Scripture Daily

Context No. 74 of 4322 · Nehemiah

Context · Reflection

Nehemiah 8:1-6: in context

1All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2Ezra 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. 3He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5Ezra 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. 6Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

The wall is rebuilt, the exiles are home, and the community gathers in the square before the Water Gate. This passage is the moment Ezra the scribe brings out the book of the law and reads it aloud, and it is one of the hinges of Jewish history.

The details are careful. The whole people gather as one, men and women and all who could understand. Ezra stands on a wooden platform built for the purpose, the first pulpit in the Bible. He reads from early morning until midday, some five or six hours, and the ears of all the people are attentive to the book. When he opens it, everyone stands. He blesses God, the people answer amen, amen, lift their hands, and bow to the ground.

In the verses after this, Levites move through the crowd giving the sense, since the people spoke Aramaic by now and the book was in Hebrew. So the reading needed translation and explanation to land. This gathering is where scripture read publicly and explained becomes the center of the community's life, the pattern behind the synagogue and every service since. What have I inherited that only stays alive if someone reads it out loud and takes the trouble to explain it?

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