Nehemiah 8:2 kjv
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.
Nehemiah 8:2 nkjv
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.
Nehemiah 8:2 niv
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.
Nehemiah 8:2 esv
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.
Nehemiah 8:2 nlt
So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
Nehemiah 8 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:10 | "...that they may learn to fear me all the days..." | Importance of hearing God's words to learn. |
| Deut 31:11 | "when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God...you shall read this law before all Israel." | Command to publicly read the Law. |
| Josh 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it..." | Importance of constantly engaging with the Law. |
| Josh 8:34-35 | "...Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse..." | Historical precedent of public Law reading. |
| 2 Kgs 23:2 | "...the king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah... and he read in their hearing..." | Josiah's reform initiated by reading the Law. |
| Lev 23:24 | "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day...'" | Refers to the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). |
| Ezra 7:6 | "...Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses..." | Confirms Ezra's authority and expertise in the Law. |
| Neh 8:8 | "They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly..." | How the Law was read and interpreted. |
| Psa 19:7 | "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul..." | Attributes of God's perfect Law. |
| Psa 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." | Guidance found in God's Word. |
| Jer 15:16 | "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy..." | Delight in consuming God's words. |
| Matt 4:4 | "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." | Necessity of God's Word for spiritual life. |
| Luke 4:16 | "...he entered the synagogue... and stood up to read." | Jesus' custom of public scripture reading. |
| Luke 8:21 | "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." | Importance of hearing and doing the Word. |
| Acts 13:15 | "After the reading from the Law and the Prophets..." | Common practice of scripture reading in synagogues. |
| Acts 17:11 | "Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica... examining the Scriptures daily..." | The proper response to hearing the Word. |
| Rom 10:17 | "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." | Word of God as the source of faith. |
| Eph 5:17 | "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." | Encourages understanding God's will through His word. |
| 1 Tim 4:13 | "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching." | Instructions for public scripture reading in the church. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | "All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching..." | The divine origin and benefit of Scripture. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..." | Power and discernment of God's Word. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | The need to act upon hearing the Word. |
Nehemiah 8 verses
Nehemiah 8 2 Meaning
Nehemiah 8:2 describes the momentous occasion when Ezra the priest brought the book of the Law of Moses before the gathered assembly of Israelites in Jerusalem. This congregation included men, women, and all who were old enough to comprehend, assembling specifically on the first day of the seventh month. Ezra then proceeded to publicly read from the Law, initiating a profound spiritual renewal for the returned exiles.
Nehemiah 8 2 Context
Nehemiah chapter 8 marks a pivotal shift from the physical restoration of Jerusalem's walls (completed in chapter 7) to the spiritual revitalization of the Jewish community post-exile. The people had gathered for the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) on the first day of the seventh month, a sacred day of assembly and commemoration prescribed in the Law. This event signifies a corporate turning back to God's instruction and covenant, underscoring the spiritual revival that followed the physical reconstruction. The setting is the open square before the Water Gate, a central and accessible location, allowing a large number of people to gather to hear the divine word, as they felt a desire and need for it.
Nehemiah 8 2 Word analysis
- And Ezra the priest: Ezra (עֶזְרָא -
Ezrā'), meaning "help," was a significant figure described as a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses. His priestly lineage added weight and authority to his role, uniquely positioning him as both a spiritual leader and a scholar of God's word. - brought the Law: "The Law" (הַתּוֹרָה -
hattorah) specifically refers to the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, given through Moses. Bringing it signifies a ceremonial and public presentation, re-establishing its central place in the community's life after years of neglect and exile. - before the congregation: "Congregation" (הַקָּהָל -
haqqāhāl) emphasizes a formal, gathered assembly, a deliberate collection of the people as a unified body, not merely a casual crowd. This highlights the corporate nature of their commitment to the covenant. - both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding: This detail stresses inclusivity and responsibility. It implies an audience capable of comprehension (מֵבִין -
mēḇîn), indicating intellectual and spiritual maturity to grasp the meaning and implications of the Law. It excludes infants or those genuinely unable to process the words, focusing on those ready for personal accountability. - upon the first day of the seventh month: This is the day of Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, a day of holy convocation (Leviticus 23:24). Choosing this day underscored the solemnity, sacredness, and divinely appointed nature of the event, linking the spiritual revival to God's ordained calendar.
- and he read therein: "Read" (וַיִּקְרָא -
vayyiqrā) means not just to vocalize text, but to proclaim, to make known, to preach. This public, authoritative act was the method through which God's word was reintroduced and instilled into the hearts and minds of the people. - Word-Group Analysis:
- Ezra the priest brought the Law: Highlights Ezra's authoritative role (priest and scribe) in delivering the foundational scriptures, emphasizing the necessity of divinely appointed leadership to present God's truth.
- before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding: Stresses the widespread participation and the essential requirement of thoughtful, discerning hearing for effective spiritual transformation across all capable members of the community.
- upon the first day of the seventh month, and he read therein: Emphasizes the sacred timing and formal proclamation, marking this as a divinely ordered event for communal renewal, centered on the public declaration of God's word.
Nehemiah 8 2 Bonus section
The act of reading the Law in Nehemiah 8:2 goes beyond simple literacy; it was a communal performance. The space "before the Water Gate" suggests an outdoor amphitheater-like setting, enhancing audibility for the vast assembly. This event initiated a cascade of spiritual activities: not only was the Law read, but it was also explained (Neh 8:8), understood, and obeyed, leading to national repentance and renewed covenant vows. The careful specification of the audience ("all that could hear with understanding") underscores that God desires a knowledgeable and discerning relationship, not merely blind adherence. This was not just a historical event, but a template for revival: beginning with hunger for God's word, expressed through deliberate assembly and led by divinely appointed teachers.
Nehemiah 8 2 Commentary
Nehemiah 8:2 reveals the critical shift from rebuilding the physical city to reconstructing the spiritual foundation of God's people. The verse highlights Ezra's authoritative role as the Law's custodian and expounder, publicly bringing God's word to a congregation ready to hear. The specified audience – men, women, and all with understanding – underlines the expectation of a deep, personal engagement with the divine message, beyond mere passive listening. The selection of the first day of the seventh month, the Feast of Trumpets, injects profound liturgical significance, transforming the reading into a sacred event that commenced a season of national repentance and recommitment to the covenant. It illustrates the timeless principle that societal and individual restoration truly begins with the public, purposeful, and understandable proclamation of God's perfect and living Word, fostering both hearing and comprehension as the basis for obedience. For instance, like a family gathers to review their inherited will to understand their obligations, Israel gathered to understand their spiritual heritage and duties.