“OUR GOD REIGNS”
Nehemiah 8:1-12: “The Good Word of Our Good God”
The “Water Gate” must refer to a gate in the pre-exilic wall immediately above the Gihon spring and used for access to it. This, of course, was not rebuilt by Nehemiah. Whether he included a gate in his new wall at this point is not stated; perhaps direct access down the hill to Gihon was blocked by the tumble of rubble. The definition “to the east” could refer either to the gate itself—perhaps to distinguish it from the Spring Gate “in the south”—or more probably to the fact that the gate was “to the east” of the new line of the wall. In the latter case, we should supply “to the west” for “the projecting tower” (the same one as in v 25?). An east-west line between the gate and the tower thus defines the northern limit of this section.
8:1: Water Gate, on the east side of Jerusalem and directly opposite the Temple. 2: On the first day of the seventh month, later known as Rosh Ha-Shanah, the New Year festival (see also Lev. 23:23–25; Num. 29:1–6). The community here includes women, as in Deut. 1:12; contrast Exod. 19:14–15. 4: Elevated upon a wooden platform, Ezra reenacts the Sinai event and the people, like their ancestors, publicly accept the law. Whereas at Sinai Moses records what God reveals, Ezra now reads what Moses has written. Cf. the earlier, preexilic, public reading of the Torah of Moses in Josh. 8:30–35. Rabbinic traditions state that the wooden platform upon which Ezra stood was the Temple Mount (e.g., t. Sot., 7.13; b. Yoma 69b; b. Sot. 40b–41a). The Rabbis state that the six people called to read publicly from the Torah scroll on the Day of Atonement represent the six people who stand at Ezra’s left and the six people who stand at Ezra’s right during the public reading of the Torah. (The Rabbis take Meshulam as another name for Zechariah, so there are six, not seven people [see b. Meg. 23a]). 5: All the people stood up: The Rabbis use this v. to illustrate correct conduct during the public reading of a Torah scroll. The people’s standing is understood to reflect complete silence. A contemporary reflection of this v. is seen in synagogue worship: When the Torah scroll is raised, the congregation rises. 6: Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God: The Rabbis explain that the phrase the great God refers to Ezra’s use of the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of God (YHVH) (b. Yoma 69b). By the rabbinic period pronouncing this name had become taboo, and it begins to fall out of use in postexilic texts. 8: The exact meaning of each of these words is uncertain, though together they reflect the idea that the Torah text cannot simply be read and understood in a straightforward way, an idea that is particularly prominent within rabbinic culture. Translating it: Rabbinic interpretation understands the Heb “meforash” to refer to the Targum, the Aramaic translation of the verse, which was recited in public along with the verse. Unable to understand the Heb text, the returnees required both Aramaic translation and interpretation (b. Meg. 3a; b. Ned. 37b; Gen. Rab. 36.8).
8:9–12: The people celebrate the first of Tishri, a holy and joyful festival. Cf. the response following the laying of the foundations of the Temple in Ezra 3:10–13. Nehemiah’s attitude is that this reenacted revelation must be characterized by joy, not mourning, as in 2 Kings 22:11, or fear, as in the Sinai revelation (Exod. ch 19).
8:1 the square before the Water Gate. Located on the east side of Jerusalem. Open plazas were frequently situated within the walls at the entrances of ancient cities.
they told Ezra. Ezra’s ministry began thirteen years earlier. Some of its fruit is now evident in that the people, who have gathered with united purpose, call for the Book of the Law to learn more from it. It is not known where Ezra has been in the intervening period. Possibly his official duties required him to return to the royal court, only traveling back to Jerusalem with Nehemiah. Alternatively he may have stayed in Jerusalem in a private capacity as he continued his teaching ministry.
8:2 before the assembly. The participants, including women and children capable of understanding what is going on (repeated in v. 3), are in keeping with those required to be present at the reading of the law prescribed for the Feast of Booths in Deut. 31:10–13.
first day of the seventh month. This is the start of the civil year and the time for celebrating the Feast of Trumpets (Num. 29:1–6).
8:3 he read from it facing the square. For the public reading of the law in the context of covenant ratification or renewal, see Ex. 24:7; Josh. 8:30–35; 2 Kin. 23:1–3. The reading (along with the exposition, vv. 7, 8) takes five or six hours.
8:5 book. A scroll; the codex or book form did not yet exist in Nehemiah’s day.
all the people stood. By standing they express their reverence for the law (see v. 6).
8:6 Amen, Amen. The people concur in the praise offered by Ezra; the repetition expresses the emphatic degree of assent.
lifting up their hands. Lifting the hands often accompanies prayer and praise to God in this era (Pss. 28:2; 63:4; 134:2; 1 Tim. 2:8).
8:8 gave the sense. The law is not only read but also explained to ensure that the people grasp the meaning. There may also have been translation from Hebrew to Aramaic. The doctrine of the perspicuity (clarity) of Scripture is that the things necessary for salvation can be understood from the Bible without special techniques or higher education. This truth does not eliminate the need for faithful exposition of the Scriptures by trained people (Ezra 7:6–10).
8:9 Nehemiah … Ezra … Levites. There is unity among all the leaders on this occasion. Contrary to some scholarship, the text clearly affirms that Nehemiah and Ezra are contemporaries.
This day is holy … do not mourn. Holiness and mourning are not mutually exclusive (Lev. 23:26–32; Is. 6:3–5), but on this occasion sorrow is inappropriate. After the people renew their grasp of the message of the truth (v. 8), they are emotionally affected and mourn because they are filled with remorse over past sin. This then leads into renewed obedience to the truth (vv. 13–18).
8:10 anyone who has nothing. Those who have plenty to eat are to share with those who do not (see Ps. 22:26). This incident provides an illustration for understanding the sin in 1 Cor. 11:17–34.
the joy of the LORD. The people rejoice in the salvation and blessing that the Lord has extended to them. Continuing cheerful acknowledgment of their dependence on Him will be an ongoing source of strength to the community as the Lord blesses their commitment.
8:12 they had understood the words. “Understanding” (see vv. 7, 8) is a major theme in the passage, as is the involvement of “the people” (the term occurs thirteen times in vv. 1–12).
Chapter 8: The people gather to hear the reading and receive the teaching of the law, after which they keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Ezra Reads the Law and the Feast of Booths Is Kept (8:1–18)
8:1 The first day of the seventh month was the Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24), a Jewish festival involving a holy convocation. From Ezra’s podium, God’s Word certainly had the effect of a trumpet, as it rallied the people. book of the law of Moses. The reading of the law was in the street before the water gate, on the eastern side of the city, not in the temple court (Ezra 3).
8:2 The whole covenant community was present (Deut. 31:10–13; 2 Chron. 20:13). first day. A day of rest in the Jewish calendar.
8:3 street. The law is read in the center of city life (Prov. 1:20–21). morning until midday. A span of six hours.
8:5 stood up. Common show of respect in hearing God’s law.
8:6 Amen, Amen. An expression of their agreement. There was unified worship among the Jews.
8:7 These men, unlike the men of v. 4, probably walked amongst the crowds teaching the people what the law meant and helping them to understand the Hebrew language (Deut. 33:10).
8:8 the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. An ambiguous clause in the Hebrew. It may mean they exposited the texts for the people to understand. But it can also mean they translated the text into Aramaic for those who were not familiar with the Hebrew language. According to rabbinic tradition, the first Targum (Aramaic paraphrase of the Old Testament) is presented here.
8:9 Tirshatha. A transliteration of the original word that means “governor.” mourn not, nor weep. It was the Feast of Trumpets, a day of rejoicing (Lev. 23:23–25). Chapter 9 will show the proper place of contrition and mourning.
8:10 sweet. Something that tasted sweet. the joy of the LORD is your strength. The people are commanded to keep a festal worship of God (Num. 29:2–6; see also Deut. 12:12; 14:26; 2 Chron. 29:36). He is their strength and salvation, and therefore they sing His praises (Ex. 15:2; Ps. 28:7–9; Isa. 12:2–3). The word joy used here is uncommon in the Old Testament (1 Chron. 16:27).
8:11 stilled. They quieted the people.
8:12 mirth. Joy, different word than v. 10.
Rosh-HaShanah: Historical Background
Leviticus 23:23–25 One of the fascinating facts about the holy day of Rosh-HaShanah is that it is considered the New Year, yet it’s not called that in the Bible. The truth is, this day comes in the seventh month of the calendar year and was given a different name. The biblical new year starts in the spring with the month of Nisan (Exod. 12:2), the beginning of the new agricultural year. However, the sages gave such significance to the first Shabbat of the fall holidays that they eventually considered it as the “spiritual” new year, hence the name change as well. Biblically known as Yom Teruah (the Day of Sounding/Festival of Trumpets), this day became Rosh-HaShanah, the Head of the Year.
The purpose of this holy day is summed up in one word: regathering. Since the fall holidays call Isra’el to regather to a pure faith in God, Rosh-HaShanah came to represent the day of repentance. It is the day when the people of Isra’el take stock of their spiritual condition and make the necessary changes to ensure that the upcoming new year will be pleasing to God. So important was this day of Rosh-HaShanah that, in fact, the entire preceding Hebrew month of Elul takes on a holy significance of its own. The sages stressed that the forty-day period from the first day of Elul through the tenth day of Tishri (Yom-Kippur) was to be a time of special spiritual preparation. This was based on the belief that it was on the first of Elul that Moshe ascended Mount Sinai in order to receive the second set of Tablets of the Law and that he descended on Yom-Kippur (Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer 46).
For more on “The Holy Days of Isra’el: Rosh-HaShanah,” see reading at Micah 7:19.
Rosh-HaShanah: Traditional Jewish Observance
Micah 7:19 In synagogues, the shofar, or ram’s horn, is sounded daily to alert the faithful that the time of repentance is near. Many observant men partake in a special water immersion to symbolize cleansing their ways. Since the theme of Rosh-HaShanah is regathering for repentance, the observance takes on a somber character, yet always with a hint of hope because of God’s forgiveness. In the traditional Jewish home, the evening starts with the festival dinner that includes many customary dishes. Then it is off to synagogue for the evening service. A good part of the next day is also spent in worship.
The liturgy, music, and prayers emphasize the recurring theme of repentance, turning to God, our king. In traditional groups, the afternoon of Rosh-HaShanah is spent at a body of water (ocean, lake, or stream) observing the ancient service of Tashlich. The word derives from Micah 7:19 where the prophet promises, “You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea.” To illustrate this beautiful truth, people cast breadcrumbs or pebbles into the water and rejoice in God’s promise of forgiveness.
With these themes in mind, it is customary in the Jewish community to send holiday cards to family and friends with wishes for a blessed New Year. But the most memorable custom is the blowing of the shofar, the ram’s horn mentioned in the biblical text. The shofar is sounded in the synagogue with four different notes: tekia (blast), shevarim (broken notes), teruah (alarm), and tekia gedolah (the great blast). These notes provide some spiritual lessons. The shofar was used in the ancient world to hail a king. So, too, at Rosh-HaShanah, all Isra’el is said to appear before the King of kings in anticipation of personal judgment. Also, in the Bible the shofar was often sounded as an alarm, to gather the troops together for battle (see Josh. 6). In this case, the shofar is our “wake-up call”—an alarm to call us to our appointed time.
For more on “The Holy Days of Isra’el: Rosh-HaShanah,” see reading at Matthew 24:31.
Rosh-HaShanah: Prophetic Fulfillment
Matthew 24:31 Many classical rabbis saw a connection between Rosh-HaShanah as the holy day of regathering and the Messiah who would be the agent of regathering. For example, a work in the eighth century C.E. states: “Messiah ben David (son of David), Elijah and Zerubbabel, peace be upon him, will ascend the Mount of Olives. And Messiah will command Elijah to blow the shofar.… The second blast which Elijah will blow will make the dead rise” (Ma’ase Daniel, qtd. in Patai 143).
There is rich prophetic truth associated with this Feast of Trumpets. As it characterizes a time of ingathering and spiritual preparation, a future fulfillment of Rosh-HaShanah is also alluded to. In speaking of the future regathering of the believers in Messiah, Sha’ul (Paul) makes an interesting connection to the holy day: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar” (1 Thess. 4:16).
Not surprisingly, the signal of the gathering will be the sound of the shofar. In fact, the reference here is to a particular note sounded at Rosh-HaShanah. The word normally translated “shout” or “cry” in verse 16 comes from the Hebrew teruah, better translated in this context as the “alarm” blast of the shofar. Similar references to the shofar can be found elsewhere in the New Testament (see 1 Cor. 15:50–58; Rev. 4:1).
Another important fulfillment of Rosh-HaShanah is the regathering of the Jewish believing remnant at the second coming of Messiah. As far back as the seventh century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah wrote: “On that day ADONAI will beat out the grain between the Euphrates River and the Vadi of Egypt; and you will be gathered, one by one, people of Isra’el! On that day a great shofar will sound. Those lost in the land of Ashur will come, also those scattered through the land of Egypt; and they will worship ADONAI on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim” (Isa. 27:12–13).
It is clear that this passage is referring to a latter day regathering of the believing remnant. Likewise, Messiah Yeshua, when asked about the future of Isra’el, confirmed this as a latter day promise in his own teaching: “He [the Son of Man] will send out his angels with a great shofar; and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:31). The sound of the shofar is a reminder of the blessed hope every messianic believer possesses: to enter Messiah’s presence at any time (Titus 2:13).
People become holy by studying God’s Word (Neh. 8), confessing their sin (Neh. 9) and obeying God’s commandments (Neh. 10). With its emphasis on the law of Moses, Ezra-Nehemiah does not arouse expectation of continuing revelation. A written text is sufficient to unite the members of the post-exilic community and govern their life together before God. So then, Nehemiah 7:73b–12:47 describes a society of saints founded on the Word of God.
Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the seventh month, is therefore the greatest of them all. Even though it is the Day of Judgment, it is forbidden to fast on that day, as can be demonstrated from the actions of Ezra: “On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding … He further said to them, ‘Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength’ ” (Neh. 8:2, 10).