Nehemiah 8:12

Nehemiah 8:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
• New International Version (NIV)Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

Context of Nehemiah 8:12

10Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Don’t grieve.” Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them. 13On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, assembled before the scribe Ezra to study the words of the law. 14They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.

Nehemiah 8:12 word by word

וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם לֶאֱכֹ֤ל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙ וּלְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָנ֔וֹת וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה כִּ֤י הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹדִ֖יעוּ לָהֶֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• went their wayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• and to sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• portionsמָנָהmânâh · portionH4490
• and to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• mirthשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• because they had understoodבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• that were declaredיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:12

• Nehemiah 8:10Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
• Nehemiah 8:7Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places.
• Job 23:12I have not departed from the commands from his lips; I have treasured the words from his mouth more than my daily food.
• Psalms 19:8The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.
• Psalms 119:14I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches.
• Psalms 119:130The revelation of your words brings light and gives understanding to the inexperienced.
• Proverbs 2:10For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight you.
• Proverbs 24:13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;
• Jeremiah 15:16Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I bear your name, Lord God of Armies.
• Luke 24:32They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?”
• Romans 7:18For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:12

• 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. 1-18This section, possibly from Ezra’s personal memoirs, explains how Ezra’s teaching of God’s law renewed the people's commitment to serve God and follow his instructions. Spiritual revival occurred alongside the civic work of Ezra and Nehemiah.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 8:12

• Feasts
• Joy
• Law
• Levites
• Poor
• Repentance
• Trumpets

In the dictionaries

• Ezra
• Festivals, Religious
• Read
• Tabernacles, Feast of
• Atonement, Day of
• Bible, the
• Criticism of the Bible
• Israel, History of
• Leviticus
• Synagogue, the Great

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