So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read. So they readThe act of reading here is significant, as it denotes a public proclamation of the Scriptures. The Hebrew root for "read" is קָרָא (qara), which implies not just reading silently but calling out or proclaiming. This public reading was essential in a time when personal copies of the Scriptures were rare, and literacy was not widespread. It underscores the communal aspect of faith, where the Word of God is shared and experienced together. from the Book of the Law of God
This phrase refers to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, which were considered the foundational texts for the Jewish faith. The "Book of the Law" is not just a legal document but a covenantal guide for living in relationship with God. Historically, this reading occurs after the return from Babylonian exile, a time when re-establishing identity and faithfulness to God's covenant was crucial for the Israelites. clearly explaining
The Hebrew word used here is מְפֹרָשׁ (meforash), which means to make distinct or to interpret. This indicates that the reading was not merely a recitation but involved interpretation and explanation. The Levites and priests played a crucial role in ensuring that the people understood the Scriptures, which were written in Hebrew, a language that many of the returned exiles, who spoke Aramaic, might not fully comprehend. the meaning
Understanding the "meaning" of the text is vital for it to impact the lives of the listeners. The Hebrew term for "meaning" is שֵׂכֶל (sekel), which can also mean insight or wisdom. This suggests that the goal was not just intellectual understanding but a deeper, spiritual insight that would lead to transformation and obedience. and helping the people understand
The phrase emphasizes the role of the leaders in guiding the people to comprehension. The Hebrew root בִּין (bin) means to discern or perceive. This highlights the importance of teaching and discipleship in the community of faith. It is not enough to hear the Word; it must be understood and applied. what was being read
This final phrase ties back to the communal reading and understanding of Scripture. It underscores the importance of context and clarity in the communication of God's Word. The historical context of this event, during the Feast of Tabernacles, was a time of renewal and recommitment to God's covenant, making the understanding of the Law even more pertinent. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzraA scribe and priest who played a central role in the spiritual renewal of the Israelites. He was responsible for reading the Law to the people. 2. NehemiahThe governor of Judah who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and supported the spiritual revival of the people. 3. LevitesMembers of the tribe of Levi who assisted Ezra in explaining the Law to the people, ensuring they understood its meaning. 4. JerusalemThe city where the reading of the Law took place, specifically at the Water Gate, symbolizing a place of gathering and instruction. 5. The Book of the Law of GodRefers to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, which contain God's commandments and instructions for His people. Teaching Points The Importance of Understanding ScriptureUnderstanding God's Word is crucial for spiritual growth and obedience. Like the Israelites, we need guidance to comprehend and apply biblical truths. Role of Teachers and LeadersSpiritual leaders, like Ezra and the Levites, play a vital role in helping others understand Scripture. We should seek out and value sound teaching. Community in LearningThe communal reading and explanation of the Law emphasize the importance of studying Scripture together, fostering mutual encouragement and accountability. Scripture as a Foundation for RevivalThe reading of the Law led to a spiritual revival among the Israelites. Regular engagement with Scripture can lead to personal and communal renewal. Application of God's WordUnderstanding Scripture should lead to action. We must strive to apply God's teachings in our daily lives, allowing His Word to transform us. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the role of Ezra and the Levites in Nehemiah 8:8 inspire us to seek understanding of Scripture in our own lives? 2. In what ways can we ensure that our study of the Bible leads to practical application and transformation? 3. How can we create a community that encourages the collective study and understanding of God's Word, similar to the gathering in Jerusalem? 4. What are some modern-day challenges to understanding Scripture, and how can we overcome them with the help of spiritual leaders and resources? 5. Reflect on a time when understanding a particular Scripture passage led to a change in your life. How can you share this experience to encourage others in their faith journey? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 31:11-13This passage describes the command for the Law to be read to all Israel, emphasizing the importance of understanding and obeying God's Word. Luke 24:27Jesus explains the Scriptures to His disciples, similar to how Ezra and the Levites explained the Law, highlighting the necessity of understanding God's Word. Acts 8:30-31Philip helps the Ethiopian eunuch understand the Scriptures, demonstrating the ongoing need for guidance in interpreting God's Word. People Akkub, Anaiah, Azariah, Bani, Ezra, Hanan, Hashbadana, Hashum, Hilkiah, Hodiah, Hodijah, Israelites, Jamin, Jeshua, Joshua, Jozabad, Kelita, Levites, Maaseiah, Malchiah, Malchijah, Mattithiah, Meshullam, Mishael, Nehemiah, Nun, Pedaiah, Pelaiah, Shabbethai, Shema, Sherebiah, Uriah, UrijahPlaces Gate of Ephraim, Jerusalem, Water GateTopics Able, Book, Caused, Clear, Clearly, Convocation, Distinctly, Explaining, Giving, Law, Making, Meaning, Minds, Reading, Sense, Translating, Understand, Understanding, UnderstoodDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 8:8 1611 Scripture, inspiration and authority
8355 understanding Nehemiah 8:1-8 1690 word of God Nehemiah 8:1-9 7209 congregation Nehemiah 8:1-18 1640 Book of the Law
7464 teachers of the law Nehemiah 8:2-8 1614 Scripture, understanding
7456 synagogue Nehemiah 8:7-8 7730 explanation
7793 teachers Nehemiah 8:7-9 7769 priests, NT types Library January 29. "Send Portions unto them for whom Nothing is Prepared" (Neh. viii. 10).
"Send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared" (Neh. viii. 10). That was a fine picture in the days of Nehemiah, when they were celebrating their glorious Feast of Tabernacles. "Neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared." How many there are on every side for whom nothing is prepared! Let us find out some sad and needy heart for whom there is no one else to think or care. …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth The Joy of the Lord
'The joy of the Lord is your strength.'--Neh. viii. 10. Judaism, in its formal and ceremonial aspect, was a religion of gladness. The feast was the great act of worship. It is not to be wondered at, that Christianity, the perfecting of that ancient system, has been less markedly felt to be a religion of joy; for it brings with it far deeper and more solemn views about man in his nature, condition, responsibilities, destinies, than ever prevailed before, under any system of worship. And yet all deep …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Reading the Law with Tears and Joy
'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. 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. 3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of his People
LAST Sabbath day in the morning I spoke of the birth of our Saviour as being full of joy to the people of God, and, indeed, to all nations. We then looked at the joy from a distance; we will now in contemplation draw nearer to it, and perhaps as we consider it, and remark the multiplied reasons for its existence, some of those reasons may operate upon our own hearts, and we may go out of this house of prayer ourselves partakers of the exceeding great joy. We shall count it to have been a successful …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871 The Original Text and Its History.
1. The original language of the Old Testament is Hebrew, with the exception of certain portions of Ezra and Daniel and a single verse of Jeremiah, (Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Dan. 2:4, from the middle of the verse to end of chap. 7; Jer. 10:11,) which are written in the cognate Chaldee language. The Hebrew belongs to a stock of related languages commonly called Shemitic, because spoken mainly by the descendants of Shem. Its main divisions are: (1,) the Arabic, having its original seat in the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Twenty-First Day. Holiness and Happiness.
The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost.'--Rom. xiv. 17. 'The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.'--Acts xiii. 52. 'Then Nehemiah said, This day is holy unto the Lord: neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So the Levites stilled the people, saying, Hold your peace; for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to make great mirth, because they had understood the words.'--Neh. viii. 10-12. The deep significance of …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ John's First Testimony to Jesus.
(Bethany Beyond Jordan, February, a.d. 27.) ^D John I. 19-34. ^d 19 And this is the witness of John [John had been sent to testify, "and" this is the matter of his testimony], when the Jews [The term "Jews" is used seventy times by John to describe the ruling classes of Judæa] sent unto him [In thus sending an embassy they honored John more than they ever honored Christ. They looked upon John as a priest and Judæan, but upon Jesus as a carpenter and Galilæan. It is probable that …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Healing a Demoniac in a Synagogue.
(at Capernaum.) ^B Mark I. 21-28; ^C Luke . IV. 31-37. ^b 21 And they [Jesus and the four fishermen whom he called] go into { ^c he came down to} Capernaum, a city of Galilee. [Luke has just spoken of Nazareth, and he uses the expression "down to Capernaum" because the latter was on the lake shore while Nazareth was up in the mountains.] And ^b straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. { ^c was teaching them} ^b 22 And they were astonished at his teaching: for he taught …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Scattering of the People
[Illustration: (drop cap A) The Fish-god of Assyria and Babylonia] At last the full punishment for their many sins fell upon God's chosen people. The words of warning written in the fifth book of Moses had told them plainly that if they turned aside and worshipped the wicked idol-gods of Canaan, the Lord would take their country from them and drive them out into strange lands. Yet again and again they had yielded to temptation. And now the day of reckoning had come. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 Its Effects.
Among the effects and benefits which in this life accompany and flow from being filled with the Holy Ghost, may be mentioned the following:-- 1. Courage. "Oh, I could not do so and so--I have not the courage," is a reply frequently made by Christian people when asked to undertake some piece of service or other for the Master. The first point to be settled is, "Is that the Master's will for me?" If so, lack of courage is a confession to the lack of the "Fullness of the Holy Ghost." The Spirit-filled …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible Of the Public Fast.
A public fast is when, by the authority of the magistrate (Jonah iii. 7; 2 Chron. xx. 3; Ezra viii. 21), either the whole church within his dominion, or some special congregation, whom it concerneth, assemble themselves together, to perform the fore-mentioned duties of humiliation; either for the removing of some public calamity threatened or already inflicted upon them, as the sword, invasion, famine, pestilence, or other fearful sickness (1 Sam. vii. 5, 6; Joel ii. 15; 2 Chron. xx.; Jonah iii. …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Joy
'The fruit of the Spirit is joy.' Gal 5:52. The third fruit of justification, adoption, and sanctification, is joy in the Holy Ghost. Joy is setting the soul upon the top of a pinnacle - it is the cream of the sincere milk of the word. Spiritual joy is a sweet and delightful passion, arising from the apprehension and feeling of some good, whereby the soul is supported under present troubles, and fenced against future fear. I. It is a delightful passion. It is contrary to sorrow, which is a perturbation …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Assurance
Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION? A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love. 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification. The saints of old had it. We know that we know …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 8:8 NIVNehemiah 8:8 NLTNehemiah 8:8 ESVNehemiah 8:8 NASBNehemiah 8:8 KJV
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