Jeshua. Another spelling of Joshua. not . . . done so. 2 Chronicles 8:13 speaks only of the offerings required by the Law, which Solomon offered. Nothing is said th e r e of what the People did; so that there is no "discrepancy", as is alleged. Israel. See note on 1 Kings 12:17 . read more
Nehemiah 8:17. Since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun, &c.— It can hardly be thought that this festival had never been observed since Jeshua's time, because we read in the book of Ezra, that it was kept at their return from Babylon; but the meaning is, that the joy since that time had never been so great as it was upon this occasion; for which the Jews themselves assign this reason, that in the days of Jeshua they rejoiced, because they had gotten possession of the land of Canaan; and now... read more
17. since the days of Jeshua . . . had not the children of Israel done so—This national feast had not been neglected for so protracted a period. Besides that it is impossible that such a flagrant disregard of the law could have been tolerated by Samuel, David, and other pious rulers, its observance is sufficiently indicated (1 Kings 8:2; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chronicles 7:9) and expressly recorded (Ezra 3:4). But the meaning is, that the popular feelings had never been raised to such a height of... read more
The Feast of Tabernacles 8:13-18Note that the spiritually revived people had an insatiable appetite to learn more about God’s Word. This is a normal outcome of true revival.Perhaps part of what Ezra and his associates read to the people, or at least to the leaders, included Leviticus 23 (Nehemiah 8:13). In Leviticus 23, God called on the Jews to observe the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) on the fifteenth through the twenty-first days of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:34-36). This was a happy... read more
The Reading of the Law by Ezra1. The street] RV ’the broad place’: and so in Nehemiah 8:3, Nehemiah 8:16. The water gate] This probably led to the spring of Gihon (the Virgin’s spring).2. Ezra] It has been argued in the note on Ezra 10:44 that the effort to fortify Jerusalem described in Ezra 4:6-23 was made whilst Ezra was present there, and that the failure of it destroyed for a time his influence among his countrymen. The interval that elapsed between the destruction of the newly-built walls... read more
(13-18) The Feast of Tabernacles. read more
(17) The children of the captivity.—The pathos of this designation is evident here.Done so.—Though the feast had been kept (1 Kings 8:0; Ezra 3:0), it had never thus been kept with universal dwelling in booths. read more
The Curse Turned Into a Blessing Nehemiah 8:2 Refers to the time when Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel. I. God Turns His Own Curses into Blessings. 1. Toil: leads to self-denial and self-sacrifice. 2. Difficulty: calls forth energy and develops strength. 3. Danger: awakens courage and fortitude. 4. Pain: reminds us of the evil of sin. 5. Sorrow: acts as a refiner's fire. II. God Turns Man's Curses into Blessings. The crucifixion of Christ was the means of man's redemption. The blood of... read more
THE JOY OF THE LORDNehemiah 8:9-18"ALL the people wept when they heard the words of the law." Was it for this mournful end that Ezra had studied the sacred law and guarded it through the long years of political unrest, until at length he was able to make it known with all the pomp and circumstance of a national festival? Evidently the leaders of the people had expected no such result. But disappointing as it was, it might have been worse. The reading might have been listened to with... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 8:1-18
8:1-13:31 NEHEMIAH’S REFORMSFirst reading of the law (8:1-18)The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month (see 6:15). Israel’s mid-year meetings and festivals were held during the seventh month (Leviticus 23:24,Leviticus 23:27,Leviticus 23:34), so this was a fitting occasion to assemble the people to celebrate the completion of the rebuilt wall (see 7:73b, 8:1). (The same time of the year had been chosen for the dedication of the rebuilt altar more than ninety years... read more