Nehemiah 8:1-8

TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT

II. The Law is Read in Public, and its Ceremonies are Resumed: Chapter s 8-10
A. The Law is Read and the Feast of Booths is Kept.
1. Ezra instructs the people in the Law.

TEXT, Nehemiah 8:1-8

1

And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

2

Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

3

And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

4

And Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.

5

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

6

Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen! while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped 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, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place.

8

And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

COMMENT

The highlight of this chapter is the reading of God's word. Dr. Ironside,[63] in writing on this chapter, notes that In every genuine revival. the revealed Word of God has had a large place. He points to several examples, including the Reformation and its emphasis on translating and publishing the Bible to make it a book of the people.

[63] Ironside, op, cit., p. 87. His seven-point outline of this chapter is delightful, though a bit fanciful.

Nehemiah 8:1 speaks of the people's assembly as one man, referring to their unanimity of purpose rather than their 100% attendance. The assembly was at a city square, not the Temple, suggesting that it arose out of popular demand instead of religious command. Observe also that the people made the request that the Law of Moses be brought and read to them. Nehemiah is in the background now, and Ezra is on the stage. Interestingly, The Cambridge Bible sees the people striking a blow against the monopoly of religion by the priests.[64] The Expositor's Bible sees just the opposite. As the civil ruler thus takes a lower ground in the presence of the religious leader, we seem to be anticipating those days of the triumph of the Church when a king would stand like a groom, to hold the horse of a pope.[65] Why see conflict in it? Perhaps Ezra and Nehemiah were working together in harmony. Evidently Ezra was known to them, and he was the logical one to go to with their request. This is the first mention of him in Nehemiah.

[64] Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, op. cit., p. 241.

[65] Walter F. Adenay, Expositor's Bible, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, p. 274.

There had evidently been an ebb in the spiritual conditions during the twelve years since the close of Ezra's book. Some suppose that this could only be accounted for if Ezra had returned to Babylon during this time, returning only for this occasion. Others believe that his work had been effective only briefly.
The people's reverence for the Word is seen in their conviction that their Lord had given it to His people Israel; they were the People of the Book.

Nehemiah 8:2 indicates the extensive interest in the reading: men, women, and all who could understand. This is presumed to include children, but it also may be translated, from man to woman, that is, all who (are able) to hear with discernment. Similar phraseology in Nehemiah 8:3 also does not necessitate the presence of children, though it is possible to translate the passages to include them. Even the involvement of women in a religious service or festival in the O.T. was rare; this was indeed an exceptional occasion.

The date, the first day of the seventh month, may have been significant for two reasons. It was the date for the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23 ff, Ezra 3:1), though its name is never mentioned and one wonders if any but the religious leaders were conscious of this (cf. Nehemiah 8:9-10). Also, the first day of every month was holy and was marked by the joyous sound of trumpets (Numbers 10:10).

Nehemiah 8:3 implies that the book of the law from which Ezra read was of extensive length; it required five or six hours, from dawn to noon. The verses that follow indicate, however, that much of the time may have been taken up by explanation and even discussion. The attention of the people was noteworthy enough to deserve special comment.

Nehemiah 8:4-8 expand the information given in Nehemiah 8:3.

Nehemiah 8:4 is the first mention in the Bible of a raised platform constructed for speaking. It was built large enough to accommodate fourteen men; these others probably assisted Ezra in the reading, since Nehemiah 8:7 gives an entirely different list of those who did the teaching and explaining. Or they may have been there to add their testimony and influence to the occasion. That these men were laymen is suggested by several factors. (1) They are not identified as priests or Levites as the men in Nehemiah 8:7 are. (2) Their names do not appear in any of the lists of priests or Levites elsewhere in the book. (3) This was, as noted in Nehemiah 8:1, a popular meeting rather than a religious one, and the leaders therefore were probably from among the people.

Nehemiah 8:5 gives a reason for the raised platform, that the people might see. It also indicates that the people stood in reverence when the Law was opened up. It is not clear from this passage whether they continued to stand as the scroll was being read.

In Nehemiah 8:6 the expression, the great God, is taken to reflect Babylonian influence;[66] the two words appear elsewhere in the Bible, but always with another adjective between. Whatever its source, it is a reverent and true designation. The lifting of hands could indicate petition (Lamentations 2:19; Psalms 141:2); blessing (Psalms 134:2); affirmation or oath (Genesis 14:22 footnote); note particularly its association here with Amen. Bowing with faces lowered indicated adoration.

[66] Interpreter's Bible, Vol. III, p. 736.

Nehemiah 8:7 gives the names of teachers on this occasion. The and should probably be omitted (this is permissible on the basis of the Hebrew), particularly since several of these names can be identified as Levites from other sources, in Nehemiah 12:8 for example. The Levites were given the responsibility in the Law to teach their brethren. The last phrase, remained in their place, could be translated stood.

In Nehemiah 8:8 it appears that the thirteen mentioned in the previous verse participated in the reading of the Scripture, and made explanations or translations as they went along. It is possible that they took turns reading and speaking. It is also possible that the assembly divided into smaller classes or discussion groups, with one in charge of each, thus giving each person an opportunity to pry until he completely understood a passage. Some see this verse as evidence that the exiles returned speaking Aramaic instead of Hebrew, and therefore the older text had to be translated for their understanding. Others note that Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were written to the Jewish people after the Captivity, and they are in Hebrew; therefore exposition of the Scriptures is involved here. It is known that they had adopted Aramaic, the more general dialect of the area, by the time the N.T. was written,[67] but not before Jerusalem had resisted the onslaught of Assyrian armies after the fall of Samaria (2 Kings 18:26).

[67] This is a point that Joseph Smith overlooked when he had Jesus speaking an Aramaic word (Raca, 3 Nephi 12:22) to the supposed descendants of immigrants to America who had left Jerusalem before the Captivity, when they were still speaking Hebrew. See comments following Ezra 4:7, page 52.

WORD STUDIES

AMEN (Nehemiah 8:6: pronounced in Hebrew the same as in English): the basic idea is of something firm, like a foundation or support or pillar of a building. A thing which is built on a firm foundation is durable and lasting. A person of this kind would be faithful; his conduct and his words would be true.

In Nehemiah 10:1 this same word forms the base of the word translated DOCUMENT: something confirmed and sure. UNDERSTAND (Nehemiah 8:2; Nehemiah 8:8: Bin): separate, distinguish. It indicates discerning or understanding as they are dependent on the power of separating or distinguishing or discriminating. Intelligence and wisdom are dependent on this.

The preposition translated between is derived from this word.