Nehemiah 8:3

Nehemiah 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
• New International Version (NIV)He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Context of Nehemiah 8:3

1And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. 5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

Nehemiah 8:3 word by word

וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־הָאוֹר֙ עַד־מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאָזְנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• He readקָרָאqârâ' · to call: read outH7121
• from it beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the squareרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the Waterמַיmayim · Water (Gate)H4325
• Gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• earlyאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
• untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• middayמַחֲצִיתmachătsîyth · halfH4276
• middayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• in the presenceנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• of menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• those who could understandבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were attentiveאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
• to the bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:3

• Luke 4:16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
• Acts 13:15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”
• Acts 15:21For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
• Acts 20:7On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
• Acts 28:23When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.
• Matthew 7:28When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;
• Mark 12:37David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.
• Luke 8:18So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
• Luke 19:48and they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.
• Acts 16:14A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
• Acts 17:11Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
• Hebrews 2:1For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.
• Revelation 2:29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
• Revelation 3:22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:3

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The time from early morning until noon allowed about six hours for reading and interpreting (Nehemiah 8:7–8). understand (see also Nehemiah 8:2, 8, 12): This was more than a ritual reading of the law. It included explanations, insights, and applications.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81. all the people gathered themselves together as one man--The occasion was the celebration of the feast of the seventh month (Ne 7:73). The beginning of every month was ushered in as a sacred festival; but this, the commencement of the seventh month, was kept with distinguished honor as "the feast of trumpets," which extended over two days. It was the first day of the seventh ecclesiastical year, and the new year's day of the Jewish civil year, on which…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 8:3

• Children
• Commandments
• Feasts
• Law
• Repentance
• Synagogue
• Word of God
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Ezra
• Read
• Atonement, Day of
• Bible, the
• City
• Criticism of the Bible
• Israel, History of
• Leviticus
• Midday
• Reading

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