Nehemiah 8:9-12

2. The people celebrate with joy and feasting.

TEXT, Nehemiah 8:9-12

9

Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

10

Then he said to them, Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. DO not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

11

So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, Be still, for the day is holy, do not be grieved.

12

And all the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

COMMENT

In Nehemiah 8:9 the people wept, apparently at their shortcomings now revealed by the reading of the Law. But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites all acted together in asking the people to cease, because the occasion was to be one of joy. (Note the comments on Nehemiah 8:1 dealing with Ezra's and Nehemiah's working together in harmony.) Every Jewish feast was unsuited for sorrow (Deuteronomy 12:7; Deuteronomy 12:12); it is noteworthy that all but one of Israel's holy days were feasts instead of fasts; theirs was to be a religion of joy. But this was especially true of the Feast of Trumpets or of the first of the month; note again Numbers 10:10.

One reason which has been suggested for this joy prescribed in the Law was to counteract the Canaanite weeping for Tammuz.[68] The women planted anemones (pleasant plants) as reminders of the god Tammuz, whose death brought on the winter. Then every Spring, when the new green shoots came from the anemone bulb, supposedly marking the god's return to life, they rejoiced and staged an orgiastic celebration to assure the fertility of the soil. But there are also enough positive reasons in Judaism for their rejoicing frequently before God.

[68] Interpreter's Bible, Vol. III, p. 738.

In Nehemiah 8:10 the method of celebration, by feasting and sharing, is part of the pattern for their festivals, specifically the Feast of Weeks and Booths (Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14). The fat part of the meat would be regarded as the daintiest morsels, the most tender; it would be rich food compared to their ordinary fare. It is estimated that in their culture meat was a luxury enjoyed only once every few weeks. The sweet would refer to any sweet drink, of the vine, or other fruit or honeyed juices, especially unfermented. (The word is related to unleavened: see Word Studies, Ezra 6.) The food was shared not only with the poor but with any of the people who had not prepared any. Their delight in the Lord would give them strength. There is a power that comes through joy.

In Nehemiah 8:11 the Levites are portrayed as marshals, keeping order at the feast.

Nehemiah 8:12 indicates that the people caught the significance of the command to rejoice.

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.