Nehemiah 8:9

Nehemiah 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

Context of Nehemiah 8:9

7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places. 8So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read. Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law. 10Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”

Nehemiah 8:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר נְחֶמְיָ֣ה ה֣וּא הַתִּרְשָׁ֡תָא וְעֶזְרָ֣א הַכֹּהֵ֣ן׀ הַסֹּפֵ֡ר וְהַלְוִיִּם֩ הַמְּבִינִ֨ים אֶת־הָעָ֜ם לְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַיּ֤וֹם קָדֹֽשׁ־הוּא֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽתְאַבְּל֖וּ וְאַל־תִּבְכּ֑וּ כִּ֤י בוֹכִים֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם כְּשָׁמְעָ֖ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Nehemiahנְחֶמְיָהnechemyâh · NehemiahH5166
• ·הוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• the governorתִּרְשָׁתָאtirshâthâ' · governorH8660
• Ezraעֶזְרָא‛ezrâ' · EzraH5830
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and scribeסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
• and the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• who were instructingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• is holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
• to the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• Do notאַל'al · notH408
• mournאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
• or weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• Forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• as they heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the Lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:9

• Nehemiah 7:65The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.
• Nehemiah 10:1Now these were the ones who sealed the document: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah,
• Ezra 2:63The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.
• Ezra 7:11This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:
• Nehemiah 8:7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
• 2 Chronicles 15:3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
• 2 Chronicles 30:22And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
• 2 Chronicles 35:3To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
• Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
• Nehemiah 8:2On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
• Leviticus 23:24“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blasts.
• Numbers 29:1“On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.
• Deuteronomy 12:7There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
• Deuteronomy 16:11and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.
• Deuteronomy 26:14I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything You commanded me.
• Ecclesiastes 3:4a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha - This puts it out of doubt that, when the Tirshatha is mentioned, Nehemiah himself is intended, Tirshatha being the name of his office. Mourn not, nor weep - This is a holy day to God: a day appointed for general rejoicing in Him who has turned our captivity, restored to us his law, and again established among us his ordinances.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Nehemiah, 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 It was a good sign that their hearts were tender, when they heard the words of the law. The people were to send portions to those for whom nothing was prepared. It is the duty of a religious feast, as well as of a religious fast, to draw out the soul to the hungry; God's bounty should make us bountiful. We must not only give to those that offer themselves, but send to those out of sight. Their strength consisted in joy in the Lord. The better…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Ezra the priest and scribe: See study note on Ezra 7:6. This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep: God moved the people's hearts, leading them to regret not following his laws. While weeping is a suitable reaction to sin (see Ezekiel 9:4; Luke 6:21), Ezra and Nehemiah urged the people to celebrate what God had done. This New Year's festival was meant to be joyful (Numbers 29:1–6), and weeping would have ruined the day's spirit.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-159-10. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 8:9

• Feasts
• Joy
• Law
• Levites
• Priest
• Repentance
• Tirshatha
• Trumpets

In the dictionaries

• Ezra
• God
• Nehemiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Festivals, Religious
• Read
• Scribes
• Tabernacles, Feast of
• Tirshatha
• Atonement, Day of

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings