SERIES O --- RETURN TO THE LAND --- LESSON 10

THE WORD READ

THE BOOK OF THE LAW IS READ

From Nehemiah 8:1-9:5

About the middle of September, the people of Israel gathered in the square in front of the Water Gate and asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which Adonai had given to Israel. Ezra therefore brought the book before the great gathering of people as they waited to hear it read. From early morning until noon Ezra read to those who had gathered, and the people listened attentively. He stood on a wooden platform which was made for this purpose. Beside him at his right hand stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. At his left hand stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. When Ezra stood on the platform above the people, he opened the scroll, and the people stood up. Then Ezra gave praise to Adonai, the great YHVH, and all the people responded [Amen, Amen] while they lifted their hands. Then they bowed low to worship Adonai with their faces to the ground. While the people remained in their places, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiab, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah explained the law to the people as each passage was read. But when the people understood the commands of the law, they began to weep. Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people tried to comfort the people. [You must not cry today,] they urged, [for this day is holy to Adonai your YHVH. Instead, you should celebrate by eating and drinking good food and sharing it with someone who has nothing prepared. Do not mourn, for the joy of Adonai is your strength.] The Levites also joined in comforting the people by saying, [Don’t weep, for this is a holy and joyful day.] The people went from that place to eat and drink and to share their food with others. They had a great festival, for now at last they understood the words which the law spoke to them. On the following day the heads of families, along with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra to see what new truth they could learn from the law. They learned that Adonai had commanded Moses that the people of Israel should live in tents during the feast of the seventh month, the Feast of Tabernacles which was to be held that very month. They learned also that this feast should be proclaimed throughout the land, especially in Jerusalem, calling for the people to gather branches from the olive, myrtle, palm, and fig trees in the hills, and to make with them booths where they could live during the feast. The people went to the hills and gathered the branches and made booths with them. Some booths were made on the flat rooftops of the people’s houses, others in their courtyards, and still others in the great square before the house of YHVH, in the square by the Water Gate, and the one before the Gate of Ephraim. All who had returned from captivity made booths and lived in them during the feast and were very joyful. This had not been done since the time of Joshua the son of Nun. On each of the seven days of the feast Ezra read from the Book of the Law of YHVH. On the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the Law. On the twenty-fourth day of the month, which was October 10, the people assembled in Jerusalem again, wearing sackcloth and fasting, and with dust upon their heads. The people of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners. For a fourth of the day, they stood in their place and read from the Law of Adonai, and for another fourth of the day they confessed their sins and worshiped Adonai. Some of the Levites, including Jeshua, Kadmi-el, Bani, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiab, Bani, and Chenani, stood on the platform and praised Adonai with a loud voice. Then other Levites joined in calling for the people to worship. [Stand up and praise Adonai, who is from everlasting to everlasting,] they said. [Praise His glorious name, which is higher than all blessing and praise.]

COMMENTARY

THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM IN NEHEMIAH’S TIME

The Jews who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile moved from a comfortable, settled existence to one of hard labour and personal sacrifice. Work on the walls was long and difficult. The day began at sunrise, and ended not much before sunset. Arms were kept nearby; the sound of a horn would alert everyone to gather and prepare to do battle. The people who were not at work on the walls were kept busy by the daily need to furnish food for the Levites, priests, porters, singers and Nethinim. Ezra restored the place of the Law of Moses in the Jews’ lives by having the scribes give public readings. They had to learn the law, and follow it, confess their waywardness and establish a new Covenant with YHVH. Eventually, Nehemiah compelled one out of ten returned Jews to live inside Jerusalem itself. A larger population meant a more secure city and a safer populace; it would also help the city grow in size and wealth.