The Reading And Explaining Of The Law (Nehemiah 8:1-8).
The first stage of covenant renewal was the reading and explaining of the Law. Such reading and explaining of a section of the Law may well have taken place in their synagogues in Babylon each Sabbath, but here it was to be far more detailed. The people having gathered for the Feast of trumpets on the new moon day, the Law was read to them by Ezra and his companions from day break to midday, probably with breaks as the Levites provided explanations. And its impact was so great that the people wept. It was a Day of Atonement in miniature. This was then followed by feasting as they ate before YHWH.
‘And when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in their cities.'
As we have seen these were the closing words of the list which Nehemiah had utilised on chapter 7, but it is here being used (as in Ezra 3:1 a) as a suitable introduction to what follows. Once again ‘the seventh month', the Festal month, had come. It would begin, as always on the new moon day, the first day of the month, which was the Feast of Trumpets (Rams' Horns), and it would continue on the tenth day with the Day of Atonement, and this would then lead on to the Feast of Tabernacles from the fifteenth day of the month to the twenty first day of the month, being concluded by the great day of the Feast on the twenty second day (‘the eighth day of the Feast'). During this period large numbers of offerings and sacrifices would be offered (Numbers 29).
‘And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate, and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book (scrolls) of the Law of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel.'
In Nehemiah 7:73 they were ‘in their cities'. That had been a triumphant indication of restoration by YHWH. But in this context it does not mean that they were in their cities literally (although they were technically, for that is where their homes were), for they would have travelled to Jerusalem prior to the first day of the seventh month in order to be present for the Feast of Trumpets.
And having now arrived they gathered themselves together ‘as one man' (compare Ezra 3:1). This would appear to have been a traditional way of describing the gathering together of the people. And where they gathered was clearly in Jerusalem, although that is not spelt out here. Here we are given more exact detail. They gathered in the broad place that was before the Water Gate (compare Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 12:37). This may well have been outside the walls built by Nehemiah, as the Water Gate may have been in the old wall which had been destroyed but the area was clearly large enough to enable all the people, male and female, young and old, to gather. Alternately some see the Water Gate as having been a gate associated with the Temple. That the meeting had been planned meticulously comes out in that the platform from which Ezra would read was already built. The gathering of all the people on the Feast of Trumpets, the first day of the seventh month, indicates the speed at which preparations had gone forward, for the building of the wall had only ceased on the twenty fifth day of the previous month (Nehemiah 6:15), although having said that, as that was once the doors had been hung, most of the builders may have returned home somewhat earlier. However, as we have already gathered Nehemiah was used to working at speed, and the people would already have been preparing for the Feasts of the seventh month. They would know that those would have to be observed, regardless of the building of the wall.
Having gathered the people called on Ezra the Scribe (an official title indicating his authoritative position as Teacher of the Law appointed by Artaxerxes, see Ezra 7:11-12) to bring ‘the scrolls containing the Law of Moses which YHWH had commanded to Israel'. The description is clearly of scrolls containing an ancient message passed down throughout their history, not of a contemporary concoction by Ezra. And they were clearly seen as ‘the Word of God'. This was a pre-empting of what would usually happen every seven years on the fifteenth day of the month, and indicates the eagerness of the people to hear the word of God. A new Spirit was at work among the people.
‘And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.'
This was on the first day of the seventh month, when the trumpets would be blown (Leviticus 23:24-25; Numbers 29:1-6) heralding the month of penitence and celebration. Now the loudest trumpet of all was to be blown, the proclamation of the Law of God. It was unusual for this to take place on this day so early in the month, but the people had come together and were eager for it.
It is significant that it was Ezra, and not the High Priest, who was responsible for the carrying out of God's commandment. This demonstrates his unique position as being the appointee of the Persian government. All in Judah acknowledged that from the highest to the lowest. It also confirms the historicity of the Book of Nehemiah.
‘And he read in it before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were (attentive to, focused on) to the book of the Law.'
Ezra read from the Law of God in the chosen place, from early morning to midday, for about six or seven hours. He may not have read all the time, for it may well have been read in relays by him and the thirteen men with him on the platform that had been erected. It may also have been interspersed with translations into Aramaic for those not familiar with Hebrew after their sojourn in Babylon (as would happen later in the synagogues). These may possibly have been made by the Levites. But note Nehemiah 13:24 which may suggest that Nehemiah expected all Jews to be able to speak Hebrew.
‘He read in it.' This may be seen as suggesting that he read selections in it which he felt under God to be suitable to the occasion. Note the emphasis on the fact that the ears of the people were attentive to the Law. The Spirit of God was moving among them and their hearts were hungry after God.
It is perhaps significant for the future that the attention is not on the splendour of Ezra (as it had been on the splendour of Solomon), or on the appearance of ‘the glory' (Exodus 34:29-34; Exodus 40:34), but on the words of the Torah seen as the word of God which had been ‘commanded' to Israel (Nehemiah 8:1). The word had replaced the glory. It was to be seen as both authoritative and divine in origin.
In typical Old Testament fashion, having declared what happened, the narrative now explains it in more detail.
‘And Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.'
Ezra, now as ‘Ezra the Scribe' (in Nehemiah 8:9 he will be ‘Ezra the priest, the scribe'), stood on a wooden platform which had been erected for the occasion. It was as ‘the Scribe' that he would proclaim it to the people, in one sense as the representative of Artaxeres, as ‘the Scribe of the words of the commandments of YHWH, and of His statutes for Israel' (Ezra 7:11), but in a far deeper sense as a representative of God, as the fulfiller of the command in Deuteronomy. This platform had its forebear in the brazen platform erected by Solomon at the dedication of the first Temple (2 Chronicles 6:13). With him were thirteen named people. Together with Ezra they made up fourteen, seven and seven, an intensification of the number of divine perfection and completeness (to introduce a seventh on his right hand would spoil the perfect number, something which 1 Esdras overlooked). It is probable that these thirteen were there to assist with the reading, and possibly the Aramaic paraphrase. They may have been priests, but in post-exilic Judaism the reading of the Law was not limited to priests, and in the Book of Nehemiah priests are usually identified as such. The total absence of the priests from the descriptions of the scene (although they would necessarily be present, is quite remarkable. Ezra had taken over their responsibilities as the king's representative. It is noteworthy that in Nehemiah 8:9 they are not even included among those who encouraged the people when they wept.
The number thirteen is confirmed by comparison with the Levites in Nehemiah 8:7. There also there were thirteen, again acting as Ezra's representatives (see Nehemiah 8:9). Thus Ezra again makes up the fourteen (unless we see ‘the Levites' as making up the fourteenth). On the other hand thirteen may have had a special significance at the Feast of Tabernacles for on the first day thirteen bullocks were offered, although that may simply be in order to reduce to seven, the divine number, on the seventh day (Numbers 29:13; Numbers 29:32).
It may be that this Uriah was the one described as the father of the Meremoth, a builder of the wall, in Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:21: that Maaseiah was the father of the Azariah in Nehemiah 3:23; that Pedaiah, was the individual named in Nehemiah 3:25; that Meshullam was the one described in Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:6; and that Malchijah was the one described in Nehemiah 3:11; Nehemiah 3:14; Nehemiah 3:31. A Hashum is also mentioned in Nehemiah 7:22, of whom this may be a descendant, and an Anaiah in Nehemiah 10:22. Furthermore a Mattithiah is named in Ezra 10:43; a Maaseiah in Ezra 10:18; and a Malchijah in Ezra 10:25, in connection with the question of idolatrous foreign wives. A Zechariah was one of the "chief men" dispatched by Ezra to bring Levites from Casiphia (Ezra 8:16). But as no father's names are given here we cannot be sure of identification.
‘And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up.'
The words give the impression of an eyewitness who clearly remember the scene. It would have been a most impressive scene. First Ezra came onto the platform before the hushed crowd with the scrolls of the Law in his hands, (with some scrolls possibly carried by his companions). And then, as they watched in awe, he, being well above the people on the platform, opened up one of the scrolls in front of them. At this point all the people stood on their feet and waited for him to read. This reminds us that at some stage it had become the practise to listen to the Law being read while standing. This was a mark of respect at receiving a word from God (compare Judges 3:20; Job 29:8; Ezekiel 2:1).
‘And Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands, and they bowed their heads, and worshipped YHWH with their faces to the ground.'
A word of praise and worship prior to the reading had probably become standard practise. How far Ezra was following practise from the synagogues in Babylon, and how far later synagogue worship was based on Ezra's activities here we can never know, but certainly prayer before the reading of the Torah must have been normal. And Ezra ‘blessed the great God'. The title ‘the great God' (ha-elohim ha-gedol) is not found elsewhere, although a similar title (ha-el ha-gedol) is found in Nehemiah 1:5; Nehemiah 9:32; Deuteronomy 10:17; Jeremiah 32:18, in all of which, however, it is accompanied by other titles. It has been suggested that it is based on the Neo-Babylonian ilu rabu. It is, of course, underlining the greatness of the God Whose covenant was being proclaimed, and who had delivered them from their captivity in Babylon.
All the people answered, ‘Amen, amen', expressing their heartfelt agreement with Ezra's worship. This usage of ‘amen' (so let it be) is found elsewhere in Nehemiah 5:13 where it endorsed Nehemiah's judgment on those who did not fulfil their responsibilities; in Jeremiah 28:6, where the prophet endorses with it the words of Hananiah; in Numbers 5:22 where the woman who drinks ‘the water of bitterness' assents to a curse coming on her if she has lied; and in Deuteronomy 27:15-26 where it is used at the end of each curse on those who transgress the covenant. It also occurs at the close of each of the first four books of psalms (Psalms 41:13; Psalms 72:19; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48; in each case following a similar blessing of God), and of a blessing invoked on God (1 Chronicles 16:36).
‘With the lifting up of their hands, and they bowed their heads, and worshipped YHWH with their faces to the ground.' The lifting up of the hand was a kind of appeal and supplication to God (compare Exodus 17:11-12; Ezra 9:5; Psalms 28:2; Psalms 134:2), while their bowing of their heads so that their faces were to the ground, was an expression of obedience and humility. Whether they in fact fell on their faces is open to question. In the huge crowds space would be limited.
‘ Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and (or ‘that is') the Levites, caused the people to understand the Law, and the people (stood) in their place.'
Then as the Law was being read out, possibly with suitable pauses, thirteen specially appointed Levites, who had presumably been stationed among the people, gave the people guidance, and helped them to understand the Law. This was a traditional function of the Levites (see Deuteronomy 33:10; 2 Chronicles 17:7-9; 2 Chronicles 35:3). But it may have included translation into Aramaic. Note the continual emphasis on ‘understanding' (Nehemiah 8:2-3; Nehemiah 8:7-8). Understanding what was read was conceived to be of vital importance. Meanwhile the people remained standing in their places. The fact that the Levites were standing among the people would enable questions to be asked, and answered.
Most of the names given are familiar to us from elsewhere, although not as necessarily indicating the same people. With regard to Jeshua, we have, apart from Jeshua (Joshua) the High Priest, Jeshua as the head of a Levitical house which had oversight of the workmen in the temple when the Temple was being rebuilt (Ezra 3:9; compare Nehemiah 7:43; Nehemiah 12:8; Ezra 2:40). This Jeshua may well have been a descendant of his. This Jeshua is probably mentioned again in Nehemiah 9:4 ff, as confessing sin and leading in the worship, and in Nehemiah 10:9, where he is called the son of Azaniah, as being among those who sealed the covenant. He is possibly referred to in Nehemiah 12:24 as a leader of the Levites who offered praise to God, if bn is read as a proper name for Bani (Binnui) instead of as ‘son of'. He may well be the father of the Jozabad who was a Levite who received the Temple gold from Ezra (Ezra 8:33), and the father of Ezer, a Levite who oversaw the building of part of the wall (Nehemiah 3:19).
Bani also, as a Levite, sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:13), and was named alongside Jeshua as confessing sin and leading in worship in Nehemiah 9:4 ff. He may well also have been the father of a Levite wallbuilder named Rehum (Nehemiah 3:17), and of another Levite named Uzzi, who was an overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:22). For a possible mention in Nehemiah 12:24 see on Jeshua above.
Sherebiah was among those who made public confession and worshipped God (Nehemiah 9:4 ff.) and those who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:12). His name also appears in Nehemiah 12:24 as a leader of the Levites who offered praise to God. The name Akkub occurs of a Levite gate-keeper on duty at the east gate of the second Temple (1 Chronicles 9:17), but he is unlikely to be identified with him. Shabbethai is mentioned as one of the chiefs of the Levites who had the oversight of ‘the outward business of the house of God (Nehemiah 11:16). Hodiah was one of those who confessed his sin and led the prayers of the people in Nehemiah 9:5, and was one of the two Levites of that name who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:10; Nehemiah 10:13). Maaseiah was otherwise unknown, although the name occurs elsewhere as a ‘chief of the people' (Nehemiah 11:25) as one who shared the platform with Ezra (Nehemiah 8:4), and as the father of Azariah the wall builder (Nehemiah 3:23). A Kelita is mentioned as a signatory of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:10), and as having married an idolatrous foreign wife (Ezra 10:23). Azariah, a very popular Jewish name, was a son of Maaseiah, and helped repair the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:23), but he was probably not this one. It was also the name of a priest who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:2), and of a prince of Judah who is mentioned in connection with the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:33). Jozabad is mentioned as having married an idolatrous foreign wife (Ezra 10:23). Hanan was a signatory of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:10), and was one of the four treasurers put in charge of the tithes by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13:13). Pelaiah was a signatory of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:10).
‘And they read in the book, in the Law of God, distinctly, and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.'
This verse summarises what has gone before. They (those on the platform) read in the written record, in the Law of God, distinctly (or ‘paragraph by paragraph'), whilst they, (the Levite instructors), gave the sense so that they (the people) understood the reading. It was a summing up of the whole procedure.