Nehemiah 8:5
in Nehemiah 8Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people); and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
KJV
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
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This verse in Nehemiah 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Stood up - The attitude of attention and respect. Compare the existing practice of the Christian Church at the reading of the Gospel for the day.
This site's exposition
a high wooden platform
on Nehemiah 8:4-6
Ezra "stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion," raised so a square full of people could see and hear the book. When he opens it "all the people stood up," and the blessing is answered "Amen, Amen" with lifted hands and faces to the ground.
This site's exposition
all the people stood up
Standing was the posture of attention and respect, and Albert Barnes compares the church's custom of standing for the Gospel. Adam Clarke notes that the raised platform of verse 4 let the whole square see and hear Ezra. The people rose before a word was read.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The people stood in their place. For when leaders strive as much to excel their subjects in good works as they do in honor, then these same subjects, incited by their good examples, already follow the course of their own lives devotedly; admonished by their …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Priests and Levites must be taught first and then teach. The people's ready obedience to the word, in one particular instance, as soon as they were made sensible of their duty therein. It is probable that Ezra, after the wisdom of his God that was in his hand ( Ezra vii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
), thereby showing respect both to Ezra and to the word he was about to read. It becomes servants to stand when their master speaks to them, in honour to their master and to show a readiness to do as they are bidden. [2.] With great fixedness and composedness.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people),....
He brought it forth with a sense of the great mercy of God to them in giving them that book; he opened it with a sense of his mercy to them in giving them leave to read it, that it was not a spring shut up and a fountain sealed.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when he opened it, all the people stood up--This attitude they assumed either from respect to God's word, or, rather, because the reading was prefaced by a solemn prayer, which was concluded by a general expression of "Amen, Amen." 7, 8. caused the people to understand the law . . . gave the sense--Commentators are divided in opinion as to the import of this statement.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
All the people stood up - This was out of respect to the sacred word: in imitation of this, when the gospel for the day is read in our churches, all the people stand up.
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.
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)
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח | vaiyiftach | and he opened | H6605 → | 144 times |
| עֶזְרָ֤א | ʾezra' | Ezra | H5830 → | 22 times |
| הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ | hasefer | the scroll | H5612 → | 186 times |
| לְעֵינֵ֣י | leeinei | to [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵעַ֥ל | meal | <from> above | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָיָ֑ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ | ukhefitcho | and just as opened [it] he | H6605 → | 144 times |
| עָֽמְד֥וּ | ʾamedu | they stood up | H5975 → | 521 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָֽם׃ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
וַיִּפְתַּ֨חand he opened
vaiyiftachH6605 →144 times
עֶזְרָ֤אEzra
ʾezra'H5830 →22 times
הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙the scroll
haseferH5612 →186 times
לְעֵינֵ֣יto [the] eyes of
leeineiH5869 →887 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מֵעַ֥ל<from> above
mealH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הָיָ֑הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
וּכְפִתְח֖וֹand just as opened [it] he
ukhefitchoH6605 →144 times
עָֽמְד֥וּthey stood up
ʾameduH5975 →521 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָֽם׃the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
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
1 Kings 8:14And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:18
When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.
- 1 Chronicles 16:2
When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 6:3
And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
- Nehemiah 8:7
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
- Psalms 118:26
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.
- 2 Samuel 6:18
Through
Judges 3:20Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
- Amos 3:15
I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,” declares the LORD.
- 2 Samuel 24:12
“Go and tell David that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am offering you three options. Choose one of them, and I will carry it out against you.’”
- Jeremiah 10:7
Where this verse is studied
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament; Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.