Nehemiah 8:1-18

The *Jews build Jerusalem’s city wall again

Nehemiah

Robert Bryce and Robert Betts

Chapter 8

In Nehemiah 7:6-73, Nehemiah copied the register of the first people who returned from *exile. This happened about 90 years before Nehemiah became the ruler of *Judah.

In chapter 8, Nehemiah continues to explain the events while he ruled *Judah. He had arranged a special meeting for all the *Jews (Nehemiah 8:1-4). In fact, there were several meetings. They happened on the sacred holidays that were in the 7th month of the year.

At the end of these meetings, the people would decide which *Jews would live in Jerusalem (chapter 11). But first, Nehemiah wanted the people to learn about God. They did not yet know about God’s law. And they did not know how to serve God.

So, Ezra and the *Levites taught the people. The people confessed their *sins. Then they made an important agreement (Chapter s 9 and 10). They promised that they would serve God. And they promised to provide everything that the priests needed for the *temple.

v1 Then all the people gathered together in the square that was in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring the book of the Law of Moses. The *Lord had told *Israel to obey this Law. v2 So on the first day of the 7th month, Ezra the priest brought the book. He brought the book of the Law to all the people. Both men and women were there. Children who were old enough to understand the Law were there, too. v3 Ezra stood. And he looked towards the square that was in front of the Water Gate. He stood in front of the men, the women and the children who could understand. Ezra read the Law aloud from dawn until midday. Everybody listened carefully. They wanted to understand what Ezra was reading from the book of the Law.

v4 Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that people had made especially for this occasion. On Ezra’s right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah. On Ezra’s left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.