Nehemiah 8:1-18
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 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.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpita of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sightb of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha,c and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 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.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understandd the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded bye Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
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.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Nehemiah 8:2. Upon the first day of the seventh month, the day when the civil year began, reckoned from the creation of the world. Ezra began the year, like Adam, with a holy convocation. He, and others succeeding him, read with loud voices, and the Amens of the people made loud echoes in the courts.
Nehemiah 8:8. They read in the book, the Hebrew of Moses, and gave the sense in the Chaldaic language, which from thence was the language of the country; but so mixed with Hebrew and other oriental words as to occasion it to be called the Syro-Chaldaic. This method was popular, and induced learned men to write the Targums named in the preface to this Commentary. In those Targums the Word of the Lord, that is the Messiah speaking to the prophets, is of constant occurrence.
In the primitive church, this practice was continued. The fathers expounded the reading of the day, and left their homilies behind, which have come down to us. This then is the difference between the homily and the sermon; the former expounds the scriptures, the latter discusses a particular subject.
Nehemiah 8:18. Day by day he read in the book of the law. At the feast of tabernacles they read the whole of the law to the people, in portions during the seven days.
REFLECTIONS.
Hail infant state, and rising church! Hail to the governor, and hail to the priest! Blessed restorers of Israel's feasts and Israel's joys. Let us follow so fine an example. The law of the Lord says, Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and the stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of his law. The same reason for it holds good under the gospel.
We ought to exercise ourselves to religious services with great seriousness and solemnity: Nehemiah 8:5. Nehemiah began with prayer, the people joined, and used a very reverent posture. It is very proper when we take the word of God into our hands, to begin with an act of devotion. There is a peculiar propriety in commencing public worship with prayer for the divine presence, assistance, and blessing; and those persons are worthy of blame who are seldom in time to join in that act of devotion in the solemn assembly.
When the word of God is read and expounded, it becomes us to pay the utmost attention to it: Nehemiah 8:7. Notice is taken that the people stood in their place; there was no moving about, shifting their places, or any other marks of irreverence or inattention. On the contrary, the people were attentive to the book of the law: Nehemiah 8:3. When God speaks, man must hear. Looking about to observe who comes in, is highly indecent; it is an affront to God, whose word we read; disrespectful to those who read and explain it, and depriving ourselves of the benefit we might gain by it. Let us imitate this example, and give diligent heed to the things that are spoken.
We learn the benefit of holy joy, and keeping holy days with cheerfulness. Sabbaths, or holy convocations, ought to be kept with joy: the mind should be cheerful and thankful. Joy in God and his goodness, especially in giving us spiritual blessings, should be maintained; the joy of the Lord is our strength. It is our duty to go on with vigour: this will support and encourage us under adversities, and secure the divine blessing; for the Lord meets those that rejoice in him, and work righteousness. We are allowed to eat the fat and drink the sweet on holy days; but it should be done with moderation, lest it make us drowsy, and unfit us for religious exercises, and should always be attended with charity to the poor. We should send portions to those who have not our plenty. Works of charity are peculiarly proper on solemn feast days; and the goodness of God to us should make us bountiful and charitable to our poor brethren. We serve a good master, who loves to see his servants cheerful, easy, and happy; and nothing will contribute more to this than to do all in our power to make our devotion lively, and our charity warm and extensive. God loves a devout worshipper, and a cheerful giver.