*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.
8:1 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.
8:2 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.
8:3 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.
8:4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit 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.
8:5 And 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: 8:6 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.
8:7 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.
8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, 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.
8:10 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.
8:11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
8:12 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.
8:13 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 understand the words of the law.
8:14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: 8:15 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.
8:16 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.
8:17 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.
8:18 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.