Nehemiah 8:12
“But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy.”
Context:The book of Nehemiah is set during the time when the Israelites had returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the Persian king, was given permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls. After the completion of the wall, the people gathered in the square before the Water Gate to hear Ezra the scribe read the Law of Moses.
Nehemiah 8:12 captures the emotional response of the people when they heard the Law of Moses being read.
“But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men…”
- The priests and Levites were responsible for the religious rituals and ceremonies, while the “chief of the fathers” refers to the elders or leaders of the community.
- The mention of “ancient men” suggests that these individuals were older and had experienced the time before the Babylonian exile. They were witnesses to the former glory of the temple that was destroyed.
“…that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes…”
- The “first house” refers to Solomon’s temple, which had been built centuries earlier but was destroyed during the Babylonian invasion.
- The “foundation of this house” pertains to the reconstruction of the temple in Nehemiah’s time. This verse highlights that these older individuals were present during the laying of the foundation of the new temple.
“…wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy.”
- The response of the people to hearing the Law of Moses was both sorrowful and joyful.
- The older individuals, who had seen the former glory of the temple, wept with a loud voice. Their tears might have represented a mix of emotions, including a sense of loss for what was destroyed and a recognition of God’s faithfulness in allowing them to rebuild.
- On the other hand, many others shouted aloud for joy. These were likely the younger generation who had not experienced the previous temple but were filled with joy at the restoration and the rediscovery of God’s Word.
