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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of Nehemiah 8:12

10And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” 11And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” 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. 13On October 9 the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail. 14As they studied the Law, they discovered that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that 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 8:10And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!
• Nehemiah 8:7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places.
• Job 23:12I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food.
• Psalms 19:8The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
• Psalms 119:14I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.
• Psalms 119:130The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.
• Proverbs 2:10For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.
• Proverbs 24:13My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
• Jeremiah 15:16When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
• Luke 24:32They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
• Romans 7:18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.

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