Nehemiah 8:11

_THEN HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YOUR WAY, EAT THE FAT, AND DRINK THE SWEET, AND SEND PORTIONS UNTO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED: FOR THIS DAY IS HOLY UNTO OUR LORD: NEITHER BE YE SORRY; FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

9-12 It was a good sign that their hearts were tender, when they heard the words of the law. The people were to send portions to those for whom nothing was prepared. It is the duty of a religious feast, as well as of a religious fast, to draw out the soul to the hungry; God's bounty should make us bountiful. We must not only give to those that offer themselves, but send to those out of sight. Their strength consisted in joy in the Lord. The better we understand God's word, the more comfort we find in it; the darkness of trouble arises from the darkness of ignorance....

PART II. ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF RELIGION AMONG THE JEWS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF NEHEMIAH. EXPOSITION RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE BY EZRA, AND CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (Nehemiah 8:1.). It can scarcely be imagined that Ezra had been present in Jerusalem during the exciting scenes which have been enacted in the first part of this Book, an

II. THE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The reading of the law before the water gate (Nehemiah 8:1)_ 2. A day of joy and not of mourning (Nehemiah 8:9) 3. The keeping of the feast of tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:13) Nehemiah 8:1. This interesting chapter gives the record of a gracious revival through the reading of the law. All the people gathered themselves together as one man in the street that was before the water gate, the place which suggests the cleansing and refreshing power of the Word. And as a united people they had but one desire, to hear the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded, to I

PART IV (Nehemiah 7:73_ b_ - Nehemiah 10:39). EZRA AND THE LAW. Nehemiah 7:73 b - Nehemiah 8:12. The Reading of the Law. Nehemiah 7:73 b. These words are repeated by mistake from Ezra 3:1. NEHEMIAH 8:1. _Cf._ Ezra 7:6. It is clear that we have here only part of the ori

SO THE LEVITES STILLED THE PEOPLE. Probably those named in verse 7. They acted as the agents of Nehemiah and Ezra to make their words and wishes known. Now they repressed all manifestations of grief, and caused it to be understood that this was. feast of joy. During the exile the great feasts, celebrated only at Jerusalem, were necessarily omitted, and were, after the return, only gradually restored. The account reads as if this feast was now observed, in all its details, for the first time, since it was kept by Zerubbabel and those who returned with him. Ezra 3:4....

Nehemiah 7:73; Nehemiah 7:73. The Reading of the Law This verse begins a new section in the work. The style alters. The use of the first pers. sing. is resumed in Nehemiah 12:31. The Compiler has recourse to other material for this narrative. The thread of Nehemiah's Memoir, which was broken off at Nehemiah 7:5, is therefore not resumed. _and when the seventh month came_ R.V. AND WHEN THE SEVENTH MONTH WAS COME. The R.V. gives the right division of the verse. The second clause introduces a new section. Very similar words occur in Ezra 3:1 aft

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

THE READING OF THE LAW BY EZRA 1. The street] RV 'the broad place': and so in Nehemiah 8:3; Nehemiah 8:16. THE WATER GATE] This probably led to the spring of Gihon (the Virgin's spring)....

THE *JEWS BUILD JERUSALEM’S CITY WALL AGAIN NEHEMIAH _ROBERT BRYCE AND ROBERT BETTS_ CHAPTER 8 In Nehemiah 7:6-73, Nehemiah copied the register of the first people who returned from *exile. This happened about 90 years before Nehemiah became the ruler of *Judah. In chapter 8, Nehemiah continues to explain the events while he ruled *Judah. He had arranged a special meeting for all the *Jews (Nehemiah 8:1-4). In fact, there were several meetings. They happened on the sacred holidays that were in the 7th month of the year. At the end of these meetings, the people would decide which *Jews would live in Jerusalem (chapter 11). But first, Nehemiah wanted the people to learn about God. They did not yet know abo