Nehemiah 8:2 - Forerunner Commentary

Nehemiah 8:2

1 Now all ^athe people gathered together as one man in the open square that was ^bin front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the ^cscribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.

2 So Ezra the priest brought ^athe Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding ^bon the first day of the seventh month.

3 Then he ^aread from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate¹ from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^astood up.

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people ^aanswered, “Amen, Amen!” while ^blifting up their hands. And they ^cbowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, ^ahelped the people to understand the Law; and the people ^bstood in their place.

8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

9 ^aAnd Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ^b“This day is holy to the Lord your God; ^cdo not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, ^aand send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to ^asend portions and rejoice greatly, because they ^bunderstood the words that were declared to them.

The Feast of Tabernacles

13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.

14 And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in ^abooths during the feast of the seventh month,

Verse Comparison: Nehemiah 8:2

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Nehemiah 8:3 >>

American Standard Version
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

Amplified® Bible
And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first of the seventh month.

Contemporary English Version
(SEE 8:1)

Darby English Version
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

Good News Bible
So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered---men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.

King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who {could} listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

New International Version
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.

New King James Version
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

Revised Standard Version
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.

Young's Literal Translation
And Ezra the priest bringeth the law before the assembly, both of men and women, and every one intelligent to hear, on the first day of the seventh month,

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The Feast of Tabernacles

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