Nehemiahchapter 8
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Ezra Reads the Law to the People — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
A.From morning until midday, and the people gave attentive earvv. 1-8
1 At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand. 3 So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places. 8 So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.
B.This day is holy: the joy of the LORD is your strengthvv. 9-12
9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
C.Booths of olive and myrtle, a gladness unknown since Joshuavv. 13-18
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15 So they proclaimed this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing. 18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.
Chapter summary
The book comes out in public.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
Chapter summary
The book comes out in public.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
The book comes out in public. All the people gather as one man into the broad place before the water gate and ask Ezra for the book of the law of Moses; he reads from early morning until midday before men, women, 'and all that could hear with understanding,' and the ears of all the people were attentive. He stands on a pulpit of wood; when he opens the book the people stand, answer 'Amen, Amen' with lifted hands, and bow their faces to the ground. The Levites 'gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.' The people weep, and are told, 'the joy of Jehovah is your strength.' They find the feast of booths written, and keep it with very great gladness.
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.
Context
History · Nehemiah — Nehemiah overview
- A. 1–8 From morning until midday, and the people gave attentive ear
- B. 9–12 This day is holy: the joy of the LORD is your strength
- C. 13–18 Booths of olive and myrtle, a gladness unknown since Joshua
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
Leviticus 235 verses
- Leviticus 23:4These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times.
- Leviticus 23:24“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blasts.
- Leviticus 23:34“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Feast of Tabernacles to the LORD begins, and it continues for seven days.
- Leviticus 23:36For seven days you are to present an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
- Leviticus 23:40On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.
- Read Leviticus 23 →
Nehemiah 123 verses
- Nehemiah 12:13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
- Nehemiah 12:37At the Fountain Gate they climbed the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.
- Nehemiah 12:39over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
- Read Nehemiah 12 →
Luke 242 verses
- Luke 24:32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
- Luke 24:45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Read Luke 24 →
Numbers 292 verses
- Numbers 29:1“On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.
- Numbers 29:35On the eighth day you are to hold a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
- Read Numbers 29 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
Nehemiah 112 verses
- Nehemiah 11:5and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah.
- Nehemiah 11:7From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah;
- Read Nehemiah 11 →
Nehemiah 72 verses
- Nehemiah 7:65The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.
- Nehemiah 7:70Some of the heads of the families contributed to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.
- Read Nehemiah 7 →
Psalms 1192 verses
- Psalms 119:111Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
- Psalms 119:174I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight.
- Read Psalms 119 →
Deuteronomy 162 verses
- Deuteronomy 16:13You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress.
- Deuteronomy 16:16Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.
- Read Deuteronomy 16 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.