Nehemiah 8:11

Nehemiah 8:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
• New International Version (NIV)The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

Context of Nehemiah 8:11

9Then 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 were weeping when they heard the words of the Law. 10Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your refuge.” So the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12Then all the people went away to eat, drink, to send portions, and to celebrate a great feast, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. 13Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:11 word by word

וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם מַחְשִׁ֤ים לְכָל־הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר הַ֔סּוּ כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם קָדֹ֑שׁ וְאַל־תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ׃Read the interlinear

• So the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• silencedחָשָׁהchâshâh · be silentH2814
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Be stillהַסhâsâh · to silenceH2013
• for the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• is holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
• do not be grievedעָצַב‛âtsab · to hurtH6087

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:11

• Numbers 13:30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it.”

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:11

• 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 8:11

• Beneficence
• Feasts
• Joy
• Law
• Levites
• 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