Nehemiah 8:12

Nehemiah 8:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

Context of Nehemiah 8:12

10Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 13On 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. 14They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month

Nehemiah 8:12 word by word

וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם לֶאֱכֹ֤ל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙ וּלְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָנ֔וֹת וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה כִּ֤י הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹדִ֖יעוּ לָהֶֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• went their wayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• and to sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• portionsמָנָהmânâh · portionH4490
• and to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• mirthשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• because they had understoodבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• that were declaredיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:12

• Nehemiah 8:10Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
• Nehemiah 8:7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.
• Job 23:12I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
• Psalms 19:8The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
• Psalms 119:14I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
• Psalms 119:130The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
• Proverbs 2:10For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
• Proverbs 24:13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
• Jeremiah 15:16When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.
• Luke 24:32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
• Romans 7:18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:12

• 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 8:12

• Feasts
• Joy
• Law
• Levites
• Poor
• 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