The Book of Nehemiah

Word Study

"the ears of all the people," Hebrew ozney kol-ha-am... el-sepher (אָזְנֵי כָל־הָעָם אֶל־סֵפֶר), the ears of all the people were toward the book. This gathering is unprompted by any wall-building crisis; the people themselves "spake unto Ezra... to bring the book of the law" (v1). They wanted the word of God. And Ezra "read therein... from the morning until midday", roughly six hours of standing and listening to Scripture. Note who was present: "the men and the women, and those that could understand", the whole community, including the children old enough to comprehend. And note their posture: "the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law." They "stood up" when the book was opened (v5), reverencing it; they listened for hours without wearying; their ears were fixed on the book.

"attentive," qashuvoth, attentive, giving heed. For six hours, the people gave rapt, hungry attention to God's word. This is a remarkable picture of a people longing for Scripture. After generations of neglect and the trauma of exile, they could not get enough of the word of God. Their attentiveness is a rebuke to every casual, distracted approach to Scripture. Where there is spiritual life, there is hunger for the word; and where the word is truly honored, people will stand and listen with attentive ears. The rebuilding of the people, deeper than the rebuilding of the wall, began here, with a whole community attentive to the book of the law.

Explanation

The people themselves asked for the book of the law, and Ezra read it aloud for about six hours, from morning until midday. The whole community, men, women, and children old enough to understand, listened with rapt attention, their "ears... attentive unto the book of the law." After generations of neglecting Scripture and the trauma of exile, they hungered for God's word and could not get enough of it. Their eager, sustained attentiveness is a picture of a people spiritually alive and a rebuke to every casual, distracted approach to the Bible.

Gospel Focus

"The ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law", here is the mark of spiritual hunger: a people who long for and give rapt attention to God's word. The Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6), and Peter urged, "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). Where there is life, there is appetite for Scripture; a loss of hunger for the word is a symptom of spiritual sickness. These people stood for hours, attentive, because they treasured what God had to say. It is a searching example in an age of short attention and casual Bible-handling. Do we come to Scripture with attentive ears, or distracted and indifferent? "Blessed is the man... his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2). Ask God to give you, and His whole church, this hunger, this attentive ear toward His word. And note that this gathering came after the wall was built: the deepest rebuilding, of a people around God's word, is more important than any outward structure. Where the word of God is loved and heard with attentive ears, God is at work rebuilding a people for Himself in Christ, the Word made flesh.

Word Study

"Amen, Amen," Hebrew amen amen (אָמֵן אָמֵן), truly, so be it, from aman, to confirm, be firm. The reading of the word led naturally into worship. "Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God," and the people responded with their whole being. Their mouths: "all the people answered, Amen, Amen", a double, emphatic affirmation, confirming and agreeing with the praise of God. Their hands: "with lifting up their hands", the ancient gesture of prayer and adoration. And notice that this worship flowed from the word: the hearing of Scripture and the blessing of God moved the people to say "Amen" and to bow down.

"worshipped," va-yishtachavu (וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ), prostrated themselves. Their bodies: "they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground", full prostration in reverence. Voice, hands, and body, the whole person, joined in worship. Notice the balance of the chapter: the people both lifted up their hands in glad affirmation and bowed their faces to the ground in humble reverence, exuberant praise and lowly humility together. True worship holds both. Worship is the fitting response to the word of God; when His word is truly heard and His greatness declared, the heart cannot but respond in adoration. The recovered word produced not only attention but worship, a whole congregation, with voice and hand and bowed face, answering "Amen, Amen," and worshipping the LORD, the great God.

Explanation

As Ezra praised God, the people responded with their whole being in worship: with their voices ("Amen, Amen"), their hands lifted up, and their bodies bowed to the ground. Voice, hands, and posture all joined in adoration. The response beautifully combined exuberant praise (lifted hands, hearty "Amen") with humble reverence (faces to the ground). And it flowed directly from hearing the word of God. Worship is the natural response to Scripture rightly heard; when God's greatness is declared, the heart is moved to bless and bow before Him.

Gospel Focus

The people's response, "Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands... and they bowed their heads, and worshipped," shows that the word of God rightly heard leads to wholehearted worship. Their worship engaged the whole person, voice, hands, and body, and held together glad praise and humble reverence. So the New Testament calls for worship that is both joyful and lowly: "lifting up holy hands" (1 Timothy 2:8), and yet "let us... serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28). The hearty "Amen" is the congregation's confirmation of the truth and praise of God, and Scripture invites it: "let all the people say, Amen" (Psalm 106:48); indeed all God's promises find their "Amen" in Christ, "in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Corinthians 1:20). True worship is the fruit of the word: where Scripture is heard and God's greatness declared, hearts respond in adoration. If our hearing of the word never moves us to worship, something is amiss; but where the word is truly received, the response is "Amen, Amen," lifted hands, and bowed faces. Let your hearing of God's word overflow into worship of the great God, made known to us in Jesus Christ, in whom every promise is "Yea, and... Amen."

Word Study

"distinctly," Hebrew meforash (מְפֹרָשׁ), clearly, plainly (possibly also "translated," rendering Hebrew into the Aramaic the people now spoke). This verse is the great biblical charter for the teaching and exposition of Scripture. The Levites (v7) did three things with the word. First, they "read in the book in the law of God distinctly", clearly and plainly, so the words could be heard and grasped (and likely translated, since many now spoke Aramaic more than Hebrew). This is the pattern for all faithful teaching of Scripture: read the text clearly, explain its true meaning, and aim at real understanding.

"gave the sense," som sekhel (שׂוֹם שֶׂכֶל), setting the meaning. Second, they "gave the sense", they explained the meaning, opening up what the text meant. Reading was not enough; the word had to be explained and understood. This is expository teaching in its essence, "giving the sense" of the text so people understand.

"caused them to understand," va-yavinu (וַיָּבִינוּ), they gave understanding. Third, they "caused them to understand the reading", their aim was the people's genuine understanding. The goal is not to impress with cleverness or to impose novel ideas, but to make the people understand what God's word actually says. It is a model and a mandate: God's word is to be handled so that people truly grasp it. The Ethiopian eunuch's question, "how can I, except some man should guide me?" (Acts 8:31), shows the ongoing need; the word must be read distinctly and its sense given, that people may understand.

Explanation

The Levites did three things with Scripture: they read it clearly, explained its meaning ("gave the sense"), and aimed at the people's genuine understanding. Simply reading the words was not enough; the text had to be explained so people grasped what it meant. This is the model for all faithful teaching of the Bible: read it plainly, open up its true meaning, and help people truly understand. The goal is not cleverness or novelty but real comprehension of what God's word actually says. This verse is a charter for the clear, faithful exposition of Scripture.

Gospel Focus

"They read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand" is the biblical pattern for teaching Scripture: read it clearly, explain its meaning, aim at understanding. God wants His people not merely to hear words but to understand His word. The Lord Jesus taught this way, and after His resurrection "opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45); Philip, finding the Ethiopian reading Isaiah, "began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35), giving the sense. Paul charged Timothy to "give attendance to reading... to doctrine," and to be "apt to teach" (1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 2:24), "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Faithful ministry gives the sense of Scripture so people understand, neither leaving the text unexplained nor burying it under human speculation, but opening up what God has actually said. And understanding is essential to fruitfulness: the seed sown on good ground is "he that heareth the word, and understandeth it" (Matthew 13:23). Pray for teachers who give the sense clearly, seek to understand God's word yourself, and, if you teach, make it your aim to cause people to understand, for the goal of all Scripture is that we know God and His will, and know Christ, of whom all the Scriptures testify.

Word Study

"the joy of the LORD," Hebrew chedvath Yahweh (חֶדְוַת יְהוָה), gladness that comes from and belongs to the LORD. When the people heard the law, "all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law" (v9), convicted of their sin and failure. That grief was right and good; conviction is a proper response to God's word. But it was not to be the final note. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites said, "neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." This holy day was not for mourning but for rejoicing, "eat the fat, and drink the sweet," and share with the poor, "send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared." And this joy overflowed in generosity ("send portions") and celebration ("great mirth," v12), because "they had understood the words."

"your strength," mauzzekhem (מָעֻזְּכֶם), your stronghold, refuge, strength. And the reason given is one of the great sayings of Scripture: "the joy of the LORD is your strength." The gladness that comes from God, joy in the LORD Himself, His salvation, His forgiveness, His presence, is the believer's stronghold and strength. Note the movement: conviction (weeping) is right, but it must give way to joy, for a people paralyzed by sorrow over sin has no strength for the work and walk of God. The joy of the LORD, not grief, is what strengthens. Understanding the word led to joy, and joy became strength. The recovered word did not leave them in mourning but lifted them into a gladness that would fortify them for all that lay ahead.

Explanation

Hearing the law convicted the people, and they wept over their sin, a right and good response. But their leaders told them not to remain in sorrow, for the day was holy and meant for joy. They were to feast, celebrate, and share with the poor, "for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Grief over sin has its place, but it must give way to the joy that comes from God, His forgiveness, His presence, His salvation, which is the believer's true strength. A people paralyzed by sorrow has no strength for God's work; the joy of the LORD strengthens and fortifies them.

Gospel Focus

"The joy of the LORD is your strength" is one of the most treasured promises in Scripture, and it holds a vital truth of the Christian life. Conviction of sin is right, the people's weeping was not wrong, but God does not leave His people in sorrow; He lifts them into joy, and that joy becomes their strength. The gladness that comes from God, joy in His salvation and presence, is a stronghold that fortifies us for every trial and duty. "The kingdom of God is... righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17); "rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4); "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy" (Galatians 5:22). This joy is not shallow happiness dependent on circumstances but a deep gladness rooted in the Lord Himself, so that we can be "sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10). Notice the order in the chapter: understanding the word led to joy (v12), and joy led to generosity (sharing portions with the poor). The joy of the LORD overflows in glad giving. And godly sorrow for sin is meant to lead here, to the joy of forgiveness in Christ, for "in thy presence is fulness of joy" (Psalm 16:11). Do not stay in mourning over your sin; bring it to Christ, receive His forgiveness, and let "the joy of the LORD" become your strength, for a joyless faith is a weak faith, but the joy of the LORD makes us strong.