple, Nehemiah tells his critics that God will restore the Jews to Jerusalem. It is when Nehemiah begins this rebuilding that Daniel's messianic prophecy of seventy weeks of years begins.

Nehemiah is known for his intercession, an important facet of leadership.

Nehemiah came to prominence as a leader of the Jews 13 years after Ezra's time. Powerful men had taken issue with Ezra rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, which had contributed to a decline of Ezra's influence. Nehemiah, cup bearer to Artaxerxes, pleads to the king to rebuild Jerusalem, since Judah's neighbors were exploiting the unprotected nature of the city. Artaxerxes agrees, perhaps believing that having a friendly leader in Judah would protect him from his enemies.