Verse 1
1. Sing aloud This call upon the people to join together, to shout aloud joyfully to God, is according to all Old and New Testament ideas of divine worship. “Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast” was a command, (Deuteronomy 16:14;) and therefore Nehemiah disallowed mourning on a day of worship. “This is a holy day unto the Lord your God; mourn not nor weep… for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:9-10. Mourning was counted by the Hebrews as an unclean act, unfitting the worship of God. It was regarded as the immediate consequence of sin and the death sentence. Hence, the bread eaten by mourners was unclean. (Leviticus 26:14; Hosea 9:4;) the high priest and Nazarite were prohibited mourning, even for a father or a mother, (Leviticus 21:10-11; Numbers 6:2; Numbers 6:7-8;) though the inferior priests might take on mourning for near relatives, Leviticus 21:1-4. The reason assigned for this prohibition of mourning is, that the priest was holy, and “the anointing oil of God was upon him.” Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 21:12
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