Nehemiah 8

Ezra Summons the People to Obey the Law

1-5 In the 7th month, 1st day, the people gather in the square in front of the Water Gate, and Ezra the scribe, standing on a wooden platform, opens up the book of the law. As he opens it, all the people stand. I appreciate this show of respect for God’s word.

6-8 Ezra blesses the LORD, the people say “Amen, Amen” and worship, prostate on the ground. As the law is read, the Levites help them understand it. After reading three commentaries about this, I’m not sure how to picture this. [And how could anyone be sure? None of us were there.] The Levites either translated the law from Hebrew to Chaldean, or they explained it to them in practical terms. Also, they either took turns with Ezra reading and interpreting the law for the people, who had never heard it before, or stood among the crowd and explained the reading to the people around them.. In any case, this was not just a cursory reading of the law. Ezra and the Levites wanted to make sure the people understood it. It’s possible it was a combination of translation and interpretation. And it makes sense to me that the Levites led “small groups” to ensure that everyone in each group understood.

9-12 Because the people wept when they heard the law, Nehemiah the governor, Ezra (priest and scribe) and the Levites tell them not to weep, but to celebrate this holy day by eating and drinking sweet wine, and to share with those who had nothing prepared. “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The people obey with great rejoicing “because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” Several observations here: 1) The voice changes from Nehemiah’s first person narrative to third person. 2) “The joy of the LORD is your strength” are the words of a song we sing. I would have guessed it came from one of the psalms, not Nehemiah. Being able to picture the circumstances of these encouraging words gives it a deeper meaning. 3) Their joy came from understanding the mind and will of God.

Celebration of the Festival of Booths

13-15 On the 2nd day, ancestral heads come to Ezra to study the law and discover they should be celebrating the Festival of Booths, so they spread the word that people should go out and gather branches of leafy trees to make booths. Doing what they read!

16-17 The people construct tents of tree branches on their roofs, in their courts, in the temple court, and in the Water Gate and Gate of Ephraim squares and live in them, which had not been done since the days of Joshua.

18 They keep the festival seven days, Ezra reading from the law every day, with a solemn assembly on the eighth. It’s so refreshing so read the book of Nehemiah, because the people not only have a will to work; they have a will to learn and to worship. So different from their ancestors, who were defiant and willful, rebelling against God’s words brought by His prophets.