Introduction
‘When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.’ Nehemiah 7:73-8:1-8
EZRA READS THE LAW
The last verse of the previous chapter, Nehemiah 7:73, should be the beginning of this chapter, for that reason I’ve included it here. This chapter and the next, record of great revival and restoration among the Jews. Notice that everyone gathered in front of the Water Gate, Nehemiah 8:1 / Nehemiah 8:3, it was given its name because of an underground stream which ran nearby that was used to provide water for the temple.
The Water Gate led into the temple area where a ritual bath was taken by the priests to make them clean to do their duties in the temple. This area required the use of ‘living water’ or running water, not just water from a well. While this gate was the pathway to living water, it was now going to be used as a place where the living Word of God would be read, John 4:10.
They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which God had commanded for Israel, Nehemiah 8:1. Nehemiah uses the terms ‘law of Moses’, Nehemiah 8:1, and ‘book of the law’ interchangeably but they refer to the same law. The reason the phrase ‘law of Moses’ is used is simply to remind us that the ‘book of the law’ was given through Moses.
The wall was physically rebuilt in the sixth month and now it was time to start building up the spiritual walls, which began in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, Nehemiah 8:2, which corresponds with our August and September.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the seventh month Nehemiah 8:2.
‘This was the first day of what was called the civil year; and on it was the feast of trumpets, the year being ushered in by the sound of these instruments.’
We’re not told where Ezra was or what he was doing before this time but we do know he was a scribe, Ezra 7:10 / Ezra 7:25. Some commentators suggest that he was gone and then came back, others suggest that Ezra had been teaching the people the word of God and in doing so, he was laying the groundwork for what happened at this time in the history of the returnees.
The Pulpit Commentary, says the following.
‘The most probable explanation is that he had been recalled to Persia in 456 B.C., and that now, eleven years later in 444 B.C., he was allowed to return to Jerusalem.’
And so, on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand, Nehemiah 8:2. Ezra opened the book, that is, the scroll, and began to read early in the morning until midday, Nehemiah 8:3. Notice everyone listened attentively to the Book of the Law Nehemiah 8:3.
This event was obviously planned because they made a platform made of wood for Ezra to stand on so the people would be to see him and hear him better, Nehemiah 8:4-5. There were six men to his right and seven men to his left, Nehemiah 8:4, but we’re not told why this was. It’s possible they were there to help all these other men that are named and the Levites who were making sure the people understood what they were hearing from the Word of God.
When he opened up the book of the Law Moses, the people stood up, Nehemiah 8:5, and listened carefully because they wanted to know what Law said, so they could live their life by it. Notice that they stood up in respect of the word and lifted their hands in praise, Nehemiah 8:6. We must remember that at this time in history there were only a few copies of the law available, hence, why they greatly cherished hearing the words of God.
The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, says the following.
‘The people listened to Ezra and his fellow priests as they read from various scrolls of the Pentateuch, no doubt including Leviticus 23:23-25, regarding the Feast of Trumpets, and the portions describing the Feast of Tabernacles; but much moral instruction from various parts of the Pentateuch must also have been read.’
When the reading was finished, the people said ‘amen, amen’ and they raised up their hands as their custom was and they bowed their heads and they worshipped God, Nehemiah 8:6. They bowed their heads and worshiped because they were moved by what they heard. If only people had the same respect for the Word of God today! If only people were just as excited today when they hear or study God’s Word. There were certain Levite men whose responsibility was to instruct the people, Nehemiah 8:7, that is, help the people to understand what was being readout, Nehemiah 8:8.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the men.
‘The names here, and in Nehemiah 9:4 / Nehemiah 9:5 / Nehemiah 10:9, seem not to be the personal appellations of individuals but rather designations of Levitical families, the descendants respectively of Jeshua, etc., who lived not later than the time of Zerubbabel, Nehemiah 7:43 / Nehemiah 12:8.’
It’s worth noting that those who returned from captivity were second and third-generation Jews, and so, they would have spoken in Aramaic, the language of the Persians. When Ezra read the law on this occasion, he would have read it in the Hebrew language, which has now their second language.
Some commentators suggest that this reading would have taken around three to six hours. Unlike today when a preacher goes on for more than thirty minutes, these people are happy just to hear what God had to say in His law.
‘Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.’ Nehemiah 8:9-12
These verses tell us again that Nehemiah was the governor of Judea and Ezra is a priest and scribe, Nehemiah 8:9 / Ezra 7:10 / Ezra 7:25. Although this was a holy day and not a day of mourning or weeping, the people were weeping, Nehemiah 8:9. But why were they weeping? They were weeping because they had just heard the Law of God being read and their hearts would have been moved when they realised they had sinned against God. Their repentance is seen in their keeping of the feasts that are described in this and the following chapters.
Notice he tells the people for the joy of the LORD is your strength, Nehemiah 8:10 / John 15:11, that’s because they now understand the grace of God, Isaiah 41:18 / John 4:14. They can be filled with joy because they now realise that they have been forgiven, John 15:11 / Philippians 4:4. Ezra wants these Jews to rejoice because they have understood the Law of God and they can start from this point forward by keeping the Law of God. The people listened and they rejoiced and went off and ate and drank and gave food and drink to those who were in need, Nehemiah 8:10 / Deuteronomy 16:11 / Deuteronomy 16:14.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In Nehemiah 8:10, the Jews were not forbidden to be sorry for their sins but they were only prohibited from marring a festive occasion with the expression of their sorrow.’
The Levites calmed all the people by telling them to be still, for this is a holy day, it’s not a day to grieve, Nehemiah 8:11. Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them, Nehemiah 8:12.
‘On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.’ Nehemiah 8:13-18
They came back the second day wanting to know more, Nehemiah 8:13, and the Law was read and explained for the seven days of the feast of the temporary shelters, Nehemiah 8:14. Wouldn’t it be so encouraging if Christians today had this same hunger to hear and learn from God’s Word more than once a week! Psalms 119:97.
The Pulpit Commentary, says the following.
‘Once let the sweetness of the Divine Word be tasted, and there springs up in the heart instantly a desire for more, like that feeling of the Psalmist who wrote, ‘Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day,’ Psalms 119:97.’
When they had read in the Law that they were to live in temporary shelters, Nehemiah 8:14, they obeyed God’s command concerning the feast of tabernacles, Leviticus 23:40-43 / Leviticus 24:1-9. They made sure that everyone was following this command and they gathered all the necessary supplies to build the shelters, Nehemiah 8:15. This feast and these temporary shelters were designed to remind them of the forefather’s journey in the wilderness where they only had temporary living accommodation as they made their way to the Promise Land.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘That is, the feast of tabernacles, which was held in commemoration of the sojourning of their fathers in the wilderness after they had been delivered from the Egyptian bondage. Now, having been delivered from the Babylonish captivity and the proper time of the year occurring, it was their especial duty to keep the same feast.’
Notice the text implies that this feast hadn’t been observed in the way it’s being described here, Nehemiah 8:17, since the days of Joshua who lived and led Israel in the conquest of the land about one thousand years before. Here they are doing exactly as the Law prescribes and all of them were involved in this feast and it brought them great joy, Nehemiah 8:17 / John 15:11, knowing that they were doing what Law required of them.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘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, 1 Kings 8:2 / 1 Kings 8:65 / Ezra 3:4, but that there had been no such celebration like this since Joshua‘s time, 2 Kings 23:22 / 2 Chronicles 35:18.’
From the first day of the feast to the last, for seven days, they read from the law, Nehemiah 8:18 / 1 Timothy 4:13. Then on the eighth day, there was a sacred assembly, Nehemiah 8:18, which was in accordance with the Law, Leviticus 23:36.