Scribes.

• 1 min. read • grade level: 12

Antiquity of. Judg. 5:14¹⁴Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. (Judges 5:14).

Wore an inkhorn at their girdles. Ezek. 9:2, 3²And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. ³And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; (Ezekiel 9:2‑3).

FAMILIES CELEBRATED FOR FURNISHING;

Kenites. 1 Chron. 2:55⁵⁵And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab. (1 Chronicles 2:55).

Zebulun. Judg. 5:14¹⁴Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. (Judges 5:14).

Levi. 1 Chron. 24:6⁶And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:6). 2 Chr. 34:13¹³Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. (2 Chronicles 34:13).

Generally men of great wisdom. 1 Chron. 27:32³²Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons: (1 Chronicles 27:32).

Often learned in the law. Ezr. 7:6⁶This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. (Ezra 7:6).

Were ready writers. Psa. 45:1¹<<To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.>> My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. (Psalm 45:1). 7:6.

ACTED AS

Secretaries to kings. 2 Sam. 8:17¹⁷And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; (2 Samuel 8:17). 2 Sam. 20:25²⁵And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: (2 Samuel 20:25). 2 Kin. 12:10. Esther 3:12¹²Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. (Esther 3:12)

Secretaries to prophets. Jer. 36:4, 2⁴Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. (Jeremiah 36:4)
²Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. (Jeremiah 36:2)

Notaries in courts of justice. Jer. 32:11, 12¹¹So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: ¹²And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. (Jeremiah 32:11‑12).

Religious teachers. Neh. 8:2-6²And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. ³And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. ⁴And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. ⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: ⁶And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:2‑6).

Writers of public documents. 1 Chron. 24:6⁶And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:6).

Keepers of the muster-rolls of the host. 2 Kin. 25:19. 2 Chr. 26:11¹¹Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. (2 Chronicles 26:11). Jer. 52:25²⁵He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. (Jeremiah 52:25).

MODERN,

Were doctors of the law. Mar. 12:28, with Matt. 22:35³⁵Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (Matthew 22:35).

Wore long robes and loved preeminence. Mar. 12:38, 39.

Sat in Moses' seat. Matt. 23:2²Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: (Matthew 23:2).

Were frequently Pharisees. Acts 23:9⁹And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. (Acts 23:9).

Esteemed wise and learned. 1 Cor. 1:20²⁰Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Corinthians 1:20).

Regarded as interpreters of Scripture. Matt. 2:4⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. (Matthew 2:4). Mar. 17:10. Mar. 12:35.

Their manner of teaching contrasted with that of Christ. Mar. 7:29. Mar. 1:22.

Condemned by Christ for hypocrisy. Matt. 23:15¹⁵Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Matthew 23:15).

Often offended at our Lord's conduct and teaching. Matt. 21:15¹⁵And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, (Matthew 21:15). Mar. 2:6, 7, 16. Mar. 3:22.

Tempted our Lord. John 8:3³And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, (John 8:3).

Active in procuring our Lord's death. Matt. 26:3³Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, (Matthew 26:3). Luke 23:10¹⁰And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. (Luke 23:10).

Persecuted the early Christians. Acts 4:5, 18, 21⁵And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, (Acts 4:5)
¹⁸And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:18)
²¹So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. (Acts 4:21). Acts 6:12¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, (Acts 6:12).

Illustrative of well-instructed ministers of the gospel. Matt. 13:52⁵²Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52).

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The New Topical Textbook

• Scorning and Mocking.

• Scorpion, the.

• Scribes.

• Scriptures, the.

• Sea, the.

• Sealing of the Holy Ghost.

• Seals.

• Second Coming of Christ, the.

• Self-Righteousness.

• Self-Will and Stubbornness.

• Simeon, the Tribe of.

• Simplicity.