II.
The reconstitution of the nation of God's elect
8:1—13:31
A.
The renewing of the covenant under Ezra
8:1—10:39
1.
Coming back to God by coming back to His law, His word
8:1-18
Neh. 8
:1
8:1
And all the people gathered as
aone man in the open area that was before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the
1law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.
Neh. 8
:2
8:2
And 1Ezra 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.
Neh. 8
:3
8:3
And he
aread in it before the open area that was before the Water Gate from
first light until midday in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were
attentive to the book of the law.
Neh. 8
:4
8:4
And Ezra the
ascribe stood upon a wooden platform that had been made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah at his right hand; and at his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah,
and Meshullam.
Neh. 8
:5
8:5
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.
Neh. 8
:6
8:6
And Ezra blessed Jehovah the great God; and all the people answered,
1aAmen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with
their faces to the ground.
Neh. 8
:7
8:7
Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law; and the people
stood in their place.
Neh. 8
:8
8:8
And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading.
Neh. 8
:9
8:9
And Nehemiah, who was the
agovernor, and Ezra the priest
and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, This day is
bholy unto Jehovah your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Neh. 8
:10
8:10
Then he said to them, Go your way; eat the fat, and drink the sweet
wine, and send portions to him for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
Neh. 8
:11
8:11
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved.
Neh. 8
:12
8:12
And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Neh. 8
:13
8:13
And on the second day the heads of fathers’
houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe, that is, in order to gain
1insight into the words of the law.
Neh. 8
:14
8:14
And they found it written in the law that Jehovah had commanded through Moses that the children of Israel dwell in
1abooths during the feast in the seventh month,
Neh. 8
:15
8:15
And that they publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, Go out to the mountain and bring olive branches and wild olive branches and myrtle branches and palm branches and branches of
other leafy trees to make
abooths, as it is written.
Neh. 8
:16
8:16
So the people went out and brought
them, and all made booths for themselves on their
aroofs and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the open area
before the Water Gate and in the open area
before the Gate of Ephraim.
Neh. 8
:17
8:17
And all the assembly of those who returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the
abooths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so; and there was very great rejoicing.
Neh. 8
:18
8:18
And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he
aread in the book of the law of God. And they held the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the
1ordinance.
