Nehemiah 8:12
in Nehemiah 8Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in Nehemiah 8
Commentary
4 notes on this verse(2.) The ground of their joy was very good. They made mirth, not because they had the fat to eat and the sweet to drink, and a great deal of good company, but because they had understood the words that were declared to them. note, [1.] To have the holy scriptures with us, and helps to understand them, is a very great mercy, which we have abundant reason to rejoice in.
This site's exposition
Be still, since today is holy
on Nehemiah 8:11-12
The Levites calm the people, "Be still, since today is holy," and the day turns to eating, drinking, and great rejoicing. The narrator gives the reason in the last clause: "because they understood the words that had been made known to them" (8:12). Understanding is the ground of the joy.
This site's exposition
because they understood the words
The chapter speaks of those who could understand at verses 2, 3 and 8, and here understanding becomes the reason the people rejoice. They carried out all three of Nehemiah's commands from verse 10: eat, drink and send out portions. Matthew Henry calls such help a great mercy.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And all the people went their way to eat and to drink,....
How the passage was read
On Nehemiah 8:1-18On Nehemiah 8:1-18
The seventh month, rediscovered
Everything in this chapter happens on the calendar of Leviticus 23. Ezra reads the Law on “the first day of the seventh month”: that is the Day of Trumpets, kept today as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, announced by the ram's-horn trumpet (shofar). Then the people find the command about booths and keep Tabernacles (Sukkot) for the first time “since the days of Joshua”: seven days living in leafy shelters, remembering the wilderness. Jewish families still build these booths every autumn: a hut in the yard or on the balcony, roofed with branches you can see the stars through, where meals are eaten all week.
The chapter also gives the day its enduring tone: “the joy of the LORD is your strength” was said on Rosh Hashanah, to a congregation weeping under the words of the Law and told instead to feast.
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
quieted They admonished all the people to be quiet, that they should weep no longer.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Leviticus 23:23–43 (the seventh month's appointments) · Mishnah Sukkah 1:1 (the booth's rules)
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֜ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לֶאֱכֹ֤ל | leekhol | to eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙ | velishtot | and to drink | H8354 → | |
| וּלְשַׁלַּ֣ח | uleshalach | and to send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| מָנ֔וֹת | manot | portions | H4490 → | |
| וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת | velaasot | and to make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| שִׂמְחָ֣ה | simchah | joy | H8057 → | 94 times |
| גְדוֹלָ֑ה | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙ | hevinu | they had understood | H995 → | 170 times |
| בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים | badevarim | <in> the words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הוֹדִ֖יעוּ | hodiu | they had made known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ ס | lahem | to them |
וַיֵּלְכ֨וּand they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֜םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
לֶאֱכֹ֤לto eat
leekholH398 →810 times
וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙and to drink
velishtotH8354 →
וּלְשַׁלַּ֣חand to send
uleshalachH7971 →845 times
מָנ֔וֹתportions
manotH4490 →
וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתand to make
velaasotH6213 →2628 times
שִׂמְחָ֣הjoy
simchahH8057 →94 times
גְדוֹלָ֑הgreat
gedolahH1419 →526 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙they had understood
hevinuH995 →170 times
בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים<in> the words
badevarimH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הוֹדִ֖יעוּthey had made known
hodiuH3045 →945 times
לָהֶֽם׃ סto them
lahem
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
Psalms 119:97Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.
it leads to
- Psalms 1:2
But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 2:10
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul.
- Psalms 119:159
Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD; give me life according to Your loving devotion.
- Psalms 1:2
Through
Psalms 119:72The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:162
I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 8:10–11
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
- Psalms 19:10
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
- Psalms 119:127
Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, even the purest gold.
- Psalms 119:162
Through
Psalms 119:111Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
- Jeremiah 15:16
Where this verse is studied
About Nehemiah
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. F. Adeney, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther (Expositor's Bible).