Nehemiah 7 · Grade 4
A City That Needs People
Read and Think
With the wall built and the doors hung, Nehemiah turned to keeping the city safe. He appointed gatekeepers, singers, and Levites. He put his brother Hanani and Hananiah in charge. Hananiah was a faithful man and feared God above many. Character mattered more to Nehemiah than skill alone.
He gave clear orders. The gates were not to open until the sun was hot. They were to be shut and barred while people stood guard. Each person would watch near his own house.
But the city was wide and large, and the people were few. Houses had not been built. Nehemiah wrote that God put it into his heart to gather the people. He found the genealogy of those who came up at the first. It is the same list found in Ezra 2. It shows the whole assembly of 42,360 and the gifts they gave for the work.
Show What You Know
What two people did Nehemiah put in charge of Jerusalem?
Why did Nehemiah choose Hananiah?
When were the gates to be opened?
What problem did Nehemiah see in the city?
Where else in the Bible is this same list found?
Word Bank Fill-In
Use the word bank to fill in each blank.
- With the wall built and the hung, Nehemiah turned to keeping the city safe.
- Hananiah was a man and feared God above many.
- The were not to open until the sun was hot.
- But the was wide and large, and the people were few.
- had not been built.
Think About It
Nehemiah chose a leader who was faithful and feared God. What qualities do you look for in people you follow?
God put an idea into Nehemiah's heart. How can you listen for God's leading in your own heart through prayer and His word?
Memory Verse
“Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.”
Nehemiah 7:4 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for faithful helpers. Help me . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- How can you learn about your family's faith?
- How did God guide Nehemiah's next step?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.