Nehemiah 8:9 kjv
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Nehemiah 8:9 nkjv
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
Nehemiah 8:9 niv
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah 8:9 esv
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
Nehemiah 8:9 nlt
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God." For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah 8 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| The Word's Impact | ||
| 2 Chr 34:19 | "When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes." | Josiah's similar reaction to hearing the Law. |
| Acts 2:37 | "When they heard this, they were cut to the heart..." | People convicted by Peter's sermon. |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not My word like fire...and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" | God's Word as a powerful convicting force. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active...it judges the thoughts..." | The Word's ability to discern and convict. |
| Psa 119:136 | "My eyes stream with rivers of tears, because people do not keep Your law." | Similar sorrow over disobedience to God's law. |
| Holiness & Joy | ||
| Lev 23:24 | "In the seventh month, on the first day...a day of holy convocation." | Establishes the sacredness of the day. |
| Deut 16:14 | "You shall rejoice in your feast..." | Command to be joyful during festivals. |
| Psa 16:11 | "In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." | Joy found in God's presence. |
| Psa 30:5 | "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." | The transient nature of sorrow and coming joy. |
| Isa 61:3 | "...to grant them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning..." | God's transforming mourning into joy. |
| Phil 4:4 | "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!" | New Testament command to find joy in God. |
| Rom 14:17 | "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." | Joy as an attribute of God's kingdom. |
| Isa 35:10 | "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return...with everlasting joy." | Future joy of the redeemed. |
| Leadership & Instruction | ||
| Neh 8:7-8 | "And the Levites helped the people to understand the Law..." | Immediate context: Levites teaching and explaining. |
| Deut 31:11-12 | "...you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing." | Moses' instruction for public reading of the Law. |
| Mal 2:7 | "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth..." | Priestly role as instructors. |
| Acts 20:20 | "...I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable..." | Apostolic example of teaching openly. |
| Titus 2:1 | "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine." | Instruction for church leaders to teach sound doctrine. |
| Transformation from Sorrow to Joy | ||
| 2 Cor 7:10 | "For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation..." | Distinction between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. |
| Matt 5:4 | "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." | Beatitude acknowledging the blessing in mourning. |
| Luke 15:7 | "Just so, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents..." | Heavenly joy over repentance. |
Nehemiah 8 verses
Nehemiah 8 9 Meaning
Nehemiah 8:9 signifies a critical juncture where the spiritual leaders, including Governor Nehemiah, Priest-Scribe Ezra, and the teaching Levites, instruct the gathered assembly. Having just heard and understood the Law of God, the people were overwhelmed with conviction, manifesting in weeping. The leaders, recognizing the sacred nature of the day (Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the seventh month), commanded them to cease their mourning. Instead, they were to regard the day as holy to the Lord and turn their sorrow into joy and celebration, understanding that repentance, while vital, should culminate in holy delight in God's presence, especially on a day consecrated to Him.
Nehemiah 8 9 Context
Nehemiah chapter 8 describes a pivotal moment in the spiritual revival of the returned exiles in Jerusalem. After successfully rebuilding the city walls, the people gathered in an unprecedented assembly at the Water Gate. Ezra the scribe, with the assistance of many Levites, read the Book of the Law of Moses publicly from early morning until noon. As the Law was read and explained, the people not only listened attentively but began to understand its implications for their lives and their past disobedience. This newfound understanding of God's covenant and their failure to keep it led them to weep, overcome with sorrow and conviction. Verse 9 details the immediate response of the leaders—Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites—to this emotional outburst, guiding the people from sorrow into appropriate holy celebration on what was recognized as a consecrated day.
Nehemiah 8 9 Word analysis
- And Nehemiah: "Nehemiah" (נְחֶמְיָה - Nechemyah) means "The Lord comforts." He was the governor, entrusted with secular and organizational leadership for rebuilding Jerusalem's physical wall and community.
- which is the Tirshatha: "Tirshatha" (הַתִּרְשָׁתָא֙ - ha-Tirshata) is a Persian title for a provincial governor or commissioner. It highlights Nehemiah's official authority granted by the Persian king, affirming his legitimacy as a leader appointed by both divine providence and secular decree.
- and Ezra the priest, the scribe: "Ezra" (עֶזְרָא - Ezra) means "help" or "the Lord helps." He was central to the spiritual and religious life of the community. His dual roles of "priest" (כֹּהֵן - kohen, one consecrated to God for sacred service) and "scribe" (סֹפֵר - sofer, a master of God's Law) underscore his comprehensive authority and expertise in divine revelation and its interpretation. He represents adherence to the written Word.
- and the Levites that taught the people: The Levites (לְוִיִּם - Leviyim), members of the tribe dedicated to Temple service, were here functioning as spiritual instructors and interpreters (as seen in Neh 8:7-8). They served as a bridge, making the profound truths of the Law accessible and understandable to the common people, demonstrating the importance of spiritual education.
- said unto all the people: This emphasizes a unified voice of spiritual and secular leadership addressing the entire assembly, underscoring the communal nature of both their sorrow and the subsequent command for joy.
- This day is holy: "Holy" (קָדוֹשׁ - qadosh) means set apart, sacred, consecrated for divine purposes. This declaration transformed the nature of the people's emotional response. The specific day was the first day of the seventh month (Rosh Hashanah), a festival observed as a day of "sacred convocation" and remembrance, rather than prolonged sorrow (Lev 23:24; Num 29:1).
- unto the Lord your God: Specifies the ownership and dedication of the day, reinforcing its divine purpose and the standard by which their conduct should be governed.
- mourn not, nor weep: "Mourn not" (אַל־תִּתְאַבְּל֣וּ - al-tit'abblelu, refrain from grieving/lamenting deeply) and "nor weep" (וְאַל־תִּבְכּ֑וּ - ve'al-tivku, refrain from shedding tears). While their initial weeping stemmed from conviction and repentance, the leaders commanded them to cease. Their sorrow had served its purpose, convicting them of sin, but the holy nature of the day called for a different response: joy and celebration in God's presence.
- For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law: This clause explains the immediate context and necessity for the leaders' command. Their weeping was a genuine and deeply felt response of repentance, recognizing their failures in light of God's righteous commands. It highlights the profound power of God's Word to expose sin and humble hearts.
Nehemiah 8 9 Bonus section
The immediate cultural context for this verse is significant. The event occurred on the first day of the seventh month, which is Tishrei. This day marked the beginning of the civil year for the Israelites, also known as Rosh Hashanah, "head of the year." While it was a solemn day for remembrance and the sounding of trumpets, it was also considered a "holy convocation," meant for assembly and reverence rather than deep public lamentation. This day initiated a ten-day period leading to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and was followed by Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), a joyous harvest festival. Therefore, the leaders' instruction was timely, guiding the people's appropriate response to their newfound understanding of the Law within the larger cycle of divinely appointed holy days, encouraging them to move towards joy in the full experience of God's presence and provision rather than lingering in overwhelming grief. This spiritual experience was a communal re-dedication to the covenant.
Nehemiah 8 9 Commentary
Nehemiah 8:9 captures the transition from godly sorrow to holy celebration. The public reading of God's Law by Ezra and the Levites brought the people face-to-face with their covenant responsibilities and their widespread failure. This provoked a genuine, visible response of weeping and mourning, a deep conviction of sin essential for true repentance. However, the leaders—Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest-scribe, and the teaching Levites—intervened decisively. They understood that while the initial sorrow was appropriate, a holy day designated by God demanded a shift from lament to rejoicing. The purpose of understanding the Law was not perpetual grief, but living in joy according to its principles. The command "mourn not, nor weep" redirects their heartfelt sorrow, which served as a sign of repentance, towards an active embrace of God's grace and covenant joy. It taught them that true holiness includes rejoicing in God's presence, especially after repentance and reconciliation.
Examples for practical usage:
- Discernment in emotion: Recognize that while sorrow over sin is biblical, there is a time for it to transition into joy and celebration of God's grace.
- Purpose of God's Word: Understand that the Word of God convicts not to condemn eternally, but to lead to repentance and life.
- Celebration in holiness: Even in solemn times of reflection, find cause to celebrate God's faithfulness and provision.