Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 8:16
So the people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
16. So the people went forth ] There were 13 days before the feast, in which to make preparations.
upon the roof of his house ] For the use put to the flat roofs of houses in the East cf. Jos 2:6 ; 1Sa 9:25 (Deu 22:8).
in their courts ] Eastern houses were generally built in the form of a quadrangle.
in the courts of the house of God ] This does not refer only to booths erected by priests and Levites; cf. 2Ch 23:5. See Psa 92:13; Psa 106:19; Psa 135:2. A possible allusion to the celebration of this feast ‘in the courts of the house of God’ is to be found in Isa 62:9.
the street ] R.V. the broad place. In the ‘broad places’ Jews from the country could erect their booths.
the water gate ] See note on Neh 8:3.
the gate of Ephraim ] Cf. Neh 12:39; 2Ki 14:13 ; 2Ch 25:23. The gateway probably took its name from the road passing through it which led to Ephraimite territory. It is not mentioned in ch. 3., but see notes on Neh 3:6-8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. Upon the roof of his house] It need scarcely be repeated, that the houses in the East are generally built with flat roofs. On these they reposed; on these they took the air in the heats of summer; and on these they oftentimes slept.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Booths upon the roof of his house; for the houses there were made flat; of which See Poole “Deu 22:8“.
In their courts, belonging to their own houses; for these might be any where in the open air.
In the street of the gate of Ephraim; that gate of the city which led to the tribe of Ephraim.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. the people went forth, andbrought . . . and made themselves booths, c.(See on Le23:34 De 16:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So the people went forth, and brought them,…. Went out of Jerusalem to the mountains adjacent, and fetched in branches of the said trees, one or another:
and made themselves booths, everyone upon the roof of his house; which were flat, De 22:8, and they might be made anywhere, so be it they were open to the air:
and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God; the common people in the courtyards belonging to their houses, and the priests and Levites in the courts of the temple, the yards or open places adjoining to them:
and in the street of the watergate; which led to that, and seems to have been a very large street, in which many booths might be built, Ne 3:26
and in the street of the gate of Ephraim; which led to the gate through which the road lay to the tribe of Ephraim, see 2Ki 14:13, none were erected without the walls of the city, for fear of the enemy.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) And in their courts.Not only on the roofs, but in the internal courtyards.
Of the house of God.The ministers of the Temple made these; and strangers to Jerusalem made them in the streets or open spaces near the gates.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Upon the roof of his house Nearly every available place would be used, and those who occupied houses in Jerusalem would find it most convenient to build their booths either on the flat roofs of their houses, or in their courts, the inclosed yards in the rear of their houses.
The courts of the house of God Here the priests and Levites would naturally build their booths, while those persons who were not residents of Jerusalem would make theirs in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. The open space before the water gate was where all the people assembled to hear the public reading of the law. See on Neh 8:1 and Neh 3:26. The gate of Ephraim was doubtless in the northern wall, opening towards the territory of Ephraim. See on 2Ki 14:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Their Observance Of The Feast Of Tabernacles ( Neh 8:16-18 ).
The passage now jumps from the second day to the fifteenth day of the month, when the people having gathered their branches, assembled once more in Jerusalem for the seven day Feast of Tabernacles. There they erected booths to dwell in over the period of the Feast. The emphasis in the whole passage is not on outlining the Feasts of the month, (thus the observance of the Day of Atonement, which the people did not directly participate in publicly, is ignored), but on the reading out of and response to the Law followed by the building of booths in Jerusalem, commemorative of the Exodus, for the proper observance of the seven day Feast in fulfilment of that Law.
Neh 8:16
‘So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.’
As a consequence of what their leaders had learned from the Law (the Torah), as the fifteenth day approached the people gathered branches and assembled in Jerusalem, where they made themselves booths. Those who had houses built the booths on the roofs of their houses, and in the courts of the bigger houses, while others built theirs in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place by the Water Gate where they had previously assembled on the first day (Neh 8:1), and in the broad place by the Gate of Ephraim. Thus Jerusalem was filled with booths, as they re-enacted the Exodus experience. They felt that they had taken part in a new Exodus.
Neh 8:17
‘And all the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.’
So ‘those who had come out of the captivity’ dwelt in booths, just as those who had come out of captivity in Egypt had previously done. They made booths and dwelt in booths in commemoration of the Exodus, just as in Joshua’s day the people had done the same. The phrase about those who had come out of captivity is used deliberately. They were thereby celebrating a new deliverance.
‘For since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so.’ This is not denying that the Feast of Tabernacles had been observed at various times throughout their history. We know that it had been (Jdg 21:19; 1Sa 1:3; 1Ki 8:2; 1Ki 8:65; 2Ch 7:9; Zec 14:16; Ezr 3:4). Nor is it denying that many of them had made booths during that Feast. Indeed it was a harvest feast and booths were regularly built at harvest times where workers could rest and sleep. Compare how Boaz himself slept overnight at the site of the harvest (Rth 3:7), although not in a booth. And booths were built during pagan festivities in which Israelites engaged. Indeed booths had no doubt been erected at harvest times by the returnees. But these were in order to aid ingathering (the feast was also called the Feast of Ingathering), and as a means of celebrating harvests, not as a symbol of deliverance from captivity. What is probably in mind is that booths had not been built for the purpose of commemorating the Exodus, and at the place which YHWH chose (the Tabernacle site and then the Temple site). After the time of Joshua Israel’s religious observance had gradually deteriorated, and dwelling in booths had been reinterpreted, with probably not all participating, especially in the great cities. But now Israel were being restored to their former faith, and this was to be a recognition that they were the people of God whom He had delivered from captivity.
Neh 8:18
‘Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance.’
As well as sleeping in booths the people also listened to the Law (Torah) of Moses being read out to them day by day. On each day of the seven day feast Ezra read out to them sections of the book of the Law of God. And they observed the Feast in accordance with the requirements laid out in that Law (Lev 23:33-36; Deu 31:10-13). Then on the eighth day there was a ‘solemn gathering and observance’, just as the Law required. This requirement for the eighth day is found in Lev 23:33; Lev 23:39; Num 29:35-38 so that we know that Ezra was reading at least from Leviticus (compare earlier on Neh 8:14-15 re Leviticus 23). The word translated ‘solemn assembly’ is a comparatively rare one. It refers to the whole day as a day of ‘holding back’, and includes the thought of rest from servile work. Thus the people gathered, restraining both themselves and their servants from work, so as to celebrate the Day.
This day of complete rest, following immediately on a daily reading of the Law, and enforcing a period of meditation, had its inevitable consequence. The people had restrained their sorrow over sin (Neh 8:9), which had initially been brought about by the reading of the Law, in order to observe the Feast with gladness. But meanwhile that sense of guilt had been increasing due to the hearing of the Law. After the thrill and buoyancy of the Feast came the inevitable emotional collapse. Now they gave full rein to their sense of guilt. And this caused them to remain in Jerusalem beyond the finalising of the Feast. Day by day throughout the Feast they had received more and more revelations out of the Law as it was read and interpreted daily. In consequence their feelings of guilt with regard to their failure to observe it fully would have been impressed on them more and more day by day. And this would no doubt having been exacerbated by the reading of the curses pronounced in Deuteronomy 27-28, which would presumably have been read on the last of the seven days of the Feast. It thus led to a renewed mourning over their sins and their failure to observe the covenant. And this was something which would now lead on to the proposal and acceptance of a renewed covenant (chapter 10).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Neh 8:16 So the people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
Ver. 16. So thepeople went forth, and brought them ] They had kept the feast of trumpets on the first day of this month. And although no mention be here made of the feast of expiation, a day of humiliation to be kept for ever upon the tenth day, yet it is to be presumed that they kept it, having so good a guide as Ezra. Now also, as not weary of well-doing, they do most solemnly celebrate the feast of tabernacles, making themselves booths of boughs in every street throughout the whole city.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), to mark the minuteness of the obedience.
one = man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the roof: Deu 22:8, 2Sa 11:2, Jer 19:13, Jer 32:29
the courts: 2Ch 20:5, 2Ch 33:5
the street of the water gate: Neh 8:3, Neh 3:26, Neh 12:37
gate of Ephraim: Neh 12:37, Neh 12:39, 2Ki 14:13
Reciprocal: 1Sa 9:25 – the top 2Ch 25:23 – gate of Ephraim 2Ch 32:6 – in the street Neh 8:1 – before 1Co 10:31 – ye eat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 8:16. Every one upon the roof of his house Which, according to the law, was made flat, Deu 22:8. And in their courts Those belonging to their houses: for the booths might be made anywhere in the open air. And in the street of the gate of Ephraim The gate of the city which led to the tribe of Ephraim.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:16 So the people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every one upon the {h} roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
(h) For their houses were made with flat roofs, read De 22:8.