Nehemiah 8

Ne 8:1-8.

RELIGIOUS

MANNER OF

READING AND

HEARING THE

LAW.

1. all the people gathered themselves together as one man--The

occasion was the celebration of the feast of the seventh month

(Ne 7:73).

The beginning of every month was ushered in as a sacred festival; but

this, the commencement of the seventh month, was kept with

distinguished honor as "the feast of trumpets," which extended over two

days. It was the first day of the seventh ecclesiastical year, and the

new year's day of the Jewish civil year, on which account it was held

as "a great day." The place where the general concourse of people was

held was "at the water gate," on the south rampart. Through that gate

the Nethinims or Gibeonites brought water into the temple, and there

was a spacious area in front of it.

they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of

Moses--He had come to Jerusalem twelve or thirteen years previous

to Nehemiah. He either remained there or had returned to Babylon in

obedience to the royal order, and for the discharge of important

duties. He had returned along with Nehemiah, but in a subordinate

capacity. From the time of Nehemiah's appointment to the dignity of

tirshatha, Ezra had retired into private life. Although cordially

and zealously co-operating with the former patriot in his important

measures of reform, the pious priest had devoted his time and attention

principally toward producing a complete edition of the canonical

Scriptures. The public reading of the Scriptures was required by the

law to be made every seventh year; but during the long period of the

captivity this excellent practice, with many others, had fallen into

neglect, till revived, on this occasion. That there was a strong and

general desire among the returned exiles in Jerusalem to hear the word

of God read to them indicates a greatly improved tone of religious

feeling.

4. Ezra . . . stood upon a pulpit of wood--Not made in the form known

to us, but only a raised scaffold or platform, broad enough to allow

fourteen persons to stand with ease upon it. Ezra's duty was very

laborious, as he continued reading aloud from morning until midday, but

his labor was lightened by the aid of the other priests present. Their

presence was of importance, partly to show their cordial agreement with

Ezra's declaration of divine truth; and partly to take their share with

him in the important duty of publicly reading and expounding the

Scripture.

5. when he opened it, all the people stood up--This attitude they

assumed either from respect to God's word, or, rather, because the

reading was prefaced by a solemn prayer, which was concluded by a

general expression of "Amen, Amen."

7, 8. caused the people to understand the law . . . gave the

sense--Commentators are divided in opinion as to the import of this

statement. Some think that Ezra read the law in pure Hebrew, while

the Levites, who assisted him, translated it sentence by sentence into

Chaldee, the vernacular dialect which the exiles spoke in Babylon.

Others maintain that the duty of these Levites consisted in explaining

to the people, many of whom had become very ignorant, what Ezra had

read.

Ne 8:9-15.

THE

PEOPLE

COMFORTED.

9, 10. This day is holy unto the Lord . . . mourn not, nor weep--A deep

sense of their national sins, impressively brought to their remembrance

the people with penitential sorrow. But notwithstanding the painful

remembrances of their national sins which the reading of the law

awakened, the people were exhorted to cherish the feelings of joy and

thankfulness associated with a sacred festival

(see on

Le 23:24).

(De 16:11, 14;

Es 9:19),

they would also enable them to participate in the public

rejoicings.

Ne 8:16-18.

THEY

KEEP THE

FEAST OF

TABERNACLES.

16. the people went forth, and brought . . . and made themselves

booths, &c.--(See on

Le 23:34;

De 16:13).

17. since the days of Jeshua . . . had not the children of Israel done

so--This national feast had not been neglected for so protracted a

period. Besides that it is impossible that such a flagrant disregard

of the law could have been tolerated by Samuel, David, and other pious

rulers, its observance is sufficiently indicated

(1Ki 8:2, 65;

2Ch 7:9)

and expressly recorded

(Ezr 3:4).

But the meaning is, that the popular feelings had never been raised to

such a height of enthusiastic joy since the time of their entrance into

Canaan, as now on their return after a long and painful captivity.

18. Also day by day . . . he read in the book of the law of God--This

was more than was enjoined

(De 31:10-12),

and arose from the exuberant zeal of the time.

on the eighth day was a solemn assembly--This was the last and great

day of the feast

(see on

Nu 29:35).

In later times, other ceremonies which increased the rejoicing were

added

(Joh 7:37).