Nehemiah 8:3

_AND EZRA THE PRIEST BROUGHT THE LAW BEFORE THE CONGREGATION BOTH OF MEN AND WOMEN, AND ALL THAT COULD HEAR WITH UNDERSTANDING, UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-8 Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of religion, as acceptably performed in one place as in another. Masters of families should bring their families with them to the public worship of God. Women and children have souls to save, and are therefore to acquaint themselves with the word of God, and to attend on the means of grace. Little ones, as they come to reason, must be trained up in religion. Ministers when they go to the pulpit, should take their Bibles with them; Ezra did so. Thence they must fetch their knowledge; according to that rule they must speak, and must show that they do so. Reading the Scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of God, whereby he is honoured, and his church edified. Those who hear the word, should understand it, else it is to them but an empty sound of words. It is ther...

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

AND HE READ... FROM THE MORNING UNTIL THE MIDDAY. This was continued on the second day, (verse 13) and probably each day during the feast. It must be ever borne in mind that there were then no printed books, and no paper if the art of printing had been known. Parchment was scarce and costly, and hence, copies of the law, or of any work were rare. Therefore, it was needful that the greater part of the people learn by _hearing,_ rather than by reading. Hence, during this festival, the regular gatherings of the entire body, for half of the day to listen to the reading and explanation of the law. The eagerness of the people to hear is greatly to their credit. "They were attentive unto the book of the law." How listless, indifferent and heedless are many now who gather regularly at the sanctuaries, while the Scriptures are read! Such indifference is contemptuous to God....

MORNING. daylight. MEN. Hebrew, plural _'enosh_. App-14....

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

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 sc

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)....