The Book of Nehemiah
Nehemiah 8
Chapter VIII · Vol. II, pp. 915–916
1 The religious manner of reading and hearing the law. 9 Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites comfort the people. 13 The forwardness of them to hear and be instructed. 16 They keep the feast of tabernacles.
1 And all athe people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before bthe water-gate; and they spake unto Ezra the cscribe to bring the dbook of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.1
B.C. 444.
b ch.3.26; ver.16.
c Ezr.7.6. Mat.23.2,34.
d 2 Ch.34.15. Mal.4.4. De.31.9-13.
1 Which God had not only commanded to be publicly, and with peculiar solemnity, read every seventh year (De. 31. 10), but which he had commanded them to 'teach diligently to their children,' to speak of in all places and upon all occasions, and bind for frontlets between their eyes, and inscribe on the posts of their doors and their gates, De. 6. 6-9.—C.
2 And Ezra the priest ebrought the law before the congregation, both of fmen and women, and all that could hear with understanding,2 upon the gfirst day of the seventh month.
3 And he hread therein before the street that was before the water-gate3 from the morning4 until mid-day,5 before the men and the women, and those that could understand: and the iears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
h Ac.13.15,27; 15.21.
3 The Water-gate appears to have been situated on the southern side of the temple court, leading from it into Ophel, where the priests and temple servants dwelt. A gateway has recently been discovered in the massive wall, with a channel for water hewn in the rock beneath it, and running down through Ophel.—P.
4 Heb. from the light.
5 The first day of the seventh month of the sacred year, answering to September and October, was the New-year's Day of the civil year. The retirement at mid-day would not therefore be on account of the heat, but for food and rest; for 'the Lord desireth mercy and not sacrifice,' Mat.9.13. The morning or sunrise was a little before six o'clock.—C.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 6pulpit of wood,7 which they had made for the purpose; and kbeside 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.
5 And Ezra lopened the book in the sight8 of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stoodm up:
6 And Ezra nblessed the LORD, the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with olifting up their hands; and they pbowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God qdistinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.9
q ver.7. Hab.2.2. Mal.2.7. Mat.24.15; 28.20. Is.30.8. Ac.28.23.
9 The Hebrew in which Moses wrote was at this time to the Jews nearly an unknown tongue; the Chaldee, a cognate dialect, having come into use during the captivity in Babylon. The auditory, therefore, and especially the younger part, could not understand the law without translation, and all would require that exposition which would lead them from the ceremonies to Christ, 'the end of the law for righteousness,' Ro.10.4.—C.
9 And Nehemiah, which is rthe Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is sholy unto the LORD your God; mournt not nor weep: for all the people uwept when they heard the words of the law.
r Or, the governor, ch.10.1; 7.65,70. Ezr.2.63.
s Le.23.24. De.16.10,11,14,15. Is.12.1-6.
t Ec.3.4?, with Is.22.12,13.
u 2 Ki.22.11,19. Is.66.2. Ac.2.37. Hab.3.16.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat,1 and drink the sweet, and xsend portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for ythe joy of the LORD is your strength.2
1 The law forbade the eating of fat, Le. 3. 16,17; 7.23,25. Does Ezra then authorize it? No. Fat, in Hebrew, is referred to vegetable as well as to animal food, as in Ps. 147. 14, 'He filleth them with the finest (literally, the fat) of wheat.' And in Ps. 81. 16, 'He should have fed them with the fat of wheat.' See also Ge.27.28.—C.
x Es.9.22. De.16.11,14. Ja.2.15,16. 1 Jn.3.17.
y Pr.17.22. Ps.119.32; 138.5. Lu.1.74,75.
2 The joy inspired by the discovery of God's mercy in pardoning sin, and restoring our souls to his favour, and endowing us, not merely with an earthly but a heavenly inheritance, is the great source of strength, whether to will or to do, or to suffer.—C.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people,3 saying, zHold your peace; for the day is holy; neither abe ye grieved.
3 A goodly example, teaching that, in all remarkable revivals of religion, while spiritual emotion is encouraged, mere animal excitement should be suppressed.—C.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even bto understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by4 Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:5
4 Heb. in the hand of.
5 It can scarcely be imagined that the feast of tabernacles was neglected during the reigns of David, Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, or Hezekiah, and it is certainly recorded that it was celebrated immediately after the return from the captivity about 91 years before this time, under the government of Zerubbabel, Ezr. 3. 4. The meaning therefore must be that since the days of Joshua this feast had not been kept with such deep sorrow for sin, nor such overflowing thankfulness for mercy.—C.
15 And that they should dpublish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount,3 and fetch olive-branches,e and pine-branches, and myrtle-branches, and palm-branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one fupon the roof of his house,7 and in their courts, and in gthe courts of the house of God, and in the hstreet of the water-gate, and in the street of the igate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat kunder the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done lso:8 and there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he mread in the book of the law of God: and they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
m De.31.10-13.
Notes
[Ver. 1. 'The book of the law of Moses' is a proper name, and was employed and understood by the Jews as definitely as we employ the name Pentateuch. It is interesting to observe, 1. That the people all knew of the existence of such a book, and that they were acquainted with its general contents. 2. That they were aware that the book was in the possession of Ezra. It is in the highest degree probable that the book referred to was the original autograph committed by Moses to the custody of the priests, and laid up beside the ark. P.]
Reflections.—Not strong walls, but knowledge of and obedience to God, are the great safety of cities and nations. Nothing is more necessary for the establishment or preservation of true religion than a diligent study and thorough acquaintance with the word of God. Men, women, and children ought to vie with each other in their study and knowledge of it. And it is a great pleasure to faithful preachers to have hearers who hunger and thirst after it. Not only ought God's word to be read, but also explained and enforced on the conscience. And solemn prayers and praises should be joined with every public religious instruction. Sermons bid fair for success when the hearers are solemnly attentive. Nor will those who relish the word of God ever think the time long which is spent in hearing. Short sermons and soon-wearied hearers are sad tokens of cold and careless hearts. O what a happy presage it is when God's law cuts men's consciences to the quick, and makes them weep from the heart! Penitent mourning makes way for spiritual mirth. They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. And it is the pleasantest part of a minister's work to comfort with the gospel of Christ those that mourn. For the gospel explained and believed, and the consolations of Christ experienced, effectually rejoice the heart, and qualify for the performance of duty or resistance of enemies. And a sense of God's redeeming kindness powerfully instigates to charitable benevolence. But how often the institutions of God's word are unknown to the most of professors! What a multitude of things will diligent searchers of the Scriptures find there, which they had forgotten or had never duly considered! It will convince them of many negligences and ignorances. Well spent are those hours which are occupied in earnest conversing with God by his word. And happy is the effect when such as have access to it speedily and cheerfully practise whatever they find therein commanded.