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Nehemiah
Chapter 8
1
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man
into
the street that was before the water gate
and
they spoke unto Ezra, the scribe,
to
bring the book of the law of Moses,
which
the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2
And Ezra the priest brought the law
before
the congregation both of men and women,
and
all that could hear with understanding,
upon
the first day of the seventh month.
{Note: In Jeremiah 31, we see the start of the death march from Ramah to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar of the Chaldeans. RBT says Psalm 119 is actually the story of Ezra's father, who was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was put to death by Nebuchadnezzar. His younger son, Ezra's father, experienced all the horrors of that march. Ezra was a mature believer and had an administrative career in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. Then when Ezra was an older man, he led the people back into the land and wrote the book of Ezra about the march. RBT says Ezra is the author of Chronicles, the book of Ezra and Psalm 119.}
3
And 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 who could understand.
And
the ears of all the people were attentive
unto
the book of the law.
4
And Ezra, the scribe,
stood
upon a pulpit 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 Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people . . .
(for
he was higher up than all the people)
and
when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6
And Ezra blessed Jehovah/God . . .
the
great 'Elohiym/Godhead.
And
all the people answered,
Amen,
Amen,
with
lifting up their hands.
And
they bowed their heads,
and
worshipped Jehovah/God
with
their faces to the ground.
7
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub,
Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita,
Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,
caused
the people to understand the law.
And the people stood in their place.
8
So they read in the book in the law of 'Elohiym/Godhead distinctly,
and
gave the sense,
and
caused them to understand the reading.
9
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha,
and
Ezra, the priest . . . the scribe,
and
the Levites who taught the people,
said
unto all the people,
"This
day is holy unto Jehovah/God . . .
your
'Elohiym/Godhead.
Mourn not, nor weep.
For
all the people wept,
when
they heard the words of the law."
10
Then he said unto them,
"Go
your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet,
and
send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared . . .
for
this day is holy unto our Lord/ 'Adown.
Neither
be you sorry . . .
for
the joy of the Jehovah/God is your strength.
11
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying,
"Hold
your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved."
12
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink,
and
to send portions, and to make great mirth,
because
they had understood the words
that
were declared unto them.
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 understand the words of the law.
14
And they found written in the law
which
Jehovah/God had commanded by Moses,
that
the children of Israel
should
dwell in booths/'temporary shelters' {cukkah}
in
the feast of the seventh month.
15
And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities,
and
in Jerusalem, saying,
"Go
forth unto the mount,
and
fetch olive branches,
and
pine branches, and myrtle branches,
and
palm branches, and branches of thick trees . . .
to
make booths, as it is written."
16
So the people went forth, and brought them,
and
made themselves booths,
every
one upon the roof of his house,
and
in their courts,
and
in the courts of the house of 'Elohiym/Godhead,
and
in the street of the water gate,
and
in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17
And all the congregation of those who were come again
out
of the captivity made booths,
and
sat under the booths . . .
for
since the days of Jeshua {Joshua?}, the son of Nun,
unto
that day had not the children of Israel done so.
And there was very great gladness.
18
Also day by day,
from
the first day unto the last day,
he
read in the book of the law of 'Elohiym/Godhead.
And they kept the feast seven days.
And
on the eighth day was a solemn assembly,
according
unto the manner.
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