Nehemiah Chapter 8
1 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 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.
6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place.
8 They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
9 Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, "Today is holy to the LORD your God. Don't mourn, nor weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don't be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don't be grieved."
12 All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
13 On the second day, the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law.
14 They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;
15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make temporary shelters, as it is written."
16 So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God's house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim's gate.
17 All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters, and lived in the temporary shelters; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
Footnotes
- Verse 15 (Shelters)
- or, booths
- Verse 16 (Shelters)
- or, booths
- Verse 17 (Shelters)
- or, booths
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Nehemiah Chapter 8 Guide
We now come to the second section of the Book, which gives an account of the special reading of the Law, and the reform which followed. Ezra now appears on the scene. There has been some speculation as to why he has not been mentioned before. It may be that he was absent from Jerusalem during the earlier part of the work of Nehemiah, or it may be-which perhaps is more probable-that the work already done was such as he had no direct part in, and that now he appeared in co-operation with Nehemiah in the particular kind of work which was especially his.
In this section we have the account of a most interesting and remarkable religious convention. The first day saw the assembling of the people. The phrase, "gathered as one man," indicates the unity of purpose with which they had come. It was a day given to reading the Law. This was not merely reading aloud passages from the Law, or even the whole book of the Law. It was reading, accompanied by exposition, and the exposition was undertaken by men especially appointed to act with Ezra. It would seem almost as if there were first a public reading, and then a separation of the assembly into groups, while the appointed Levites explained and enforced the terms of the Law. It was a day of conviction, resulting in great sadness among the people as they became conscious of their failure. It was a day of comfort, for Nehemiah and those associated with him, insisted on it. The finding of the Law, and the return of the people to its consideration, were reasons for joy rather than for sadness.
It is almost impossible to read this chapter without being reminded of the words of the Master spoken long afterwards, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." On the second day there was a smaller gathering of the rulers, who came in order more perfectly to understand the law of God. Here, as always if such gatherings are sincere, an immediate application was made in observing the feast of Tabernacles.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Nehemiah Chapter 8 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The reading and expounding the law. -- (1-8)
- The people called upon to be joyful. -- (9-12)
- The feast of tabernacles, The joy of the people. -- (13-18)
Verses 1-8
Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of religion, as acceptably performed in one place as in another. Masters of families should bring their families with them to the public worship of God. Women and children have souls to save, and are therefore to acquaint themselves with the word of God, and to attend on the means of grace. Little ones, as they come to reason, must be trained up in religion. Ministers when they go to the pulpit, should take their Bibles with them; Ezra did so. Thence they must fetch their knowledge; according to that rule they must speak, and must show that they do so. Reading the Scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of God, whereby he is honoured, and his church edified. Those who hear the word, should understand it, else it is to them but an empty sound of words. It is therefore required of teachers that they explain the word, and give the sense of it. Reading is good, and preaching is good, but expounding makes reading the better understood, and preaching the more convincing. It has pleased God in almost every age of the church to raise up, not only those who have preached the gospel, but also those who have given their views of Divine truth in writing; and though many who have attempted to explain Scripture, have darkened counsel by words without knowledge, yet the labours of others are of excellent use. All that we hear must, however, be brought to the test of Scripture. They heard readily, and minded every word. The word of God demands attention. If through carelessness we let much slip in hearing, there is danger that through forgetfulness we shall let all slip after hearing.
Verses 9-12
It was a good sign that their hearts were tender, when they heard the words of the law. The people were to send portions to those for whom nothing was prepared. It is the duty of a religious feast, as well as of a religious fast, to draw out the soul to the hungry; God's bounty should make us bountiful. We must not only give to those that offer themselves, but send to those out of sight. Their strength consisted in joy in the Lord. The better we understand God's word, the more comfort we find in it; the darkness of trouble arises from the darkness of ignorance.
Verses 13-18
They found written in the law about the feast of tabernacles. Those who diligently search the Scriptures, find things written there which they have forgotten. This feast of tabernacles was a representation of the believer's tabernacle state in this world, and a type of the holy joy of the gospel church. The conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ, is foretold under the figure of this feast, Zec 14:16. True religion will render us strangers and pilgrims upon earth. We read and hear the word acceptably and profitably, when we do according to what is written therein; when what appears to be our duty is revived, after it has been neglected. They minded the substance; else the ceremony had been of no use. They did it, rejoicing in God and his goodness. These are the means which the Spirit of God crowns with success, in bringing the hearts of sinners to tremble and to become humbled before God. But those are enemies to their own growth in holiness, who always indulge sorrow, even for sin, and put away from them the consolations tendered by the word and Spirit of God.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.