Nehemiah 8:1-8

Nehemiah 8:1-8

[1] And all the people  gathered themselves together  as one  man  into the street  that was before  the water  gate;  and they spake  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.  [3] And he read  therein before  the street  that was before  the water  gate  from the morning  until midday,  and the women,  and those that 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;  and when he opened  it, all the people  stood up:  [6] And Ezra  blessed  the LORD,  the great  God.  And all the people  answered,  Amen,  with lifting up  their hands:  and they bowed  their heads, and worshipped  the LORD  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  [8] So they read  in the book  in the law  of God  distinctly,  and gave  the sense,  and caused them to understand  the reading. 

What does Nehemiah 8:1-8 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This 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 the people departed for a fellowship meal. [1]
The "first day of the seventh month" ( Nehemiah 8:2) was the day on which the Israelites were to observe the Feast of Trumpets ( Leviticus 23:24). The priests blew trumpets to assemble the people, to announce God"s working among them, and to signal preparation for the Day of Atonement, which followed on the tenth of the month ( Leviticus 23:27).
This time the people gathered at an appropriate place near the Water Gate ( Nehemiah 8:1). This gate was on the east side of the City of David, and it was near the Gihon Spring.
Nehemiah did not mention Ezra earlier in this book. However, now we learn that he was still active in Jerusalem as a contemporary and fellow leader of the restoration community along with Nehemiah. As the most important scribe in Israel at this time, as well as a priest, he led the people by reading the covenant to them ( Nehemiah 8:3).
Scholars have suggested that "the book of the Law of Moses" ( Nehemiah 8:1) refers to the legal material in the Pentateuch, or the "priestly code" (i.e, Leviticus), or the Deuteronomic laws, or the entire Pentateuch (i.e, the Torah). There is no way to solve this mystery now. We do know, however, that the book was a scroll, since codices (books as we know them) did not become popular until the early Christian centuries.
Even though Ezra apparently read for several hours, the people remained attentive. This attitude, along with their standing on their feet because they respected the Law, shows the commitment of these obedient Jews to Yahweh and His Word ( Nehemiah 8:3; Nehemiah 8:5). Evidently a wooden podium accommodated Israel"s leaders who stood on a raised platform with Ezra ( Nehemiah 8:4). Lifting up the hands toward heaven, normally with palms upward, was a common way in which the Jews expressed their desire to receive a blessing from God (cf. 1 Kings 8:22). Bowing with faces to the ground, a posture Muslims still observe, reflected their sense of humility before God (cf. Genesis 18:8). This is how slaves bowed before their masters in the ancient world ( Nehemiah 8:6; cf. Genesis 27:29; Genesis 37:10; Genesis 49:8 et al.).
Not only did the leaders read the Word of God, they also translated it from the Hebrew language into Aramaic, the common language of the Persian Empire. Some of the Jews present did not know Hebrew ( Nehemiah 13:24), having grown up in Babylon and elsewhere, away from Jews who maintained fluency in the Hebrew language. The written translation of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic, with comments added, was the Targum (lit. translation). The Apostle Paul referred to himself as a Hebrew ( Philippians 3:5). He meant that he was a Jew who could read the Hebrew Bible in the original Hebrew language, not just in Aramaic.
Ezra and his associates not only translated the Law, they also explained what it meant and how it applied to the people. This is true Bible exposition.