Scofield Reference Bible Notes/Nehemiah

by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield

Book Introduction - Nehemiah

Read first chapter of Nehemiah
Fourteen years after the return of Ezra to Jerusalem, Nehemiah led up a company (B.C. 444) and restored the walls and the civil authority. Of those events this book is the record. It is in eight divisions:

• The journey to Jerusalem, 1:1-2:20
• The building of the wall, 3:1-6:19.
• The census, 7:1-73.
• The revival, 8:1-11:36.
• The census of the priests and Levites, 12:1-26.
• Dedication of the wall, 12:27-43.
• Restoration of the temple worship, 12:44-47.
• The legal order restored, 13:1-31.

The moral state of the time is disclosed by the prophet Malachi. This book affords many instances of individual faith acting on the written word (e.g. Nehemiah 1:8,9; 13:1). It is the principle of 2 Timothy 2.
The events recorded in Nehemiah cover a period of 11 years (Ussher).

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1

SCOFIELD REFERENCE NOTES (Old Scofield 1917 Edition)
The Book of Nehemiah
Fourteen years after the return of Ezra to Jerusalem, Nehemiah led up a company (B.C. 444) and restored the walls and the civil authority. Of those events this book is the record. It is in eight divisions:
I. The journey to Jerusalem, 1:1-2:20;
II. The building of the wall, 3:1-6:19.
III. The census, 7:1-73.
IV. The revival, 8:1-11:36.
V. The census of the priests and Levites, 12:1-26.
VI. Dedication of the wall, 12:27-43.
VII. Restoration of the temple worship, 12:44-47.
VIII. The legal order restored, 13:1-31.
The moral state of the time is disclosed by the prophet Malachi. This book affords many instances of individual faith acting on the written word (e.g. Nehemiah 1:8,9; 13:1). It is the principle of 2Ti 2.
The events recorded in Nehemiah cover a period of 11 years (Ussher).
Chisleu i.e. December.
Shushan Or, Susa, ancient capital of Persia.

Verse 10

redeemed
(See Scofield "Exodus 14:30").

Verse 11

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

CHAPTER 2

Verse 1

Nisan
first month i.e. April.

Verse 10

Tobiah
Two Tobiahs are distinguished by many:

• (1) "Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite," Nehemiah 2:10,19; 4:3,7 6:1,12,14.
• (2) A Jew, unable to prove his genealogy. But the reference to the latter (Nehemiah 7:62) indicates that he was already dead. But one Tobiah, and he the Ammonite, is active in this book.

Verse 19

laughed
The obstacle of ridicule.

CHAPTER 3

Verse 1

sheep The sheep for sacrifice were brought in here. (See Scofield "John 5:2").
tower The towers appear to have been on either side the sheep gate.

Verse 26

Nethinims
i.e. dedicated (persons), probably descendants of the Gibeonites 2 Samuel 21:1-3 devoted to the service of the Levites. But see Joshua 9:17-21.

Verse 27

Ophel
Trans. "tower," 2 Kings 5:24; 2 Chronicles 27:3; 33:14. Perhaps part of the fort called Millo, ; 1 Kings 9:15; 2 Chronicles 32:5.

CHAPTER 5

Verse 8

redeemed
(See Scofield "Exodus 14:30").

Verse 15

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

CHAPTER 6

Verse 6

Gashmu
Called Geshem, Nehemiah 6:2.

Verse 15

Elul
sixth month i.e. September.

Verse 17

Tobiah
(See Scofield "Nehemiah 2:10").

CHAPTER 7

Verse 2

feared
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

Verse 7

Zerubbabel
Called Zorobabel, Matthew 1:12,13.

Verse 65

Tirshatta i.e. governor, Nehemiah 8:9.
Urim (See Scofield "Exodus 28:30").

Verse 73

seventh month
i.e. October; also, Nehemiah 8:2,14.

CHAPTER 8

Verse 1

seventh month
i.e. October; also, Nehemiah 8:2,14.

Verse 2

seventh month
i.e. October; Nehemiah 8:2,14.

Verse 17

for since the days of Jeshua
It is not meant that there had not been some formal observance of the feast of tabernacles (cf) 2 Chronicles 8:13; Ezekiel 3:4, but that the people had not dwelt in booths since Joshua's days.

CHAPTER 9

Verse 8

faithful Genesis 22:1-3; James 2:21-23
covenant (See Scofield "Genesis 15:18")

Verse 14

madest known unto them
This important passage fixes beyond all cavil the time when the sabbath, God's rest Genesis 2:1-3 was given to man. Cf. Exodus 20:9-11. In Exodus 31:13-17 the sabbath is invested with the character of a sign between Jehovah and Israel. (See Scofield "Matthew 12:1").

Verse 38

seal
See Nehemiah 10:1.

CHAPTER 10

Verse 1

Tirshatha
See margin ref. (See Scofield "Nehemiah 3:26").

Verse 33

shewbread (See Scofield "Exodus 25:30").
atonement (See Scofield "Exodus 29:33").

CHAPTER 12

Verse 1

Zerubbabel
Called Zorobabel, Matthew 1:12,13.

CHAPTER 13

Verse 7

Tobiah
(See Scofield "Nehemiah 2:10").