Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8 is the eighth chapter of the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible,[1] or the 18th chapter of the book of Ezra-Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible, which treats the book of Ezra and book of Nehemiah as one book.[2] Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles,[3] but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from 5th century BCE (so-called "the Chronicler") is the final author of these books.[4] The part comprising the two chapters (this and the next) focus mainly on Ezra; with this chapter recording Ezra’s reading and instructing God's law to the people,[5][6] then together they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with great joy.[7]

Nehemiah 8
← chapter 7 chapter 9 →
Ezra Reads the Law ; Synagogue interior wood panel. Location: Dura Europos, Syria.
Book	Book of Nehemiah
Category	Ketuvim
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	16

Text

The original text of this chapter is in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 18 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis (1008).[8][lower-alpha 1]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).[10]

An ancient Greek book called 1 Esdras (Greek: Ἔσδρας Αʹ) containing some parts of 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah is included in most editions of the Septuagint and is placed before the single book of Ezra–Nehemiah (which is titled in Greek: Ἔσδρας Βʹ). 1 Esdras 9:37-55 is an equivalent of Nehemiah 7:73-8:12 (The reading of the Law).[11][12]

Ezra reads the law (8:1–12)

The commission given to Ezra was to 'restructure the Jewish community' under God's laws, so he read and instructed the people who gathered around in 'the commands and intentions of God's revelation.'[13]

Verse 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.[14]

• "They spake unto Ezra": the initiative to hear the book of the law of God (Torah) came from the people.[15]

The feast of Tabernacles (8:13–18)

The requirements of God's laws were founded on God's grace and the intention behind the Feast of Tabernacles was to commemorate God's miraculous deliverance of Israel.[16] The celebration closely followed the regulation in Leviticus 23.[7]

Verse 17

So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.[17]

• "Booths": or "temporary shelters".[18]
• "Until that day the children of Israel has not done so": Although the Israelites had regularly celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, the festival had gradually become a 'harvest celebration', but in Ezra's time the festival was 'to commemorate God's grace' just as intended in Leviticus 23:43.[7]

See also

• Jerusalem
• Sukkot

• Related Bible parts: Ezra 3, Ezra 7

Notes

1. Since 1947 the current text of Aleppo Codex is missing the whole book of Ezra-Nehemiah.[9]

References

1. Halley 1965, p. 236.
2. Grabbe 2003, p. 313.
3. Babylonian Talmud Baba Bathra 15a, apud Fensham 1982, p. 2
4. Fensham 1982, pp. 2–4.
5. Grabbe 2003, p. 324.
6. Smith-Christopher 2007, pp. 320–321.
7. Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 220.
8. Würthwein 1995, pp. 36-37.
9. P. W. Skehan (2003), "BIBLE (TEXTS)", New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2 (2nd ed.), Gale, pp. 355–362
10. Würthwein 1995, pp. 73-74.
11. Catholic Encyclopedia: Esdras: THE BOOKS OF ESDRAS: III Esdras
12. Jewish Encyclopedia: Esdras, Books of: I Esdras
13. Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 215.
14. Nehemiah 8:1 KJV
15. Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 216.
16. Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 219.
17. Nehemiah 8:17 NKJV
18. Note on Nehemiah 8:17 in NKJV

Sources

• Fensham, F. Charles (1982). The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. New international commentary on the Old Testament (illustrated ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0802825278. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
• Grabbe, Lester L. (2003). "Nehemiah". In Dunn, James D. G.; Rogerson, John William (eds.). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (illustrated ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 320–328. ISBN 978-0802837110. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
• Halley, Henry H. (1965). Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary (24th (revised) ed.). Zondervan Publishing House. ISBN 0-310-25720-4.
• Larson, Knute; Dahlen, Kathy; Anders, Max E. (2005). Anders, Max E. (ed.). Holman Old Testament Commentary - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Holman Old Testament commentary. Volume 9 (illustrated ed.). B&H Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0805494693. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
• Levering, Matthew (2007). Ezra & Nehemiah. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Brazos Press. ISBN 978-1587431616. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
• McConville, J. G. (1985). Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. The daily study Bible : Old Testament. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0664245832. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
• Smith-Christopher, Daniel L. (2007). "15. Ezra-Nehemiah". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 308–324. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
• Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.

Further reading

• Blenkinsopp, Joseph, "Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary" (Eerdmans, 1988)
• Blenkinsopp, Joseph, "Judaism, the first phase" (Eerdmans, 2009)
• Coggins, R.J., "The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah" (Cambridge University Press, 1976)
• Ecker, Ronald L., "Ezra and Nehemiah", Ecker's Biblical Web Pages, 2007.
• Grabbe, L.L., "Ezra-Nehemiah" (Routledge, 1998)
• Grabbe, L.L., "A history of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Volume 1" (T&T Clark, 2004)
• Throntveit, Mark A. (1992) "Ezra-Nehemiah". John Knox Press
• Pakkala, Juha, "Ezra the scribe: the development of Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8" (Walter de Gryter, 2004)

External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Nechemiah - Nehemiah - Chapter 8 (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • Book of Nehemiah Chapter 8. Bible Gateway