Nehemiah 8:1

Nehemiah 8:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.

Context of Nehemiah 8:1

all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey. 2So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 3He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:1 word by word

וַיֵּאָסְפ֤וּ כָל־הָעָם֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֶל־הָ֣רְח֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ לְעֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֔ר לְהָבִ֗יא אֶת־סֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• gathered themselves togetherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
• as oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• into the streetרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the waterמַיmayim · Water (Gate)H4325
• gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• and they spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Ezraעֶזְרָא‛ezrâ' · EzraH5830
• the scribeסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
• to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• the bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• had commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:1

• Ezra 3:1In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose.
• Judges 20:1Then all the Israelites were united as one man, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, including those from across the Jordan in the land of Gilead. The entire community assembled in the presence of the Lord at Mizpah.
• Nehemiah 8:16So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
• Nehemiah 3:26with the Temple servants living on the hill of Ophel, who repaired the wall as far as a point across from the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.
• Nehemiah 12:37At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the steps on the ascent of the city wall toward the City of David. They passed the house of David and then proceeded to the Water Gate on the east.
• Nehemiah 8:4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
• Ezra 7:6This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him.
• Jeremiah 8:8“‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?
• Matthew 13:52Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
• Matthew 23:2“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
• 2 Chronicles 34:15Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
• Isaiah 8:20Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.
• Malachi 4:4“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The street that was before the water gate - The gate which led from the temple to the brook Kidron.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The street - Rather, “the square” or “court.” So in Nehemiah 8:16 (compare Ezra 10:9). The court seems to have been one between the eastern gate of the temple and the watergate in the city-wall. It would thus lie within the modern Haram area. Ezra the scribe - This is the first mention of Ezra in the present book, and the first proof we have had that he was contemporary with Nehemiah. Probably he returned to the court of Artaxerxes soon after effecting…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The reading and expounding the law. (1-8) The people called upon to be joyful. (9-12) The feast of tabernacles, The joy of the people. (13-18) Verses 1-8 Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of religion, as acceptably performed in one place as in another. Masters of families should bring their families with them to the public worship of God. Women and children have souls to save…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The Water Gate was in the middle of Jerusalem's eastern wall, south of the temple and east of the palace ruins (Nehemiah 3:26; 12:37). There was a lot of open space, ensuring everyone could gather there.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 8:1

• Feasts
• Jerusalem
• Law
• Repentance
• Synagogue
• Word of God
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Ezra
• Israel
• Moses
• Law of Moses
• Deuteronomy
• Pentateuch
• Read
• Scribes
• Atonement, Day of
• Bible, the

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