Nehemiah 8:9

Nehemiah, whichis the Tirshatha R.V. N. which was &c. On the title here used see note on Ezra 2:63. Nehemiah in his own -Memoirs" speaks of himself as -Pekhah" (cf. Nehemiah 5:14-15; Nehemiah 5:18); and in consequence some (e.g. Smend) suggest that the title applied here and in Nehemiah 10:2 to Nehemiah, is a gloss. Others also (see note on Nehemiah 8:1) who refer the events described in this chapter to the year 457, consider Nehemiah's name to be an interpolation. But the occurrence of the title is only evidence that we are no longer dealing with the writings of Nehemiah, who would have styled himself -Pekhah." The LXX. omits the title: the Vulg. gives Athersatha. The supposition that Nehemiah purposely eschews the honorific title -Tirshatha," and prefers a more lowly term -pekhah" is based on an imaginary distinction between the words.

This dayis holy Both as a new-moon day and as the day on which the Law was read. See note on Nehemiah 8:2. It may be doubted whether Ezra could here be referring to -the Holy Convocation" prescribed for the 1st of Tisri in Leviticus 23:24. There is no mention in this context either of the Feast of Trumpets on the 1st, or of the Day of Atonement on the 9th of Tisri.

mourn not, nor weep The people had broken out into demonstrations of grief. As they listened to the words of the Law, they perceived in how many ways they had violated it. Compare the effect of hearing -the words of the book of the law" upon Josiah, 2 Kings 22:11. It is clear the people generally were ignorant of the requirements of the Law. May we not infer that the priests had kept to themselves the contents of the collections of laws?