*Nehemiah 8:1-18
Ezra reads the Law of Moses to the gathered Israelites, who mourn their sins but are comforted by its message and celebrate with a week-long festival.
- Gathering of the People:
- All the people gather together as one in the square before the Water Gate in Jerusalem, with men, women, and all who can understand joining in the assembly.
- They gather to hear the reading of the Book of the Law of Moses, which had been recently brought back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon.
- Ezra the Scribe:
- Ezra the priest and scribe stands on a high wooden platform built for the occasion, accompanied by other Levites who assist him in instructing the people.
- Ezra opens the book in the sight of all the people, and as he does, the people stand up in reverence and respect for the word of God.
- Reading of the Law:
- From early morning until midday, Ezra reads aloud from the Book of the Law of God, carefully explaining its meaning and significance to the people, who listen attentively.
- The Levites walk among the people, helping them to understand the words of the Law and instructing them in its interpretation.
- Response of the People:
- As Ezra reads from the Law, the people respond with tears of repentance and contrition, mourning over their past disobedience and sinfulness before God.
- They recognize the significance of the Law in revealing God’s standards and their own failure to live up to them, and they express a heartfelt desire to return to obedience and righteousness.
- Encouragement and Reassurance:
- Ezra and the Levites encourage the people, telling them not to mourn or weep but to rejoice and celebrate instead, for the day is holy to the Lord.
- They remind the people that the joy of the Lord is their strength and encourage them to partake in the feast of the Lord, sharing their food and drink with those who have none.
- Obedience to the Law:
- On the second day of the assembly, the heads of the families, along with the priests and Levites, gather together with Ezra to study the Law more deeply and to understand its requirements.
- They discover in the Law that the Israelites are commanded to observe the Feast of Tabernacles, and they obey this command, celebrating the feast with great joy and enthusiasm.
- Renewed Commitment:
- The people respond to the reading of the Law with a renewed commitment to obey God’s commands and to live according to His will.
- They pledge themselves to follow the Law of Moses with all their hearts, souls, and strength, and they promise to uphold its teachings and statutes for generations to come.
Nehemiah 8:1-18 shows us the power of God’s Word to bring joy and renewal. When the people heard the Scriptures, they listened carefully, understood them, and responded with both sorrow and celebration. This reminds us that reading the Bible isn’t just about knowing facts—it’s about letting God’s truth change our hearts. Sometimes it convicts us, but it also brings joy and strength. Just like the people in Nehemiah’s time, we should take time to understand God’s Word, apply it to our lives, and celebrate the joy that comes from following Him.
Nehemiah 8:1-18 (WEB)
8:1 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God.All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place. 8 They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.9 Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to the LORD your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.”12 All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.13 On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded by 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 out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make temporary shelters, as it is written.”16 So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. 17 All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters and lived in the temporary shelters, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.