Chapter Eight

1–2. Gathering of the people for reading the Book of the Law. 3–8. Reading of the Law on the first day of the seventh month. 9–12 The impression made upon the people. 13–18. Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Nehemiah 8:1. When the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel lived in their cities, then all the people gathered together as one person, at the square in front of the Water Gate, and said to the scribe Ezra that he should bring the book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord commanded to Israel. “When the seventh month came.” The writer does not precisely designate the time of the accomplishment of the important events described in ch. VIII-X. In the content of ch. VIII-X itself, there are also no clear indications of the year to which these chapters belong. Because of this, there is disagreement among scholars on this point. In 1 Esd 9:37-55 the account of the reading of the Law in the seventh month follows the report of the exile, at the insistence of Ezra, of women of foreign nations, which is discussed in the first book of Ezra IX-X. Taking this into account, some scholars consider the section under examination (Nehemiah VIII-X) a direct continuation of the first book of Ezra IX-X. The course of events in this case appears as follows: in the 5th month of the 7th year of Artaxerxes I Longimanus (458 before Christ) Ezra arrived in Jerusalem Ezra 7:8; on the 20th day of the ninth month of the same year, a popular decree was made regarding the removal of women of foreign nations Ezra 10:9; the implementation of the decree occupied time until the end of the year Ezra 10:17; in the seventh month of the following year, i.e. the second after Ezra’s arrival, were the gathering and events described in Nehemiah VIII-X (Fritsche, Winckler). Against the stated view on the chronological date of Nehemiah VII-X it is rightly pointed out, however, that the following: a) according to the stated view, the events described in Nehemiah VIII-X occurred before Nehemiah’s arrival. Yet in Neh 8:9 we have a report of Nehemiah’s participation in the events, and there is no reason to consider these reports: “then Nehemiah, who is Tirsata” Neh 8:9; “Nehemiah-Tirsata” Neh 10:1 as later glosses; b) according to the stated view of the book of Nehemiah VIII-X, the placement of these chapters in the book after the description of Nehemiah’s activity is not very understandable. In view of this, other authors (Ryssel, Kohler) believe that there is no reason to break the connection of ch. VIII-X of the book of Nehemiah with those immediately preceding. The absence of designation of the year at the beginning of the 8th chapter (“when the seventh month came”) gives reason to conclude that the writer speaks of the same year, of which was spoken earlier, i.e. the year of the completion of the wall Neh 6:15. “The seventh month” (v. 1) is the one following (Tishri) the sixth (Elul). With such an understanding of the chronological date of v. 1, it may raise perplexity that Ezra came forth with the preaching of the Law, which according to Ezra 7:10 was the purpose of his arrival in Jerusalem, only after 12 years. But this perplexity is satisfactorily explained if we take into account the unfavorable conditions under which Ezra had to act upon his arrival in Jerusalem, his struggle with enemies of the people, cares for the arrangement of the external life of the community, etc. Only the arrival of Nehemiah and the construction of the walls of the city, securing the position of the people, made it possible for Ezra to come forth with the work of establishing the spirit of lawfulness in the people. Of importance in this case was, without doubt, the desire of Ezra that the ground for the assimilation of the Law be gradually prepared in the people, for which time was certainly needed. The place of gathering of the people, according to v. 1, was the square before the Water Gate (cf. Neh 3:26). In 1 Esd 9:38 the place of gathering of the people is represented as the space before the eastern gates of the temple. If the Water Gate is to be identified with the present-day Golden Gate, then the place of gathering was the square between the Golden Gate and the eastern gates of the temple, which led to the outer court. “And said to the scribe Ezra that he should bring the book of the Law of Moses.” Thus, the initiative for the study of the Law came from the people themselves, and Ezra could now proceed to the fulfillment of the purpose of his arrival in Jerusalem with hope for success.

Nehemiah 8:2. And the priest Ezra brought the Law before the assembly of men and women, and all who were able to understand, on the first day of the seventh month; From v. 2 it is evident that not only men and women but also children were present at the gathering. The latter are understood in the remark: “all who were able to understand.” “On the first day of the seventh month” – the first day of the seventh month from ancient times was a great feast Lev 23:23-25; Num 29:1-2; probably, therefore, the gathering was appointed for this day.

Nehemiah 8:3. and he read from it at the square in front of the Water Gate, from daybreak to noon, before the men and women and all who were able to understand; and the ears of all the people were inclined to the book of the Law. The reading of the book of the Law by Ezra continued “from daybreak to noon,” i.e. 6–7 hours. From the subsequent narrative it is evident (v. 4–8) that the reading was not continuous: it was interrupted by the explanations that the Levites added to the portions that had been read.

Nehemiah 8:4. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform which they made for this purpose, and beside him, to his right, stood Mattithiah and Shema, and Anaiah and Uriah, and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, and to his left Pedaiah and Mishael, and Malchijah and Hashum, and Hashbadana, and Zechariah and Meshullam. As is evident from v. 4, Ezra read the Law while standing on a wooden platform made for this purpose (Heb. Laddabar – “for this work,” Russ. “for this”). On this platform beside Ezra there also stood 7 men to the left side and 6 to the right. These were probably priests who were present as witnesses. At any rate, according to Neh 3:4 the persons named in v. 4 appear as belonging to priestly families. It raises perplexity that the high priest was absent during the solemn reading of the Law. Bertheau explains this by the condition of the high priestly house, – namely, by its strong secularization.

Nehemiah 8:5. And Ezra opened the book before the eyes of all the people, because he stood above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. When Ezra opened the book of the Law, then “all the people stood up.” According to rabbinical tradition, the custom of standing during the reading of the Law was observed from the time of Moses until Gamaliel. But in the Bible there is no indication of the existence of this custom in pre-exilic times (cf. Judg 3:20).

Nehemiah 8:6. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered: Amen, Amen, raising their hands upward, and they bowed down and fell before the Lord face to the ground. V. 6 gives important indications concerning the worship practice of the post-exilic period. “And Ezra blessed the Lord,” – either as David (did) 1 Chr 29:10, or with the words of some psalm (cf. 1 Chr 16:8).

Nehemiah 8:7. Jesus, Banaiah, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbetai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah and the Levites explained the Law to the people, while the people stood in their place. “Jesus and the Levites explained the Law to the people.” From the expression “and the Levites” (Vehaleviim) one might conclude that Jesus and the other persons named in v. 7 were not Levites. But these persons were certainly Levites; therefore, instead of haleviim, it is better, in view of 1 Esd 9:48, to read leviim (“Levites”). In the text of the book of Nehemiah, 13 names of Levites who explained the Law are named; the same number of names is cited in 1 Esd 9:48, although the names are different. In the Greek, only the first 3 names (Jesus, Banaiah, Sherebiah) are named, and the rest are omitted. It is not evident from the text exactly how the persons named in v. 7 participated in the reading of the Law. Schultz represents the matter as follows: the people were divided into 13 groups and each group was offered an explanation of the Law. According to Ryssel’s opinion, the Levites explained the Law in turn to the entire assembly.

Nehemiah 8:8. And they read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and added explanation, and the people understood what was read. “And they read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly” (meporasch). According to the Talmud, Heb. meporash in this place has the meaning: separately, clearly, and specifically indicates that the Law was translated into Aramaic. But in view of Lev 24:12; Num 15:34 it is hardly possible to understand Heb. parasch in the sense of translating. Besides, for the society of the time of Nehemiah there was no need in translating the Law, since it was certainly still speaking Hebrew, as is evident from the fact of the appearance of the books of Malachi, Ezra and Nehemiah, and also from the remark Neh 13:24. Siegfried and Bertheau accept Heb. meporasch in the sense: “by sections,” “separately.” But apparently, it is more justified to see in Heb. meporasch together with some exegetes (Keil, Schultz) an indication that the Levites made paraphrastic explanations of what Ezra had read.

Nehemiah 8:9. Then Nehemiah, who is Tirsata, and the scribe Ezra, the priest, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people: This day is holy to the Lord our God; do not mourn and do not weep, because all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law. “Then Nehemiah, who is Tirsata.” In v. 9 we have evidence of Nehemiah’s participation in the gathering of the people. However, in the parallel place 1 Esd 9:49 there is no mention of Nehemiah, and instead of the words cited, it reads: “and said Athirates to Ezra.” Apparently, the Greek Ἀτθαράτης represents an alteration of Heb. Tirshapha. The omission in 1 Esd 9:49 of Nehemiah’s name prompts some scholars to consider the words of v. 9 “then Nehemiah” (Nechernjahu) a later insertion. In this case, the mention of Nehemiah in the book of Nehemiah VIII-X disappears, and the time of the accomplishment of the events described in the section must be determined independently of Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem. Other exegetes consider the words “who is Tirsata” (Stade, Smend, Wellhausen), and Bertheau – the whole remark of v. 9 about Nehemiah. There is no reason to deny the possibility of the appearance of such a gloss in the Old Testament biblical text. But at the same time there are no data to assert the presence of a gloss in the place under examined. – Tirsata, as has been noted above, is a Persian title of a governor (pechah).

Nehemiah 8:10. And he said to them: Go, eat the rich and drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared, because this day is holy to the Lord our God. And do not grieve, because the joy before the Lord – strengthening for us. “And he said to them,” – from the course of speech, Nehemiah spoke, which of course does not exclude the possibility that Ezra and the Levites also addressed the people with exhortation. Send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared, i.e. to acquaintances and especially to the poor (Cf. Deut 16:14; 1 Sam 6:13; 2 Sam 6:19; Esth 9:19). – “The joy before the Lord – strengthening for us” – in the Greek, ἐστὶ κύριος ἰσχυς ὑμῶν, “the Lord is strength for us.”

Nehemiah 8:11. And the Levites quieted all the people, saying: Be still, for this day is holy; do not grieve. The consciousness of sins against the Law aroused in the people a sense of sorrow, expressed in weeping. But in this sorrow there was also hope for a bright future, that the Law would finally gain for the people that significance which belonged to it according to the intention of the lawgiver. This is why Ezra and the Levites took measures to calm the people and cared that the day of reading the Law receive the significance of a day of joy.

Nehemiah 8:12. And all the people went to eat and drink, and to send portions, and to celebrate with great gladness, for they understood the words which were said to them. “For they understood the words which were said to them”: not the words of the Law, but the invitation to joyful celebration.

Nehemiah 8:13. On the next day, the heads of the fathers of all the people, the priests and Levites, gathered together with the scribe Ezra, so that he would teach them the words of the Law. As is evident from v. 13, the people dispersed to their homes after the reading of the Law, but the heads of the fathers on the next day appeared before Ezra that he might teach them the words of the Law. Probably, in view of the approach of the Feast of Tabernacles, there arose a desire to celebrate the feast properly, and the representatives of the people came to Ezra so that they might learn exactly the commandment of the Law concerning the feast. – “The heads of the fathers of all the people, the priests and Levites” – from the Heb. the last two words should be translated in the genitive case. Thus, from the priests and Levites only representatives were present at the private gathering with Ezra.

Nehemiah 8:14. And they found written in the Law which the Lord gave through Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the seventh month, at the feast. “And they found written in the Law”: the ordinance is meant (Lev 23:39-43; Deut 16:13-15) concerning the Feast of Tabernacles.

Nehemiah 8:15. And therefore they proclaimed and announced in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying: Go to the mountain and bring branches of the olive tree, and branches of the wild olive, and branches of myrtle, and branches of palm, and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths according to what is written. The invitation given in v. 15, which – according to the Heb. text – the heads of the fathers, but according to the Greek – Ezra – addressed to the people, is not a literal quotation from the Law. “Go to the mountain”: there is no need to see in these words an indication of the Mount of Olives. Reference is made to mountains in general, as places which are covered with trees. “And branches of other leafy trees”: Slavonic “branches of oak-forest trees.” “To make booths according to what is written.” In the Law of Moses, the trees which are enumerated in v. 15 are not named as material for booths. Therefore, the remark “according to what is written” must be applied to the general sense of the command to celebrate the feast in booths, and not to the construction of booths.

Nehemiah 8:16. And the people went, and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on his own roof and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and at the square at the Water Gate, and at the square at the Gate of Ephraim. According to v. 16, booths were set up not only in private courts but also in the courts of the house of God. Here, probably, the priests lodged to celebrate. Regarding the Water Gate see the note to (Neh 3:26). – The Gate of Ephraim, according to the opinion of the newest scholars (Guthe), belonged not to the second wall (of Nehemiah), but to the first (cf. 2 Kgs 14:13) and was located where the main streets now intersect, from west to east and from south to north.

Nehemiah 8:17. All the assembly of those who had returned from exile made booths and dwelt in booths. From the days of Joshua the son of Nun, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. “From the days of Joshua the son of Nun, the sons of Israel had not done so.” According to Michaelis, the words “son of Nun” represent a guess of a later copyist, and the writer had in mind not Joshua the son of Nun, but Joshua the high priest, a contemporary of Zerubbabel. But there are no grounds for this opinion. – The remark of the writer that “from the days of Joshua the sons of Israel had not done so” cannot be understood in a strictly literal sense, since the Bible repeatedly mentions the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles after Joshua (Cf. 1 Kgs 8:65; 2 Chr 7:8-9; Ezra 3:4). This remark, evidently, aims to emphasize the special character of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles under Nehemiah. According to Kohler’s opinion, the peculiarity of the celebration consisted in the fact that for the first time since ancient days the command (Lev 23:42) was fulfilled and actual booths were built from green trees, rather than simple tents.

Nehemiah 8:18. And they read from the book of the Law of God every day, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance. “And they read”, from the Heb. “and he read,” – evidently, Ezra.