Nehemiah 8:7-18

7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.

8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law.

14 They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month

15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.^[b]

16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.

17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.

18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

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Nehemiah 8:7-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 8

Ezra being desired to bring forth the book of the law, read it to the people and others, expounded it to them, Ne 8:1-8 and Nehemiah exhorted the people to express joy and gladness on this occasion, which they did, Ne 8:9-12 and observing the feast of tabernacles was in the law commanded to be observed, they kept it very strictly and joyfully, Ne 8:13-18.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 16

1. S Ezra 10:23
2. S Leviticus 10:11; S 2 Chronicles 17:7
3. Ne 7:1,65,70
4. Deuteronomy 12:7,12; Deuteronomy 16:14-15
5. 1 Samuel 25:8; S 2 Samuel 6:19; Esther 9:22; Luke 14:12-14
6. S Leviticus 23:40; S Deuteronomy 12:18; Deuteronomy 16:11,14-15
7. Esther 9:22
8. S Exodus 23:16
9. S Nehemiah 3:26
10. 2 Kings 14:13; S 2 Chronicles 25:23; Nehemiah 12:39
11. Hosea 12:9
12. S 1 Kings 8:2; S 2 Chronicles 7:8; S 2 Chronicles 8:13; 2 Chronicles 30:21
13. Deuteronomy 31:11; S Deuteronomy 33:10
14. S Deuteronomy 28:61
15. S Leviticus 23:36,40; Numbers 29:35; S Ezra 3:4
16. S Leviticus 23:36

Footnotes 2

[a]. Or "God, translating it"
[b]. See Lev. 23:37-40.