THE ISRAELITES REPENT OF THEIR SINS

Passage: Nehemiah 8:13-9:5

Key verse: 9:3

NIV

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(A) 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.[a]

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(B) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.(C) 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.(D) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated(E) it like this. And their joy was very great.

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

The Israelites Confess Their Sins

9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.(J) 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.(K) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.(L) 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. 4 Standing on the stairs of the Levites(M) were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,(N) who is from everlasting to everlasting.[b]”

“Blessed be your glorious name,(O) and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

Footnotes
  1. Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.
  2. Nehemiah 9:5 Or God for ever and ever
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Feast of Booths Celebrated

13 On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. 14 And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses (A)that the people of Israel should dwell in booths[a] during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim it and (B)publish it in all their towns and (C)in Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring (D)branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each (E)on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at (F)the Water Gate and in the square at (G)the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day (H)the people of Israel had not done so. And there was (I)very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, (J)he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and (K)on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.

The People of Israel Confess Their Sin

9 Now on the twenty-fourth day of (L)this month the people of Israel were assembled (M)with fasting (N)and in sackcloth, (O)and with earth on their heads. 2 (P)And the Israelites[b] separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 (Q)And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 On the stairs of the Levites stood (R)Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. (S)Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Footnotes
  1. Nehemiah 8:14 Or temporary shelters
  2. Nehemiah 9:2 Hebrew the offspring of Israel
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The people celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (8:13-18) During the time of exile, many traditions ceased, including the major religious festivals. When the people studied the Bible diligently, they learned that God commanded them to hold a Feast of Tabernacles to commemorate how he had cared for them in the wilderness. With great joy, they built temporary quarters and for seven days they celebrated with much prayer and Bible study, reviewing God's grace to them since the patriarchs. The Feast had not been celebrated with such joy and meaning since Joshua. For they felt the joy of being back in the promised land after the exile, as the Israelites rejoiced in coming to the promised land after being in the wilderness for 4 years. 2. Bible study and obedience (1-5a) Real Bible study only happens when people decide to obey the word of God. When God's people stood with repentant hearts and listened to the word of God attentively for hours, they could confess their sins, repent, and worship God. Then, they praised the Everlasting, Creator God.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to worship, repent, and rejoice in you each time I study the Bible.

One Word: Worship, repent, and rejoice in the Lord!