Nehemiah 8: Ezra reads the law, and the Feast of Booths
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What happens?
All the people gather at the open space in front of the Water Gate and ask Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses. On the first day of the seventh month Ezra reads it from early morning until midday, the Levites help the people understand it, and the people weep until they are told the day is holy and to go and eat and celebrate. On the second day the heads of households, the priests and the Levites study the law, find the command to live in booths in the seventh month, and the people make booths and keep the feast for seven days, with an assembly on the eighth.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The chapter is told about Ezra and the people ("he" and "they"), and Nehemiah is named only once, in verse 9. The people speak to Ezra in verse 1 and answer "Amen, Amen" in verse 6. In verse 9 Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites tell the people the day is holy, verse 10 goes on with "he said" (the text does not name him), and in verse 11 the Levites calm the people. In verses 14 and 15 the text reports what Yahweh had commanded by Moses, as "written in the law", and the words of the proclamation "as it is written". They are told as written law, not as Yahweh speaking in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.
In plain English: All the people gathered as one man into the open space in front of the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.
Good to know: The text names what Ezra read in three ways: "the book of the law of Moses" here, "the law" in and , and "the book of the law of God" in and . The text does not say what the book held, or whether the three names are one book. calls Ezra a skilled scribe "in the law of Moses".
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2Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
In plain English: On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly. The assembly was men and women and everyone who could understand what they heard.
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3He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
In plain English: He read aloud from it, facing the open space in front of the Water Gate, from the first light of morning until midday. He read before the men and the women and those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
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4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
In plain English: Ezra the scribe stood on a high platform of wood that had been made for this purpose. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah. On his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
The Hebrew word: "Pulpit" is migdal, which the dictionary gives as "a tower (from its size or height); by analogy, a rostrum". The word is in 44 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "pulpit" in 1 of them, this one. In the rest the WEB uses other words, such as "tower".
What changes: The verse says Ezra stood on something of wood, built for the occasion, high enough that "he was above all the people" (). "A high platform of wood" and "a wooden tower" are the same Hebrew word; the text gives no more about its shape.
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5Ezra 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.
In plain English: Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people. When he opened it, all the people stood up.
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6Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
In plain English: Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," and lifted up their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
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7Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place.
In plain English: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah, and the Levites, made the people understand the law. The people stayed in their place.
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8They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
In plain English: They read aloud from the book, the law of God, distinctly (or: making it clear, or: reading it in separate parts). They gave the sense (or: the meaning), and the people understood the reading.
The Hebrew words: "Distinctly" is meforash, from parash, which the dictionary gives as "to separate, literally (to disperse) or figuratively (to specify)". "The sense" is sekel, which the dictionary gives as "intelligence; by implication, success". Each word is in this verse only in Nehemiah. "Understood" is the verb bin, which the dictionary gives as "to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e. (generally) understand". It is in 8 verses of Nehemiah, 6 of them in this chapter (, , , 8, and ).
How it is translated: The WEB says "distinctly" and "gave the sense". With the dictionary's "to separate" the first word can mean that they read in separate parts, and with "to specify" that they read it clearly or made it plain.
What changes: With the WEB, the reading is clear and its meaning is given. With the other readings, the law is read section by section, or what is read is made plain. The text does not say which is meant, or how the meaning was given.
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9Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to Yahweh your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
In plain English: Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who made the people understand, said to all the people, "Today is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
The Hebrew word: "Governor" is Tirshatha, which the dictionary gives as "Tirshatha, the title of a Persian deputy or governor". It is a title, not a name. It is in 4 verses of Nehemiah (, , here and ), and the WEB says "governor" in all 4.
Good to know: The Hebrew has "he said", not "they said", followed by Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites. The text does not say whether one of them spoke for the rest. This is the one place in the chapter that names Nehemiah. also has "the governor".
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10Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”
In plain English: Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat rich food (or: the fat), drink sweet drinks (or: the sweet), and send portions to anyone who has nothing prepared. For today is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength (or: your stronghold)."
The Hebrew words: "The fat" is mashman, which the dictionary gives as "fat" and, usually, "a rich dish". "The sweet" is mamtaq, which the dictionary gives as "something sweet (literally or figuratively)". "Strength" is maoz, which the dictionary gives as "a fortified place; figuratively, a defence". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "strength".
What changes: With "the fat" and "the sweet" the people eat fat food and drink what is sweet. With the dictionary's "a rich dish" and "something sweet" it is rich food and sweet drink. With "strength" the joy of Yahweh is their strength; with the dictionary's "a fortified place" it is their stronghold or defence. The text does not say more.
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11So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.”
In plain English: So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Hush, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved."
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12All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
In plain English: All the people went off to eat and drink and send portions and make great joy, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
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13On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law.
In plain English: On the second day, the heads of the fathers' households of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, gathered to Ezra the scribe to gain insight into (or: study) the words of the law.
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14They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;
In plain English: They found written in the law that Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses that the people of Israel should live in booths at the feast in the seventh month,
The Hebrew word: "Booths" is sukkah, which the dictionary gives as "a hut or lair". It is in 4 verses of Nehemiah, all in this passage (, , and ). The WEB says "booths" in 1 of the 4 (this verse) and "temporary shelters" in the other 3.
Good to know: The text says the command is "written in the law" and given by Yahweh "by the hand of Moses". says "You shall dwell in temporary shelters for seven days". puts the reading of the law at "the feast of booths" ("At the end of every seven years"), and says "you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing". This chapter does not name either verse.
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15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make temporary shelters, as it is written.”
In plain English: and that they should make a proclamation and send it through all their cities and Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill country and bring branches of olive, branches of the oil tree (or: wild olive), branches of myrtle, palm and leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."
The Hebrew words: "Branches" is aleh, which the dictionary gives as "a leaf (as coming up on a tree)". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "branches". "Wild olive" is two words, ets and shemen: "a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood" and "grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness". The WEB does not use the word "oil" here.
What changes: The Hebrew reads "trees of oil". The text does not say which tree, and the WEB calls it wild olive. The verse lists five kinds: olive, oil tree, myrtle, palm and leafy trees. lists other kinds, "the fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook". The text does not say why the two lists differ.
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16So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate.
In plain English: So the people went out and brought branches and made booths for themselves, each one on his own roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the open space of the Water Gate and in the open space of the Gate of Ephraim.
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17All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters and lived in the temporary shelters, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
In plain English: The whole assembly of those who had come back from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. From the days of Joshua (in the Hebrew, Jeshua) the son of Nun until that day the people of Israel had not done so. There was very great joy.
The Hebrew word: The name the WEB writes "Joshua" here is Jeshua, the same Hebrew spelling as the Jeshua named in . It is in 17 verses of Nehemiah, and the WEB says "Jeshua" in 16 of them and "Joshua" in this one. Here the text adds "the son of Nun".
Good to know: The verse says the assembly of those who had come back from the captivity had not done so "since the days of" Jeshua the son of Nun. says, "They kept the feast of booths, as it is written". The text does not say how the two fit.
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18Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
In plain English: He read aloud from the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.
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