Nehemiah 1 - Study the King James Bible

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

The words. Divine revelation in writing must be made up of words (see App-47 ). The "words" here were written, chronologically, long before the book of Ezra. See the Structures (pp 616, 617, notes on p. 618; also App-50 , App-57 , and App-58 ).
Nehemiah = comforter of (= appointed by) Jehovah. From Nehemiah 10:1 he was one of the "princes" (Nehemiah 9:38 ) who signed the Solemn Covenant: a prince of Judah, for the "king's seed" and "princes" were taken to Babylon (Daniel 1:3 ), according to the prophecy in 2 Kings 20:17 , 2 Kings 20:18 . The next who signed was Zidkijah, a son of king Jehoiakim (1 Chronicles 3:16 ). Hanani (Nehemiah 1:2 ), his brother or near kinsman (a shortened form of Hananiah, Compare Nehemiah 1:2 , and Nehemiah 7:2 ), was another "prince", renamed Shadrach (Daniel 1:3-6 ), Nehemiah was the Sheshbazzar of Ezra 1:8 . Five parties seen in action in this book: Nehemiah, Ezra, the People, their enemies, and the God of heaven,
Chisleu. The ninth month. See App-51 .
twentieth year. See App-50 . Compare Nehemiah 2:1 . Forty-two years from the beginning of the Babylonian Servitude, thirty-five years from Jehoiachin's captivity, and twenty-three years from the destruction of Jerusalem, and the beginning of the Desolations. See special note on 2 Chronicles 36:21
I was in Shushan. Like Joseph in Egypt, Obadiah in Samaria, Daniel in Babylon, and the saints in Caesar's household (Philippians 1:4 , Philippians 1:22 ).
was = came to be.
Shushan. He had been there about sixteen years, and was removed thither from Babylon. Excavations in 1909 by M. de Morgan, at Susa, exposed the remains of three cities. Among them, four black stone pillars, with the Code of Khammurabi (see App-15 ). Bricks of his palace or temple were also found. Occupied by Babylonians in 2800 B.C.

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

Hanani. Shortened form of Hananiah. Compare Nehemiah 7:2 . See note above, and compare Daniel 1:3 , Daniel 1:6 .
I asked. Not about Ezra, and the 42,360 who are supposed to have been already in the Province of Judah: this Nehemiah would surely have done if they had really been there.
the Jews. Mentioned eleven times in this book (Nehemiah 1:2 ; Nehemiah 2:16 ; Nehemiah 4:1 , Nehemiah 4:2 , Nehemiah 4:12 ; Nehemiah 5:1 , Nehemiah 5:8 , Nehemiah 5:17 ; Nehemiah 6:6 ; Nehemiah 13:23 , Nehemiah 13:24 ).
escaped: i.e. from the lands of their captivity. See Jeremiah 44:13 , Jeremiah 44:14 . Why escape if already set free (Ezra 1:3 )?

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

they said: that which could not have been said if Ezra and his thousands had been already there.
The remnant. For the history of this "remnant" see Jer 40:44 . Only a few poor serfs there (Jeremiah 52:15 , Jeremiah 52:16 ).
left. Not carried away or returned (Jeremiah 52:15 , Jeremiah 52:16 ).
Province = Judah. See Ezra 5:8 .
broken down. Just as left by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:9 , 2 Kings 25:10 . Jeremiah 52:12-14 . For the subsequent history see Jeremiah Chapters 40-44.

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

these words. Evidently the first authentic news he had heard. No wonder he was heartbroken.
prayed. Nehemiah a man of prayer. Compare Nehemiah 4:4 , Nehemiah 4:5 ; Nehemiah 5:19 ; Nehemiah 6:9 , Nehemiah 6:14 ; Nehemiah 13:14 , Nehemiah 13:22 , Nehemiah 13:29 , Nehemiah 13:31 .
God of heaven. See note on 2 Chronicles 36:23 . This title peculiar to the "times of the Gentiles", when God dwells no longer "between the Cherubim", but acts as from a distance. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 and compare the title "Lord of all the earth" in Zechariah 6:5 , when He again claims the land, as in Joshua 3:11 , Joshua 3:13 . See note on 2 Chronicles 36:23 .

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

LORD = Jehovah. See App-4 .
GOD. Hebrew. 'El (with Art.) See App-4 .
keepeth covenant. Nehemiah goes back to the language of the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 7:9 ).
observe = keep. Compare Exodus 20:6 ; Exodus 34:6 , Exodus 34:7 .

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

ear. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 . Neherniah refers to Leviticus 26:40-45 , and 1 Kings 8:46-52 .
children = sons.
sins . . . sinned. . . sinned. Hebrew. chata, '. App-44 .
I. Like Daniel, he includes himself. Compare Daniel 9:3-19 .

We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

Thou cominandedst. Again a reference to the Pentateuch: as being well known. See Leviticus 26:33 , Leviticus 26:39-45 .Deuteronomy 4:25-31 ; Deuteronomy 28:64 ; Deuteronomy 30:1-4 .
Thy servant Moses. See note on first occurrence, 1 Kings 8:53 .

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

If. This word is clearly implied in Hebrew Compare Deuteronomy 4:25 , &c.
transgress. Hebrew. ma'al. App-44 .

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

turn unto Me. National repentance was ever the one great condition of Israel's national blessing (Deuteronomy 30:2 , &c.); and is still the condition. Compare Acts 3:19-21 , which, with Acts 28:17 , Acts 28:23 , was the last national call.

10.

Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

redeemed. Hebrew. padah . See note on Exodus 6:6 ; Exodus 13:13 .

11.

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

LORD*. Hebrew Adonai. See App-4 . But it is one of the 134 alterations of the Sopherim. See App-34 .
desire to fear = delight in revering.
mercy = tender mercies.