Nehemiah 8:9–12
After hearing the law the people weep, and Nehemiah sends them to eat and share with joy
Study it word by word9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who made the people understand, said to all the people, “This day is holy to YHWH your Elohim; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.
10And he said to them, “Go, eat rich fatty foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to the one for whom nothing is prepared, for holy is the day to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of YHWH is your stronghold.”
11And the Levites were quieting all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved.”
12And all the people went to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that they had made known to them.
In its context
7And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were making the people understand the law, and the people were in their place.
8And they read in the book, in the law of Elohim, clearly, and gave the sense, and they understood the reading.
…
13And on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe, to consider the words of the law.
14And they found written in the law that YHWH had commanded by the hand of Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast in the seventh month,
Its words in the original
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- נְחֶמְיָהnechemya· Nehemiah
Nehemiah: the name of several people. The best known is the governor who rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem; also one of those who returned with Zerubbabel and another who repaired a section of the wall. It means "Yah comforts".
- תִּרְשָׁתָאtirshata· governor (Tirshatha)
Tirshatha: a Persian title of the governor of the province of Judah. It is said of Nehemiah, and in Ezra 2:63 of the governor of that time.
- עֶזְרָאezra· Ezra
Ezra: a priest and scribe, a descendant of Aaron, who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem to teach the law. Also another man of the same name in Nehemiah. The name means "help".
- כֹּהֵןkohen· priest
Priest: one who serves God on behalf of the people and presents the offerings.
- סֹּפֵרsofer· count, tell
Count (numbers) and also tell (relate, recount). From here comes the word for "scribe".
- לְוִיִּםleviyim· Levite
Levite: of the tribe of Levi.
- מְּבִינִיםmevinim· understand, discern
Understand, discern: perceive clearly, distinguish, see what ought to be done.
- עָםam· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- יּוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- קָדֹשׁkadosh· holy, Holy One
Holy: set apart for God, different from what is common. As a noun, "the Holy One" (God) or holy ones.
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- תִּתְאַבְּלוּtitablu· mourn
Mourn, grieve for the dead.
- תִּבְכּוּtivku· weep
Weep, cry; mourn for someone.
- שָׁמְעָshama· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- דִּבְרֵיdivre· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- תּוֹרָהtora· instruction, law
"Torah": instruction, teaching that gives direction; hence "law". Later it is the name of the five books of Moses. This translation uses "instruction", and "law" when the body of laws is meant.
- לְכוּlechu· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- אִכְלוּichlu· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- מַשְׁמַנִּיםmashmanim· fatness, richness
Fatness, richness: the most fertile part of the land; also the best food and the strongest men.
- שְׁתוּshetu· drink
Drink.
- מַמְתַקִּיםmamtakim· sweet thing
Sweet thing: sweet drinks (Nehemiah 8:10); sweetness (Song of Songs 5:16).
- שִׁלְחוּshilchu· send, stretch out
Send; stretch out (the hand); let go, send away, set free.
- מָנוֹתmanot· portion
Portion, the share that falls to someone.
- נָכוֹןnachon· be firm, prepare
Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.
- אֲדֹנֵיadone· Adonai, Lord
"Adonai": "my Lord", said only to God. It is a title of respect that acknowledges his authority. It is not another god besides YHWH: often it goes with his name, "Adonai YHWH", Lord YHWH.
- תֵּעָצֵבוּteatsevu· be grieved
Grieve, be deeply distressed; also cause pain.
- חֶדְוַתchedvat· joy
Joy: gladness. A rare word, used also in Nehemiah 8:10 ("the joy of YHWH").
- מָעֻזְּmauz· stronghold, refuge
Stronghold: a protected place where one defends himself; fortress. Figuratively, refuge (Psalm 27:1).
- מַחְשִׁיםmachshim· be silent, be still
Be silent, keep still without doing anything.
- הַסּוּhasu· quiet, hush
Make quiet, call for silence.
- עֲשׂוֹתasot· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- שִׂמְחָהsimcha· joy
Joy, gladness, celebration.
- גְדוֹלָהgedola· great
Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".
- הוֹדִיעוּhodiu· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").