Nehemiah 8:8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Nehemiah 8:8

Gave the sense - Either by rendering the Hebrew into the Aramaic dialect, or perhaps simply by explaining obscure words or passages.Caused them to understand - Either “they (the people) understood what was read;” or, “they (the Levites) expounded as they read.” read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Nehemiah 8:8

Nehemiah 8:8. So they read in the book of the law To wit, Ezra and his companions, successively. And gave the sense The meaning of the Hebrew words, which they expounded in the common language And caused them to understand the reading Or that which they read, namely, the Holy Scriptures; the action being put for the object, as hearing for the thing heard, and fearing for the thing feared. So they gave them both a translation of the Hebrew words, into the Chaldee or Syriac, and an... read more

Donald C. Fleming

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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Nehemiah 8:8

read in the book: i.e. the Hebrew text of the Pentateuch. See App-47 . distinctly = a distinct [reading], i.e. (according to the Talmud) translating and interpreting it in the Chaldee paraphrase. and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), to emphasize each clause. gave the sense: i.e. divided the sentences, &c, according to sense. caused them to understand the reading: i.e. gave the traditional pronunciation of the words (which were then without the vowel points). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Nehemiah 8:1-8

The reading of the law 8:1-8This ceremony reflects the form of Israelite worship that had developed in exile. Almost the same elements that characterized the synagogue services begun then appear here. The people assembled, there was a request for the reading of the Torah, someone opened the scroll, and the people stood. Then someone (Ezra) offered praise, the people responded, and they received instruction (a sermon). Finally the Law was read, an oral explanation and exhortation followed, and... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 8:1-18

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

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Nehemiah 8:8

(8) Gave the sense.—They expounded obscurer passages, and in doing so naturally translated into the vernacular Aramaic dialect.Caused them to understand the reading.—This simply explains the former: they expounded as they read. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Nehemiah 8:1-18

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

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 8:1-8

THE LAWNehemiah 8:1-8THE fragmentary nature of the chronicler’s work is nowhere more apparent than in that portion of it which treats of the events immediately following on the completion of the fortifications of Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 7:1-73 we have a continuation of the governor’s personal narrative of his work, describing how the watch was organised after the walls had been built and the gates set up. {Nehemiah 7:1-3} This is followed by a remark on the sparseness of the city population,... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Nehemiah 8:1-18

II. THE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL CHAPTER 8 1. The reading of the law before the water gate (Nehemiah 8:1-8 ) 2. A day of joy and not of mourning (Nehemiah 8:9-12 ) 3. The keeping of the feast of tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:13-18 ) Nehemiah 8:1-8 . This interesting chapter gives the record of a gracious revival through the reading of the law. All the people gathered themselves together as one man in the street that was before the water gate, the place which suggests the cleansing and refreshing... read more

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