1
Ne 8:1-8.
英文原文
Ne 8:1-8.
RELIGIOUS MANNER OF READING AND HEARING THE LAW.
1. all the people gathered themselves together as one man--The occasion was the celebration of the feast of the seventh month
(Ne 7:73).
The beginning of every month was ushered in as a sacred festival; but this, the commencement of the seventh month, was kept with distinguished honor as "the feast of trumpets," which extended over two days. It was the first day of the seventh ecclesiastical year, and the new year's day of the Jewish civil year, on which account it was held as "a great day." The place where the general concourse of people was held was "at the water gate," on the south rampart. Through that gate the Nethinims or Gibeonites brought water into the temple, and there was a spacious area in front of it.
they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses--He had come to Jerusalem twelve or thirteen years previous to Nehemiah. He either remained there or had returned to Babylon in obedience to the royal order, and for the discharge of important duties. He had returned along with Nehemiah, but in a subordinate capacity. From the time of Nehemiah's appointment to the dignity of tirshatha, Ezra had retired into private life. Although cordially and zealously co-operating with the former patriot in his important measures of reform, the pious priest had devoted his time and attention principally toward producing a complete edition of the canonical Scriptures. The public reading of the Scriptures was required by the law to be made every seventh year; but during the long period of the captivity this excellent practice, with many others, had fallen into neglect, till revived, on this occasion. That there was a strong and general desire among the returned exiles in Jerusalem to hear the word of God read to them indicates a greatly improved tone of religious feeling.
4
無標題
4. 以斯拉……站在為這事特備的木臺上——並非我們所熟知的那種形式，不過是一座高起的臺架或平臺，寬闊得足以容納十四個人舒坦地站立。以斯拉的職務十分繁重，因為他要從早晨直讀到晌午，但在場其他祭司的幫助減輕了他的勞苦。他們在場頗為重要，一方面是要表明他們與以斯拉所宣告的屬神真理衷心相合，另一方面也是要分擔這公開誦讀並講解聖經的重要職責。
英文原文
4. Ezra . . . stood upon a pulpit of wood--Not made in the form known to us, but only a raised scaffold or platform, broad enough to allow fourteen persons to stand with ease upon it. Ezra's duty was very laborious, as he continued reading aloud from morning until midday, but his labor was lightened by the aid of the other priests present. Their presence was of importance, partly to show their cordial agreement with Ezra's declaration of divine truth; and partly to take their share with him in the important duty of publicly reading and expounding the Scripture.
5
無標題
5. 他一展開，眾民都站起來——他們採取這姿態，或為尊敬神的話，更可能是因為誦讀前有莊嚴的禱告，結束時眾人一同說「阿們、阿們」。
英文原文
5. when he opened it, all the people stood up--This attitude they assumed either from respect to God's word, or, rather, because the reading was prefaced by a solemn prayer, which was concluded by a general expression of "Amen, Amen."
7
無標題
7-8. 百姓明白律法……講明意思——注釋家對這話的含義意見分歧。有人認為以斯拉是用純正的希伯來語誦讀律法，而協助他的利未人逐句翻譯成迦勒底語，即被擄者在巴比倫所說的方言。另有人認為這些利未人的職責是向許多已經非常無知的百姓解釋以斯拉所念的。
英文原文
7, 8. caused the people to understand the law . . . gave the sense--Commentators are divided in opinion as to the import of this statement. Some think that Ezra read the law in pure Hebrew, while the Levites, who assisted him, translated it sentence by sentence into Chaldee, the vernacular dialect which the exiles spoke in Babylon. Others maintain that the duty of these Levites consisted in explaining to the people, many of whom had become very ignorant, what Ezra had read.
9
Ne 8:9-15.
Ne 8:9-15.
百姓得安慰。
9-10. 今日是耶和華你們的聖日……不要悲哀哭泣——百姓因誦讀律法及其警告而深刻想起國家的罪，心中滿了悔罪之愁。然而儘管誦讀律法喚起了他們想起國家之罪的痛苦回憶，百姓卻被勸勉要存喜樂與感恩之情，與聖潔的節期相稱
（見 Le 23:24 注釋）。
藉著將食物分給他們較貧窮的弟兄
（De 16:11, 14； Es 9:19），
他們也可使這些弟兄同享公眾的歡樂。
英文原文
Ne 8:9-15.
THE PEOPLE COMFORTED.
9, 10. 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
Le 23:24).
By sending portions of it to their poorer brethren
(De 16:11, 14; Es 9:19),
they would also enable them to participate in the public rejoicings.
16
Ne 8:16-18.
Ne 8:16-18.
他們守住棚節。
16. 於是百姓出去，取了……為自己搭棚，等等——（見
Le 23:34；
De 16:13 注釋）。
英文原文
Ne 8:16-18.
THEY KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
16. the people went forth, and brought . . . and made themselves booths, &c.--(See on
Le 23:34;
De 16:13).
17
無標題
17. 從嫩的兒子約書亞的時候直到那日，以色列人沒有這樣行——這一全國性的節期並沒有被疏忽如此之久。撒母耳、大衛以及其他敬虔的君王不可能容忍這樣公然違背律法的事，且其守節也有充分的記號
（1Ki 8:2, 65； 2Ch 7:9） 並明載於經
（Ezr 3:4）。
但其意乃是：自從他們進入迦南以來，從未像如今經過漫長痛苦的被擄歸回之時那樣，民眾的情緒被提升到如此熱烈歡騰的高峰。
英文原文
17. since the days of Jeshua . . . had not the children of Israel done so--This national feast had not been neglected for so protracted a period. Besides that it is impossible that such a flagrant disregard of the law could have been tolerated by Samuel, David, and other pious rulers, its observance is sufficiently indicated
(1Ki 8:2, 65; 2Ch 7:9)
and expressly recorded
(Ezr 3:4).
But the meaning is, that the popular feelings had never been raised to such a height of enthusiastic joy since the time of their entrance into Canaan, as now on their return after a long and painful captivity.
18
無標題
18. 每日……他念神的律法書——這超出了律法所吩咐的
（De 31:10-12）， 乃出於當時洋溢的熱心。
第八日照例有嚴肅會——這是節期末了的大日（見
Nu 29:35 注釋）。
到後來的時代，又增加了其他增添歡樂的儀式
（Joh 7:37）。
英文原文
18. Also day by day . . . he read in the book of the law of God--This was more than was enjoined
(De 31:10-12),
and arose from the exuberant zeal of the time.
on the eighth day was a solemn assembly--This was the last and great day of the feast (see on
Nu 29:35).
In later times, other ceremonies which increased the rejoicing were added
(Joh 7:37).
Ne 8:1-8.
誦讀與聆聽律法的敬虔方式。
1. 如同一人聚集——這次盛會是為守七月的節期
（Ne 7:73）。
每月的初一都作為聖潔的節期開始；但七月初一卻格外受到尊崇，被稱為「吹角節」，延續兩天。這是教會曆第七年的第一天，也是猶太民事年的元旦，因此被視為「大日」。百姓集會的地點在「水門」，位於南面的城牆上。尼提寧人或基遍人經此門將水送入聖殿，門前有一片寬闊的空地。
他們請文士以斯拉將摩西的律法書帶來——他比尼希米早十二三年來到耶路撒冷。他可能留在那裡，也可能為遵行王的詔令及履行重要職責而返回了巴比倫。他隨尼希米一同歸回，但居於次要地位。自尼希米被任命為省長（tirshatha）之後，以斯拉便退居私生活。這位敬虔的祭司雖然衷心而熱心地與這位愛國志士合作推行各項重大改革，卻把時間精力主要放在編纂正典聖經的完備版本上。律法規定每逢第七年須向百姓公開誦讀聖經；然而在被擄的漫長歲月中，這一美好慣例連同許多其他規矩都被忽略了，直到此時才得以復興。歸回耶路撒冷的被擄者中有強烈而普遍的願望要聽人向他們誦讀神的話語，這表明宗教情感已大有改善。