Nehemiah 8:17

_AND ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THEM THAT WERE COME AGAIN OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY MADE BOOTHS, AND SAT UNDER THE BOOTHS: FOR SINCE THE DAYS OF JESHUA THE SON OF NUN UNTO THAT DAY HAD NOT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DONE SO. AND THERE WAS VERY GREAT GLADNESS._ 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; because, 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, 1 Kings 8:2; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chronicles 7:9; and expressly recorded,...

13-18 They found written in the law about the feast of tabernacles. Those who diligently search the Scriptures, find things written there which they have forgotten. This feast of tabernacles was a representation of the believer's tabernacle state in this world, and a type of the holy joy of the gospel church. The conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ, is foretold under the figure of this feast, Zechariah 14:16. True religion will render us strangers and pilgrims upon earth. We read and hear the word acceptably and profitably, when we do according to what is written therein; when what appears to be our duty is revived, after it has been neglected. They minded the substance; else the ceremony had been of no use. They did it, rejoicing in God and his goodness. These are the means which the Spirit of God crowns with success, in bringing the hearts of sinners to tremble and to bec...

Verse Nehemiah 8:17. _SINCE THE DAYS OF JOSHUA_] No feast of tabernacles since Joshua's time had been so heartily and so piously celebrated. The story of the _sacred fire_ now discovered, which had been hidden by the order of Jeremiah in a dry well, and now, some of the mud from the bottom being brought upon the altar, was kindled afresh by the rays of the sun, which suddenly broke out, though before covered with clouds, c., is worthy of no credit. Those who wish to see the detail may consult _2Mac 1:18-36_. ON the subject in Nehemiah 8:8, I beg leave to make a few observations:-_So they read in the book in the law of God_ _distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the_ _reading_. The Israelites, having been lately brought out of the Baby

It is not the intention of the writer to state that the Feast of tabernacles had not been kept from the time of Joshua until this occasion (see 1 Kings 8:2, 1 Kings 8:65; Ezra 3:4); but that there had been no such celebration as this since Joshua’s time. Compare 2 Kings 23:22; 2 Chronicles 35:18....

EXPOSITION NEHEMIAH 8:13 AND ON THE SECOND DAY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS. At times it is true that "increase of appetite doth grow by what it feeds on." Once let the sweetness of the Divine word be tasted and appreciated, and there springs up in the heart instantly a desire for more—a wish to continue in the study—a feeling like that of the Psalmist when he said, "Lord, what love have I unto thy law: _all the day long _is my study in it" (Psalms 119:97). The Jews, taught by Ezra in the law of God on the first day of the month, return to him on the second, desirous of hearing more, hungering and thirsting after the word of life, of which they have felt the power and the excellency. TO UNDERSTAND. Rather,

FOR SINCE THE DAYS OF JESHUA It is not meant that there had not been some formal observance of the feast of tabernacles (cf) (2 Chronicles 8:13); (Ezekiel 3:4), but that the people had not dwelt in booths since Joshua's days....

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

CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. The further reading of the Law and its more minute study show that this is just the time at which the Feast of Tabernacles ought to be celebrated; the people, who are apparently quite ignorant of this feast, forthwith proceed to celebrate it. Nehemiah 8:14. they found written in the law: see Exodus 23:26; Leviticus 23:39; Numbers 29:12; Deuteronomy 16:13. Nehemiah 8:17. for since

JESHUA. Another spelling of Joshua. NOT... DONE SO. 2 Chronicles 8:13 speaks only of the offerings required by the Law, which Solomon offered. Nothing is said _th_. _r_. of what the People did; so that there is no "discrepancy", as is alleged. ISRAEL. See note on 1 Kings 12:17....

_that were come again out of the captivity_ Compare for this expression Ezra 6:21, -the children of Israel, which were come again out of the captivity" (_haggôlah_). Here the word for -captivity" is _sh'bhi_with a possible play on the word for -that were come again" (_hasshâbim_). The fullest description is given in the wording of Ezra 8:35. _since the days of Jeshua … done so_ It is quite clear that the writer does not mean that the Feast of Tabernacles had never been celebrated -since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun"; but that the strict observance had not been carried out during all that long period. The emphasis therefore rests on -done so." See notes on Ezra 3:4, &c., where the celebration of this feast by Zerub