Nehemiah — Chapter 8

Et venerat mensis septimus

And the seventh month was come. — These events seem to have occurred in the seventh year of Artaxerxes under Esdras, who, sent back by him, had returned to Jerusalem. Hence just as the catalogue of the preceding chapter of Nehemias is the same as Esdras' catalogue in chapter 2, so what is said in this chapter 8 seems to be the same as what Esdras narrated in his chapter 8, as is clear to anyone comparing them. For in both places the seventh month is named, Esdras, the feast of Tabernacles, etc. There is no doubt that Esdras the scribe, performing his duty and zeal, as soon as he returned to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, taught the people the law — for this is why he was sent by Artaxerxes, saying \"that he freely teach the ignorant\" (Esdras 7:15) — just as Zorobabel and Jesus were sent to rebuild the temple, and Nehemias to restore the walls and city. Moreover it does not seem that Esdras lived until the twentieth year of Artaxerxes when Nehemias restored the walls; for then he would have been 147 years old (unusual in that era). Yet this argument is not solid: for that Esdras lived in the 20th year of Artaxerxes is clear from chapter 12:33,35, where Esdras the scribe is said to have been present at the dedication of the city by Nehemias — though Cajetan thinks a different Esdras is meant there. Hence some think these events occurred under Nehemias in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, so that Esdras returned with him a third time to Jerusalem, being of great old age — namely 147 years.

Stetit Esdras super gradum

And Esdras the scribe stood upon a step of wood — Hebrew: upon a wooden tower, that is, upon a platform which rose from the ground like a small tower.

Stetit omnis populus ad

And all the people stood up. — Both to show reverence to God's law by standing, and so that standing with raised ears they might more easily hear Esdras' reading. Hence also Christians stand for the Gospel out of reverence.

Et legerunt in libro

And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood. — They read (both Esdras and his companions who took turns with the aged and weary Esdras; but where any difficulty arose, Esdras himself explained it) in the Book of the Law (the Pentateuch, especially Deuteronomy where the whole law is repeated), \"distinctly\" (so that all could hear each part perfectly; the Septuagint translates \"he distinguished it in the knowledge of the Lord\" — wrongly do some twist this to the restoration of books burned by the Chaldeans), \"AND PLAINLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD\" — Hebrew: \"giving understanding\": that is, Esdras during the reading explained in Syriac or Chaldaic what was read from Deuteronomy in Hebrew, and moreover paraphrased the sentences encountered, as is said in verse 13. For the people in Babylon had corrupted their Hebrew and mixed it with Chaldaic; hence they did not sufficiently understand pure Hebrew. Esdras therefore interpreted what was said in Hebrew using the Syriac language, which was now the people's own native tongue.

Dixit autem Nehemias ipse

And Nehemias (he is Athersatha) said. — Nehemias was called Athersatha from the root \"yarats\" (to inherit): meaning \"you alone possessed the inheritance of the fathers for all — you who restored the destroyed city, enclosed it with walls, and handed it safe for posterity.\" Thus Vilalpandus. Or from \"tirosh\" (new wine) and \"shata\" (he drank): \"the one who first tastes the king's wine,\" his cupbearer. Thus Marinus in the Lexicon. Third, \"Athersatha\" closely resembles \"Artaxatha\" (Artaxerxes); it seems the king gave Nehemias authority in his own name, or that Nehemias, as most dear to the king, was addressed by the king's name by courtiers. Thus Vilalpandus (De Templo I.III.4). What Lyranus says — that \"Athersatha\" means \"released\" in Hebrew and that Nehemias is so called because he was given dispensation to drink the wine of the Gentile king — seems fabulous; for Athersatha is not a Hebrew but a Chaldean name. \"FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WEPT WHEN THEY HEARD THE WORDS OF THE LAW\" — because they saw that the law's threats — all kinds of calamities — had befallen them on account of their transgression, and that they still remained in great part in those calamities from the beginning of the Babylonian captivity until the twentieth year of Artaxerxes — a space of 147 years.

Ite comedite pinguia et

Go, eat fat things, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to them that have nothing prepared. — Thus the Christian law forbids fasting on Sunday, on account of the joy of the Feast. So St. Thomas (II-II, Q. 147, a. 5, ad 3). \"BE NOT GRIEVED\" — because although it is right to mourn and weep, yet on this feast day we must rejoice, not mourn. \"FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH\" — The joy of the Lord can be understood in two ways. First, actively: the joy with which the Lord rejoices when He sees us strong and great-spirited in adversity. Second, passively: the joy conceived about the Lord, or from love, reverence, imitation, and obedience of the Lord — God desires that the faithful imitate and adopt this His joy on the feast day, and in their joy offer Him peace offerings. By this joy is acquired strength of mind and body both to fulfill God's law and to bear courageously whatever adversities oppress us, and even to dispel them through joy and remove them through God. For joy multiplies, excites, sharpens, and diffuses the vital spirits throughout the whole body; sorrow attenuates, constricts, and burdens them. Hence the Apostle exhorts: \"Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice\" (Philippians 4). Moreover God continually supplies new grace and vigor to those who rejoice in Him, that they may become generous, strong, and eager for all things however arduous; for God, as the supreme and most joyful Lord, wills to be served by us in joy, exultation, and jubilation.

Ut interpretaretur eis verba

That he (Esdras) might interpret to them the words of the law. — to resolve the doubts that had arisen from the previous day's reading of the law, especially concerning the rites for celebrating the imminent feast of Scenopegia or Tabernacles, as prescribed in Leviticus 23, where I treated them at length.

Divulgent vocem in universis

And that they should proclaim, and publish the voice in all their cities and in Jerusalem. — that is, let them proclaim everywhere by herald's voice so that all may gather in Jerusalem for the imminent feast of Tabernacles, to be celebrated for eight days according to law. \"BRING BRANCHES OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TREE\" — Hebrew: \"of the oil tree,\" that is, of a fat and oily tree, which the Septuagint interprets as cypress; Pagninus as pine; others better as cedar. See what was said at Leviticus 23:36.

Feceruntque tabernacula in domate

And they made themselves tabernacles, every man upon the roof of his house. — Thus the Hebrews; for Hebrew roofs were flat, so that they could walk, stand, sit, spend the night, and sleep on them under the open sky. For the climate of Judaea is warm and dry; hence its inhabitants seek cool and clear air at night on their rooftops.

A diebus Josue non

And there had not been done so from the days of Josue (that is, from the entry of the Hebrews into the land of Canaan promised by God) \"the children of Israel had not done thus\" — they had not celebrated such a feast of Tabernacles with such joy, such devotion, such public reading of the law and its explanation, and such a great concourse of people gathering from everywhere that they even had to build tabernacles on rooftops. Thus Cajetan and others.

Et in die octavo collectam

And on the eighth day a solemn assembly. — that is, the feast of the gathering of the people, the nature of which I explained at Leviticus 23:40.