THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH
Key verse: 10b
NIV
8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.(A) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,(B) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month(C) Ezra the priest brought the Law(D) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate(E) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform(F) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing(G) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands(H) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites(I)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed(J) 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(K) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(L) 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(M) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy(N) 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,(O) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or God, translating it
Cross references
- Nehemiah 8:1 : S Ne 3:26
- Nehemiah 8:1 : S Dt 28:61; S 2Ch 34:15
- Nehemiah 8:2 : Lev 23:23-25; Nu 29:1-6
- Nehemiah 8:2 : S Dt 31:11
- Nehemiah 8:3 : S Ne 3:26
- Nehemiah 8:4 : 2Ch 6:13
- Nehemiah 8:5 : Jdg 3:20
- Nehemiah 8:6 : S Ezr 9:5; 1Ti 2:8
- Nehemiah 8:7 : S Ezr 10:23
- Nehemiah 8:7 : S Lev 10:11; S 2Ch 17:7
- Nehemiah 8:9 : Ne 7:1, 65, 70
- Nehemiah 8:9 : Dt 12:7, 12; 16:14-15
- Nehemiah 8:10 : 1Sa 25:8; S 2Sa 6:19; Est 9:22; Lk 14:12-14
- Nehemiah 8:10 : S Lev 23:40; S Dt 12:18; 16:11, 14-15
- Nehemiah 8:12 : Est 9:22
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Ezra Reads the Law
8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before (A)the Water Gate. And they told (B)Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest (C)brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, (D)on the first day of the seventh month. 3 (E)And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, (F)“Amen, Amen,” (G)lifting up their hands. (H)And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 (I)Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,[a] (J)helped the people to understand the Law, (K)while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly,[b] and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
This Day Is Holy
9 And Nehemiah, who was (L)the governor, and Ezra (M)the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, (N)“This day is holy to the Lord your God; (O)do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and (P)send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because (Q)they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 8:7 Vulgate; Hebrew and the Levites
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or with interpretation, or paragraph by paragraph
Cross references
- Nehemiah 8:1 : ch. 3:26
- Nehemiah 8:1 : See Ezra 7:6
- Nehemiah 8:2 : See Deut. 31:11
- Nehemiah 8:2 : Lev. 23:24
- Nehemiah 8:3 : See ch. 13:1
- Nehemiah 8:6 : See ch. 5:13
- Nehemiah 8:6 : Ps. 134:2; Lam. 3:41; [1 Tim. 2:8]
- Nehemiah 8:6 : See 2 Chr. 20:18
- Nehemiah 8:7 : [ch. 9:4]
- Nehemiah 8:7 : See 2 Chr. 35:3
- Nehemiah 8:7 : ch. 9:3
- Nehemiah 8:9 : ch. 7:65, 70; 10:1; Ezra 2:63
- Nehemiah 8:9 : ch. 12:26
- Nehemiah 8:9 : ver. 2; Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1
- Nehemiah 8:9 : [Eccles. 3:4]
- Nehemiah 8:10 : Esth. 9:19, 22
- Nehemiah 8:12 : ver. 7, 8
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
After establishing the people's genealogical purity, Nehemiah had Ezra the priest read the Law of Moses. The first day of the seventh month was the beginning of the Jewish holiday to celebrate God's creation of the world. It was significant to have men, women, and children to assemble to hear the word of God during this festival (2).
Ezra stood on a wooden podium facing the assembly. As he spoke, the people shouted, 'Amen! Amen!' and worshiped the LORD. The Levites were there to help them understand the meaning of the Law (8). It continued from early morning to mid-day and people listened attentively (3).
When the people heard the Law, people started weeping. They must have been remorseful to find themselves in sin, falling far from the holy Lord. Nehemiah encouraged the people not to grieve but to find their strength in the joy of the LORD (1
). It was time to celebrate the new understanding of the word they received by the grace of the LORD (12). Despite their sin and inequity, they had a reason to rejoice when they realized the grace of the LORD.
Prayer: Father, thank you for helping me find a joy in your words. I find my life and hope in your word. Help me to preach your word to those who are thirsty and help them to understand. Help us to celebrate and rejoice in your grace.
One Word: I find my strength in your word.
