Nehemiah 12:43
in Nehemiah 12On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
KJV
Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
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This verse in Nehemiah 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAnd they sacrificed great victims on that day, etc. On that day of perpetual light (about which Zachariah said: And there shall be one day which is known to the Lord, not day nor night: that is, removed from the experience of passing times) the …
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
For God had made them rejoice with great joy, etc. These things truly pertain to the edification of that holy city which is in the future, in which God is the king who gladdens His citizens with His presence, indeed with great joy; hence, when …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. We have here an account of the remaining good effects of the universal joy that was at the dedication of the wall.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:45w-of-67
The children rejoiced - And their hosanna's were not despised, but are recorded to their praise. All that share in public mercies, ought to join in public thanksgivings.
Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People A Sermon (No. 1027) Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, December 31st, 1871, by C. H. SPURGEON, At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”—Nehemiah 8:10. “And the singers sang aloud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.”—Nehemiah 12:42-43.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off--The events of the day, viewed in connection with the now repaired and beautified state of the city, raised the popular feeling to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and the fame of their rejoicings was spread far and near.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It also contained the temple which was hallowed by the manifestation of His presence, and anew set apart to His service. It was on these accounts that Jerusalem was called "the holy city," and by this public and solemn act of religious observance, after a long period of neglect and desecration, it was, as it were, restored to its rightful proprietor.
The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People A Sermon (No. 1027) Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, December 31st, 1871, by C. H. SPURGEON, At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”—Nehemiah 8:10. “And the singers sang aloud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.”—Nehemiah 12:42-43. LAST Sabbath day in the morning I spoke of the birth of our Saviour as being full of joy to the people of God, and, indeed, to all nations. We then looked at the joy from a distance; we will now in contemplation draw nearer to it, and perhaps as we consider it, and remark the multiplied reasons for its existence, some of those reasons may operate upon our own hearts, and we may go out of this house of prayer ourselves partakers of the exceeding great joy. We shall count it to have been a successful morning if the people of God are made to rejoice in the Lord, and especially if those who have been bowed down and burdened in soul shall receive the oil of joy for mourning. It is no mean thing to comfort the Lord’s mourners; it is a work specially dear to the Spirit of God, and, therefore, not to be lightly esteemed. Holy sorrow is precious before God, and is no bar to godly joy.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּזְבְּח֣וּ | vaiyizbechu | and they sacrificed | H2076 → | |
| בַיּוֹם־ | vaiyom- | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַ֠הוּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| זְבָחִ֨ים | zevachim | sacrifices | H2077 → | |
| גְּדוֹלִ֜ים | gedolim | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וַיִּשְׂמָ֗חוּ | vaiyismachu | and they rejoiced | H8055 → | 155 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִים֙ | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| שִׂמְּחָם֙ | simecham | he had made rejoice them | H8055 → | 155 times |
| שִׂמְחָ֣ה | simchah | joy | H8057 → | 94 times |
| גְדוֹלָ֔ה | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וְגַ֧ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| הַנָּשִׁ֛ים | hanashim | the women | H802 → | 781 times |
| וְהַיְלָדִ֖ים | vehayladim | and the children | H3206 → | |
| שָׂמֵ֑חוּ | samechu | they rejoiced | H8055 → | 155 times |
| וַתִּשָּׁמַ֛ע | vatishama' | and it was heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| שִׂמְחַ֥ת | simchat | [the] rejoicing of | H8057 → | 94 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| מֵרָחֽוֹק׃ | merachok | from a distance | H7350 → |
וַיִּזְבְּח֣וּand they sacrificed
vaiyizbechuH2076 →
בַיּוֹם־on the day
vaiyom-H3117 →2304 times
הַ֠הוּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
זְבָחִ֨יםsacrifices
zevachimH2077 →
גְּדוֹלִ֜יםgreat
gedolimH1419 →526 times
וַיִּשְׂמָ֗חוּand they rejoiced
vaiyismachuH8055 →155 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הָאֱלֹהִים֙<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
שִׂמְּחָם֙he had made rejoice them
simechamH8055 →155 times
שִׂמְחָ֣הjoy
simchahH8057 →94 times
גְדוֹלָ֔הgreat
gedolahH1419 →526 times
וְגַ֧םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
הַנָּשִׁ֛יםthe women
hanashimH802 →781 times
וְהַיְלָדִ֖יםand the children
vehayladimH3206 →
שָׂמֵ֑חוּthey rejoiced
samechuH8055 →155 times
וַתִּשָּׁמַ֛עand it was heard
vatishama'H8085 →1159 times
שִׂמְחַ֥ת[the] rejoicing of
simchatH8057 →94 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
מֵרָחֽוֹק׃from a distance
merachokH7350 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 16:22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:8
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
- 1 Peter 1:8
Through
Jeremiah 31:13Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.
it leads to
- Psalms 30:11
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
- Isaiah 61:3
to console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be…
- Isaiah 51:11
So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.
- Isaiah 51:3
For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness…
- Psalms 30:11
Through
Psalms 92:4For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
- Psalms 8:6
You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet:
- Luke 1:47
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
- 2 Corinthians 2:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1027: “The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.