1The religious manner in which the law was read by Ezra and expounded to the people. 9Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites, comfort them. 13They are instructed out of the law concerning the feast of tabernacles, 16which is kept in a solemn manner.
1AND all the people 1gathered themselves together as 2one man into the street that was before the 3water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of 4Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
1 See Neh. 7:5.
2 See Judges 20 on verse 1.
3 See Neh. 3:26.
4 Written by Moses at God’s appointment, delivered and laid up, to be read at certain times and seasons before all the people. See Deut. 31:9, etc., 24, etc.
2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation 5both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
5 Hebr. from the man unto the woman.
3And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the 6ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
6 That is, they attended diligently all that while, without becoming sorrowful.
4And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 7pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and 8Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
7 Hebr. upon a tower of wood, that is, upon a wooden tower; as such is called this pulpit, because for roundness and height it had some resemblance to a tower.
8 Or, Hasbedana.
5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was 9above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
9 That is, he stood higher, so that all of them could see him.
6And Ezra 10blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, 11Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and 12worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
10 Or, praised. Hebr. blessed.
11 See Num. 5 on verse 22.
12 Or, bowed themselves before the Lord, as Neh. 9:3.
7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the 13Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people 14stood in their place.
13 Having also their chairs or scaffolds to instruct the congregation that were divided into several parties; as may be gathered from Neh. 9:4.
14 Hebr. were on their standing; that is, they all remained standing on their places, giving diligent attention.
8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and 15gave the sense, and 16caused them to understand 17the reading.
15 Hebr. setting, or, laying. Other, laying the understanding thereon or applying the understanding thereto. Some understand it of the teachers, and others of the people.
16 Other, they understood; that is, that which was read.
17 Other in or by the Scripture. Seeing the Hebrew word may also signify the Holy Scripture, the same ought therefore to be read. Some translate it: in the assembly, as the Hebrew word is elsewhere used.
9¶And Nehemiah, which is the 18Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; 19mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, 20when they heard the words of the law.
18 See Ezra 2 on verse 6.
19 For the holy feasts were appointed by God to an holy joy and rejoicing about God’s mercies. See Num. 10:10; Deut. 16:11.
20 Understanding out of the law, how often and frequently they had transgressed the same, and caused the just wrath of God.
10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them 21for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is 22your strength.
21 Namely, the poor, widows and fatherless; according to the law, Deut. 16:11, 14. See also Esther 9:19; Rev. 11:10.
22 That is, the occasion, which God gives you to rejoice about His former and present mercies, must comfort your consciences and give you good courage.
11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send 23portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
23 As verse 11.
13¶And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to 24understand the words of the law.
24 Or, in order that he might instruct or inform them; namely, concerning their duty towards the law of God.
14And they found writtena in the law which the LORD had commanded 25by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
a Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:34; Num. 29:12, etc.; Deut. 16:13, 14, 15.
25 That is, by the ministry of Moses.
15And that they should 26publish and 27proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch 28olive branches, and 29pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of 30thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
26 Hebr. cause it to be heard. See the commandment of God concerning the proclaiming or publishing of these feasts, Lev. 23:4.
27 See of this phrase Ezra 1 on verse 1.
28 Hebr. leaves, that is, boughs or branches with leaves, and so in the sequel. Compare Lev. 23:40.
29 Other, oil trees.
30 Which are full of branches and leaves.
16¶So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the 31roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the 32courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
31 For, the roofs of the houses in those countries were flat. See Deut. 22 on verse 8.
32 See 2 Chron. 33 on verse 5.
17And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of 33Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel 34done so. And there was very great gladness.
33 This is Joshua, who was the first that brought Israel into the land of promise. See the book of Joshua.
34 With such zeal and joy, as is expressed in the following verse.
18Also day by day, from the 35first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a 36solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
35 Thus keeping also daily holy assemblies, which otherwise was wont to be done mainly on the first and the last day. This was a token of their special zeal and joy about God’s special grace and favor. See Lev. 23:35, 36, and compare Deut. 31:10, 11, 12, 13.
36 See Lev. 23 on verse 36.