Nehemiah 8:1
וַיֵּאָסְפ֤וּ כָל־הָעָם֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֶל־הָ֣רְח֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ לְעֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֔ר לְהָבִ֗יא אֶת־סֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And all the people gathered as one man to the open square which was before the gate of the water and they said to Ezra, the scribe, to cause the book of the law of Moses to come which YHWH commanded Israel.
Paraphrase: When all this was finished, the people came together to make a request of Ezra, the Scribe. They gathered in the large open space which was before the Water gate. “Would you please bring out the Bible which God gave to Moses and read from it? We know that the entrance of God’s words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:130) Furthermore, we know that obedience to this law is one of the things God gave us to do when He made a covenant with our fathers. (Deuteronomy 11:22; Ezra 7:10) We, however, have not heard from God’s word in such a long time. (Deuteronomy 31:9-13) Surely, it is time to for us to come under His word, to hear it, and to live by its principles. (Acts 13:15; 15:21) What do you think?”
Comments:
Crosby (p35): This is the first mention of Ezra in the book of Nehemiah. He had come to Jerusalem thirteen years previously, with about three thousand returning Jews (1754 males), holding a commission from Artaxerxes to appoint magistrates in Judea. He had forced the Jews to separate from their heathen wives and had then probably returned to Persia, as we find the Jews had relapsed into their former condition. As we do not meet with his name in Nehemiah till now, it is probable he followed Nehemiah to Judea to assist him in another movement of reform.
It was with the ministry of Ezra that the scribal art first became identified with the priests (see Ezra 7; Nehemiah 8; 12:26, 36), although such activity must have gone on constantly beforehand (cf. possibly, Psalm 45:1). With the conditions of the exile and return, a distinct class of wise specialists arose among the priests who were not only the custodians and teachers of the law but those who interpreted it. In time, the group developed into a powerful socio-political and religious force, as documented by the many references to these scribes in the intertestamental literature and the New Testament. See the entry “סָפַר,” in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (1999), 633.
Nehemiah 8:2
וַיָּבִ֣יא עֶזְרָ֣א הַ֠כֹּהֵן אֶֽת־הַתּוֹרָ֞ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַקָּהָל֙ מֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה וְכֹ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃
And Ezra, the priest, caused the law to come before the assembly, from each man and to each woman and all from understanding to hear in one day to the month of seven.
Paraphrase: Ezra heartily agreed and sent someone to fetch the scroll. Everyone gathered around to hear the words of the covenant read; both men and women were there and anyone who was of sufficient age to understand what was being read. Now all this took place on the first day of the seventh month when the horn blast had been sounded. (Leviticus 23:24)
Comments:
מֵאִישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁה from man to woman, i.e. both man and woman. See entry for “אִשָּׁה,” in The Concise Dictionary of Classical Hebrew (2009), 34.
Torah = covenant here; see the quote on p136. See also the section Israel the People of the Law on p144.
Nehemiah 8:3
וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־הָאוֹר֙ עַד־מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאָזְנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃
And he read aloud in it before the open square which was before the gate of the water from light until half of the day, in front of the men and women and those with understanding and the ears of all the people were to the book of the law.
Paraphrase: Then Ezra read from the Bible in the hearing of all the people. They all stood in the open space which was in front of the Water Gate as Ezra read. Everyone of them was listening closely, the men, the women, and all who were capable of f0llowing what was read. From the break of dawn until about noon, Ezra read to all the people.
Comments:
Nehemiah 8:4
וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֞ד עֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר עַֽל־מִגְדַּל־עֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ לַדָּבָר֒ וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֣ד אֶצְל֡וֹ מַתִּתְיָ֡ה וְשֶׁ֡מַע וַ֠עֲנָיָה וְאוּרִיָּ֧ה וְחִלְקִיָּ֛ה וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖ה עַל־יְמִינ֑וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאל֗וֹ פְּ֠דָיָה וּמִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל וּמַלְכִּיָּ֛ה וְחָשֻׁ֥ם וְחַשְׁבַּדָּ֖נָה זְכַרְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּֽם׃פ
And Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they made for the word, and near him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. And on his left, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.
Paraphrase: It was an impressive sight to see. Ezra the scribe read to them while standing on a raised, wooden platform which had been built for this very reason so that people might be able to hear him better. While he read, Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood to his right while Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam stood to his left.
Comments:
Nehemiah 8:5
וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י כָל־הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־מֵעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כָל־הָעָֽם׃
And Ezra opened the book before the eyes of all the people for he was above all the people, and when opening it, all the people stood.
Paraphrase: When all the people were settled, Ezra took the scroll and opened it in the sight of all who were gathered. Everyone could see him clearly because he was standing on the platform well above his audience. As he opened the scroll, the people stood up with great respect and reverence.
Comments:
Nehemiah 8:6
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הַגָּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֻּ֛ לַיהוָ֖ה אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
And Ezra blessed YHWH, the God of greatness, and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Lifting up their hands, they bowed and worshipped YHWH faces to the ground.
Paraphrase: Then Ezra lifted up his hands in prayer and gave praise to YHWH, the Great King of heaven and earth. “Great God of heaven,” he said as he began His prayer. When he finished his prayer with a doxology, all the people called out, “Amen! Amen!” They lifted up their hands to heaven and fell on their knees before YHWH and worshipped Him with their faces to the ground.
Comments:
God is spoken of as בָּרוּךְ, but never as אַשְׁרֵי. NIDOTTE 764. The NIV translates the word ברך as blessed when God is the subject and as praised when humans are the subject. NIDOTTE again:
God blesses human beings by speaking well of them, thereby imparting “blessing” (good things) to them, and so they are “blessed” (בָּרוּךְ); human beings bless God by speaking well of him, attributing “blessing” (good qualities) to him, and so he is “blessed” (בָּרוּךְ)—i.e., praised and praiseworthy… God blesses people by conferring good on them; we bless God by praising the good in him. (764–765)
See the article here on the Jewish use of Amen in worship.
Nehemiah 8:7
וְיֵשׁ֡וּעַ וּבָנִ֡י וְשֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה׀ יָמִ֡ין עַקּ֡וּב שַׁבְּתַ֣י׀ הֽוֹדִיָּ֡ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה קְלִיטָ֣א עֲזַרְיָה֩ יוֹזָבָ֨ד חָנָ֤ן פְּלָאיָה֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מְבִינִ֥ים אֶת־הָעָ֖ם לַתּוֹרָ֑ה וְהָעָ֖ם עַל־עָמְדָֽם׃
And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were causing the people to understand the law, and the people were on their place.
Paraphrase: At different places in the reading, Ezra would stop and explain what he was reading. (1 Timothy 4:13) The Levites who were standing near him also took turns giving explanations of the more difficult parts. The people stood quietly in the open space listening intently as the word of God was read and explained to them.
Comments:
Nehemiah 8:8
וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בְּתוֹרַ֥ת הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְשׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּמִּקְרָֽא׃ס
And they read in the book in the law of God clearly and placed understanding, and they understood the reading.
Paraphrase: Throughout the day, Ezra and the Levites read the law, answered questions, clarified the difficult sections, and generally helped the people of God to understand both the blessings and the obligations of the covenant which God had made with them. The people were well instructed and made good progress in their understanding of God’s word.
Comments:
Nehemiah 8:9
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר נְחֶמְיָ֣ה ה֣וּא הַתִּרְשָׁ֡תָא וְעֶזְרָ֣א הַכֹּהֵ֣ן׀ הַסֹּפֵ֡ר וְהַלְוִיִּם֩ הַמְּבִינִ֨ים אֶת־הָעָ֜ם לְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַיּ֤וֹם קָדֹֽשׁ־הוּא֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽתְאַבְּל֖וּ וְאַל־תִּבְכּ֑וּ כִּ֤י בוֹכִים֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם כְּשָׁמְעָ֖ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃
And Nehemiah, he the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who were causing the people to understand, said to all the people, “This day, it is holy to YHWH, our God, do not mourn and do not weep for all the people were weeping as they were hearing the words of the law.
Paraphrase: Now as the day went on and the people heard more and more of what God expected from His people, the mood grew increasingly somber. Line and line, section after section showed how far the people of God had fallen and how unfaithful they had been. Some of the people began openly weeping; others bowed their head in shame. When Nehemiah noticed this, he stood and addressed the people. “Listen,” he said, “Surely, we have reason enough to weep. Surely we have to say as the prophet Daniel, “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day–to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. Open shame belongs to us, O LORD, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.” (Daniel 9:7-8) Nevertheless, this grief and weeping is not honoring to God because today is a feast day and a day of joy and celebration. This is the new moon of the seventh month. The horn has blasted out the glad news that our day of rejoicing is here again. Now listen carefully, people; it is not fitting that we make this a day of repentance and sorrow for our failings when God has commanded us to make this a day of celebration and joy. Remember that God has set aside the tenth day of this month for weeping and repentance. (Leviticus 23:27) The first day of the month, however, is to be a day of rejoicing, not of weeping. (Numbers 10:10)
Comments:
הַמְּבִינִים is articular and therefore can’t be the predicate use. It is attributive here. בוֹכִים is predicate use.
For new moon celebrations, see p250.
Nehemiah 8:10
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֡ם לְכוּ֩ אִכְל֨וּ מַשְׁמַנִּ֜ים וּשְׁת֣וּ מַֽמְתַקִּ֗ים וְשִׁלְח֤וּ מָנוֹת֙ לְאֵ֣ין נָכ֣וֹן ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־קָד֥וֹשׁ הַיּ֖וֹם לַאֲדֹנֵ֑ינוּ וְאַל־תֵּ֣עָצֵ֔בוּ כִּֽי־חֶדְוַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה הִ֥יא מָֽעֻזְּכֶֽם׃
Nehemiah 8:11
וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם מַחְשִׁ֤ים לְכָל־הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר הַ֔סּוּ כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם קָדֹ֑שׁ וְאַל־תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ׃
Nehemiah 8:12
וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם לֶאֱכֹ֤ל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙ וּלְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָנ֔וֹת וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה כִּ֤י הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹדִ֖יעוּ לָהֶֽם׃ס
Nehemiah 8:13
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֡י נֶאֶסְפוּ֩ רָאשֵׁ֨י הָאָב֜וֹת לְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־עֶזְרָ֖א הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃
Nehemiah 8:14
וַֽיִּמְצְא֖וּ כָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֩ יֵשְׁב֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל בַּסֻּכּ֛וֹת בֶּחָ֖ג בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃
Nehemiah 8:15
וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ וְיַעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בְּכָל־עָרֵיהֶם֮ וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ צְא֣וּ הָהָ֗ר וְהָבִ֙יאוּ֙ עֲלֵי־זַ֙יִת֙ וַעֲלֵי־עֵ֣ץ שֶׁ֔מֶן וַעֲלֵ֤י הֲדַס֙ וַעֲלֵ֣י תְמָרִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֖י עֵ֣ץ עָבֹ֑ת לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת סֻכֹּ֖ת כַּכָּתֽוּב׃פ
Nehemiah 8:16
וַיֵּצְא֣וּ הָעָם֮ וַיָּבִיאוּ֒ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ֩ לָהֶ֨ם סֻכּ֜וֹת אִ֤ישׁ עַל־גַּגּוֹ֙ וּבְחַצְרֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְחַצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבִרְחוֹב֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַמַּ֔יִם וּבִרְח֖וֹב שַׁ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃
Nehemiah 8:17
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ כָֽל־הַ֠קָּהָל הַשָּׁבִ֨ים מִן־הַשְּׁבִ֥י׀ סֻכּוֹת֮ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ כִּ֣י לֹֽא־עָשׂ֡וּ מִימֵי֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ בִּן־נ֥וּן כֵּן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
Nehemiah 8:18
וַ֠יִּקְרָא בְּסֵ֨פֶר תּוֹרַ֤ת הָאֱלֹהִים֙ י֣וֹם׀ בְּי֔וֹם מִן־הַיּוֹם֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֲר֑וֹן וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־חָג֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים וּבַיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֛י עֲצֶ֖רֶת כַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃פ