God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 8:13
13On the second day the leaders of the families of all the people, including the priests and the Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to study the words of God’s Teachings.
Nehemiah 8:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
- New International Version (NIV)On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law.
- English Standard Version (ESV)On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.
Context of Nehemiah 8:13
11So the Levites calmed all the people by saying, “Listen. Today is a holy day. Don’t be sad.” 12Then all the people went to eat and drink and to send portions. They had a big, joyful celebration because they understood the words that had been explained to them. On the second day the leaders of the families of all the people, including the priests and the Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to study the words of God’s Teachings. 14They found written in the Teachings that the Lord had given an order through Moses that the people of Israel should live in booths during a festival in the seventh month. 15They should announce this command and send this message throughout all their cities and Jerusalem: “Go to the mountains, and get branches—olive and wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other thick-leaved branches—to make booths as it is written.”
Read all of Nehemiah 8Nehemiah 8:13 word by word
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֡י נֶאֶסְפוּ֩ רָאשֵׁ֨י הָאָב֜וֹת לְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־עֶזְרָ֖א הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And on the secondשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- were gathered togetherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- the chiefרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- of the fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- of all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- and the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- unto Ezraעֶזְרָא‛ezrâ' · EzraH5830
- the scribeסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
- even to understandשָׂכַלώâkal · be prudentH7919
- the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:13
- 2 Chronicles 30:23Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days.
- Proverbs 2:1My son, if you take my words ⌞to heart⌟ and treasure my commands within you,
- Proverbs 8:33Listen to discipline, and become wise. Do not leave my ways.
- Proverbs 12:1Whoever loves discipline loves to learn, but whoever hates correction is a dumb animal.
- Mark 6:33But many people saw them leave and recognized them. The people ran from all the cities and arrived ahead of them.
- Luke 19:47Jesus taught in the temple courtyard every day. The chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders of the people looked for a way to kill him.
- Acts 4:1Some priests, the officer in charge of the temple guards, and some Sadducees approached Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
- Acts 13:42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak on the same subject the next day of rest—a holy day.
- Nehemiah 8:7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—explained the Teachings to the people while they were standing there.
- Luke 24:32They said to each other, “Weren’t we excited when he talked with us on the road and opened up the meaning of the Scriptures for us?”
- 2 Timothy 2:24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be willing to suffer wrong.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:13
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13To understand - Rather, “to consider.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 They found written in the law about the feast of tabernacles. Those who diligently search the Scriptures, find things written there which they have forgotten. This feast of tabernacles was a representation of the believer's tabernacle state in this world, and a type of the holy joy of the gospel church. The conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ, is foretold under the figure of this feast, Zec 14:16. True religion will render us…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 8:13
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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