On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law. On the second dayThis phrase indicates the continuation of a significant event that began the previous day. The first day was marked by the public reading of the Law, which was a momentous occasion for the Israelites. The "second day" signifies a deepening commitment to understanding God's Word. Historically, this reflects the Jewish practice of sustained study and reflection, emphasizing the importance of ongoing engagement with Scripture. the heads of the families
The involvement of family leaders underscores the communal and familial responsibility in spiritual matters. In ancient Israel, the family was the primary unit of society, and the heads of families were responsible for the spiritual well-being of their households. This gathering highlights the patriarchal structure of the society and the role of family leaders in guiding their families in faith. along with the priests and Levites
The priests and Levites were the religious leaders and teachers of the Law. Their presence indicates the importance of having knowledgeable guides in the study of Scripture. The Levites, in particular, were tasked with teaching the Law to the people (Deuteronomy 33:10). This collaboration between family heads and religious leaders illustrates the unity and shared responsibility in understanding and applying God's Word. gathered around Ezra the scribe
Ezra, a scribe and priest, was a central figure in the restoration of the Jewish community after the Babylonian exile. His role as a scribe involved not only copying the Scriptures but also teaching and interpreting them. Gathering around Ezra signifies a recognition of his authority and expertise in the Law. This reflects the high regard for those who are well-versed in Scripture and can provide sound teaching. to study the words of the Law
The focus on studying the Law indicates a desire for deeper understanding and application of God's commandments. The Hebrew word for "study" implies seeking, inquiring, and diligently examining. This reflects a proactive approach to learning, where the goal is not just knowledge but transformation. The "words of the Law" refer to the Torah, the foundational text for Jewish life and faith, emphasizing the centrality of Scripture in guiding the community. Persons / Places / Events 1. Ezra the ScribeA priest and scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, Ezra played a crucial role in teaching the Israelites the Law after their return from exile. 2. Heads of FamiliesThese were the leaders of the various family groups within the Israelite community, responsible for guiding their families in spiritual and communal matters. 3. Priests and LevitesReligious leaders tasked with performing temple duties and teaching the Law to the people. 4. The LawRefers to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, which contain the laws and commandments given by God to the Israelites. 5. JerusalemThe city where this gathering took place, significant as the spiritual and political center of the Jewish people. Teaching Points The Importance of Spiritual LeadershipSpiritual leaders, like the heads of families, priests, and Levites, play a crucial role in guiding others in understanding and applying God's Word. The Value of Community StudyGathering together to study the Scriptures strengthens community bonds and ensures a unified understanding of God's commandments. Commitment to God's WordJust as the leaders in Nehemiah's time committed to studying the Law, we too should prioritize regular engagement with Scripture in our lives. The Role of Teachers in FaithTeachers of the Word, like Ezra, are vital in helping others understand and apply biblical truths, highlighting the need for sound teaching in the church. Application of Scripture in Daily LifeUnderstanding the Law is not just for knowledge but for practical application in daily living, guiding decisions and actions. Bible Study Questions 1. How can we, like the heads of families in Nehemiah 8:13, take initiative in studying and applying God's Word in our homes? 2. In what ways can we support and encourage our church leaders, similar to the priests and Levites, in their role of teaching and guiding us in Scripture? 3. How does the communal study of Scripture, as seen in Nehemiah 8:13, enhance our personal understanding and application of God's Word? 4. Reflect on a time when a teacher or leader helped you understand a difficult passage of Scripture. How did that impact your faith journey? 5. How can we ensure that our study of the Bible leads to practical changes in our lives, aligning with the teachings and commandments found in Scripture? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 31:9-13This passage describes the reading of the Law to the people, emphasizing the importance of understanding and obeying God's commandments. Joshua 1:8Highlights the importance of meditating on the Law day and night to ensure success and prosperity. Psalm 119:105Describes God's word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, underscoring the guidance it provides. Acts 17:11The Bereans are commended for their eagerness to study the Scriptures, similar to the leaders in Nehemiah 8:13. 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 Act, Along, Assembled, Attention, Chief, Ezra, Families, Fathers, Gain, Gathered, Heads, Households, Houses, Insight, Law, Levites, Order, Priests, Scribe, Study, Understand, Wisdom, WiselyDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 8:1-18 1640 Book of the Law
7464 teachers of the law 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 8:13 NIVNehemiah 8:13 NLTNehemiah 8:13 ESVNehemiah 8:13 NASBNehemiah 8:13 KJV
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