Finally, the wall is completed (6:15–19)—what a note of victory! This is an important milestone, which greatly encourages the people. It testifies to what can be accomplished when the community works together under good leadership. The celebration for the wall’s completion is described in Nehemiah 12. Elul is the sixth month; the year starts with Nisan (Neh. 2:1), the first month in the religious calendar. But if the work is completed in fifty-two days, it is not clear exactly when the project was started. The twenty-fifth of Elul would be mid-September or the beginning of October. The effect of this “victory” on the enemies is evident. They lose their self-confidence, and they fear (6:16). As long as they can convince themselves that this work is not legal and not o…