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—explained the Teachings to the people while they were standing there. 8They read the Book of God’s Teachings clearly and explained the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people told them, “This is a holy day for the Lord your God. Don’t mourn or cry.” All the people were crying as they listened to the reading of God’s Teachings. 10Then he told them, “Go, eat rich foods, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who cannot provide for themselves. Today is a holy day for the Lord. Don’t be sad because the joy you have in the Lord is your strength.” 11So the Levites calmed all the people by saying, “Listen. Today is a holy day. Don’t be sad.”

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Nehemiahנְחֶמְיָהnechemyâh · NehemiahH5166
• the Tirshathaתִּרְשָׁתָאtirshâthâ' · governorH8660
• and Ezraעֶזְרָא‛ezrâ' · EzraH5830
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• the scribeסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
• and the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• that taughtבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• This dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• mournאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
• not, nor weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• when they heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:9

• Nehemiah 7:65The governor told them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim ⌞to settle the problem⌟.
• Nehemiah 10:1The following people sealed the agreement: Governor Nehemiah (son of Hacaliah), Zedekiah,
• Ezra 2:63The governor told them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim ⌞to settle the problem⌟.
• Ezra 7:11This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe, a man with a thorough knowledge of the Lord’s commands and laws for Israel:
• 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.
• 2 Chronicles 15:3For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest who taught ⌞correctly⌟, and without Moses’ Teachings.
• 2 Chronicles 30:22Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve the Lord. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to the Lord God of their ancestors.
• 2 Chronicles 35:3He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel and performed ceremonies to make themselves holy to the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the temple that Solomon, son of David and king of Israel, built. It shouldn’t be carried on your shoulders any longer. Serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.
• Hosea 4:6I will destroy my people because they are ignorant. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be my priests. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.
• Nehemiah 8:2Then Ezra the priest brought the Teachings in front of the assembly. This included men, women, and any ⌞children⌟ who could understand what they heard. This took place on the first day of the seventh month.
• Leviticus 23:24“Tell the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month hold a worship festival. It will be a memorial day, a holy assembly announced by the blowing of rams’ horns.
• Numbers 29:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “On the first day of the seventh month you must have a holy assembly. You must not do any regular work. It is a day for ⌞the trumpets to sound⌟ a fanfare.
• Deuteronomy 12:7There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families will eat and enjoy everything you’ve worked for, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
• Deuteronomy 16:11Enjoy yourselves in the presence of the Lord your God along with your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, the Levites who live in your cities, the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. Enjoy yourselves at the place the Lord your God will choose for his name to live.
• Deuteronomy 26:14I didn’t eat any of this holy offering while I was in mourning. I didn’t distribute any of it while I was unclean. I didn’t offer any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God. I have done everything you commanded me.
• Ecclesiastes 3:4a time to cry 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
• Festivals, Religious
• Read
• Scribes
• Tabernacles, Feast of
• Tirshatha
• Atonement, Day of
• Attharates

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