Nehemiah 8:9

“And Nehemiah which is the Tirshatha, etc.] Or governor, as Zerubbabel had been, and now Nehemiah, (see <150263>Ezra 2:63) and Ezra the priest and scribe; (see <160801>Nehemiah 8:1,2), and the Levites that taught the people; (see <160807>Nehemiah 8:7) said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God; being both the new moon and the feast of blowing of trumpets: mourn not, nor weep; which was unsuitable to a festival, and especially such an one as this, in which trumpets were to be blown, and gladness to be shown, (<041010>Numbers 10:10) for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law; perceiving they had not kept it, but had broke it in many instances, and so…”

“THE PEOPLE COMFORTED. (Neh 8:9-15) This day is holy unto the Lord . . . mourn not, nor weep--A deep sense of their national sins, impressively brought to their remembrance by the reading of the law and its denunciations, affected the hearts of the people with penitential sorrow. But notwithstanding the painful remembrances of their national sins which the reading of the law awakened, the people were exhorted to cherish the feelings of joy and thankfulness associated with a sacred festival (see on Lev 23:24). By sending portions of it to their poorer brethren (Deu 16:11, Deu 16:14; Est 9:19), they would also enable them to participate in the public rejoicings.”

“Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha - Hereto, Nehemiah has called himself פחה pechâh Nehemiah 5:14-15, Nehemiah 5:18, which is the ordinary word for “governor.” Now for the first time he is called ‘the Tirshatha’” (see Ezra 2:63 note.) The people wept ... - Because the Law brought vividly before them their sins of omission and commission. In Nehemiah 8:10 the Jews were not forbidden to be sorry for their sins, but they were only prohibited from marring a festive occasion with the expression of their sorrow. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Wept - Out of a sense of their guilt and danger by reason of it. Nehemiah 8:10”

“8:9-10 Ezra the priest and scribe: See study note on Ezra 7:6. • Don’t mourn or weep . . . today is a sacred day: God touched the people’s hearts, prompting them to regret their failures to keep God’s laws. While weeping is an appropriate response to sin (see Ezek 9:4; Luke 6:21), Ezra and Nehemiah encouraged the people to rejoice at what God had done. Because this New Year’s festival was to be a time of joy (Num 29:1-6), weeping would have destroyed the spirit of the day.”

“Nehemiah: Neh 7:65, Neh 7:70, Neh 10:1; Ezr 2:63 Tirshatha: or, governor Ezra: Ezr 7:11 the Levites: Neh 8:7, Neh 8:8; Ch2 15:3, Ch2 30:22, Ch2 35:3; Hos 4:6 This day: Neh 8:2; Lev 23:24; Num 29:1-6 mourn not: Deu 12:7, Deu 12:12, Deu 16:11, Deu 16:14, Deu 16:15, Deu 26:14; Ecc 3:4; Isa 61:3; Mal 2:13 all the people: Kg2 22:11, Kg2 22:19; Ch2 34:19, Ch2 34:21; Rom 3:20, Rom 7:9; Co2 7:9-11 Nehemiah 8:10”

“The celebration of the feast of the new moon. - Neh 8:9 Then Nehemiah, the Tirshatha (see remarks on Ezr 2:63), and the priest Ezra the scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord our God. Mourn not, nor weep; for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law." היּום is the new moon of the seventh month. The portion read made a powerful impression upon the assembled crowds. Undoubtedly it consisted of certain sections of Deuteronomy and other parts of the Thorah, which were adapted to convict the people of their sin in transgressing the commands of the Lord, and of the punishments to which they had thus exposed…”