God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 8:15
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.”
Nehemiah 8:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
- New International Version (NIV)and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."
- New King James Version (NKJV)and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
Context of Nehemiah 8:15
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. 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. They 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.” 16So the people went to get branches to make booths for themselves. Some made booths on their roofs, others in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s temple, in the open area by Water Gate, or in the open area at Ephraim Gate. 17The whole assembly that had come back from exile made booths and lived in them. From the time of Jeshua (son of Nun) to that day, the people of Israel had not done this. There was a big, joyful celebration.
Read all of Nehemiah 8Nehemiah 8:15 word by word
וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ וְיַעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בְּכָל־עָרֵיהֶם֮ וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ צְא֣וּ הָהָ֗ר וְהָבִ֙יאוּ֙ עֲלֵי־זַ֙יִת֙ וַעֲלֵי־עֵ֣ץ שֶׁ֔מֶן וַעֲלֵ֤י הֲדַס֙ וַעֲלֵ֣י תְמָרִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֖י עֵ֣ץ עָבֹ֑ת לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת סֻכֹּ֖ת כַּכָּתֽוּב׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And that they should publishשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: proclaimH8085
- and proclaimקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: messageH6963
- and proclaimעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- in all their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- unto the mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- and fetchבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- oliveזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
- branchesעָלֶה‛âleh · leafH5929
- and pineשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- branchesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- and myrtleהֲדַסhădas · myrtleH1918
- and palmתָּמָרtâmâr · palmH8558
- of thickעָבוֹת‛âbôth ‛âbôth · leafyH5687
- to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- boothsסֻכָּהsûkkâh · boothH5521
- writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:15
- Leviticus 23:4“The following are the Lord’s appointed festivals with holy assemblies, which you must announce at their appointed times.
- Deuteronomy 16:16Three times a year all your men must come into the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths. But no one may come into the presence of the Lord without an offering.
- Judges 9:48he and all his men went to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an ax, cut some brushwood, and carried it on his shoulder. He told his men, “Hurry and do what you’ve seen me do!”
- Matthew 21:1When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead of him.
- Leviticus 23:40On the first day take the best fruits, palm branches, the branches of leafy trees and poplars, and celebrate in the presence of the Lord your God for seven days.
- Genesis 8:11The dove came to him in the evening, and in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf. Then Noah knew that the water was gone from the earth.
- John 12:13So they took palm branches and went to meet him. They were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!”
- Revelation 7:9After these things I saw a large crowd from every nation, tribe, people, and language. No one was able to count how many people there were. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb. They were wearing white robes, holding palm branches in their hands,
Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Fetch olive branches - For every thing concerning this feast of tabernacles, see the notes on Leviticus 23 (note), and the other places there referred to.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The mount - The “mount of Olives” is probably intended. Pine branches - Rather, “branches of the wild olive.” The actual trees named by the Law may have become scarce. It was probably considered that the spirit of the command was kept if branches of trees similar in general character to those named in Leviticus were employed.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. 15to make booths: The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated when the people of Israel lived in tents during their journey through the wilderness (Leviticus 23:33–43; see also Numbers 29:12–39; Deuteronomy 16:13–15).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 8:15
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
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