The Meaning of Nehemiah 8:3 Explained

Nehemiah 8:3

KJV: And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

YLT: and he readeth in it before the broad place that is before the water-gate, from the light till the middle of the day, over-against the men, and the women, and those intelligent, and the ears of all the people are unto the book of the law.

Darby: And he read in it before the open place that was before the water-gate from the morning until midday, in presence of the men and the women, and those that could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

ASV: And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he read  therein before  the street  that [was] before  the water  gate  from the morning  until midday,  before the men  and the women,  and those that could understand;  and the ears  of all the people  [were attentive] unto the book  of the law. 

What does Nehemiah 8:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 8:1-18 - New Light From God's Law
Surely this was the first public Bible-reading! When will the people be again as hungry for the Word of God as these Jews who stood in the open space from early dawn till the scorching noon? What reverence for the Word! When Ezra opened the Book, all the people stood up. What holy worship! When he blessed the great God, all the people answered, Amen, amen! What a model to us all! They gave the sense, so that they understood. What searching of heart! The people wept when they heard the words of the law.
There is nothing which weakens us so much as does unrestrained remorse. Contriteness of heart is wholesome and helpful, but excessive grief incapacitates us for our duties. It is well therefore to cultivate holy joy; the joy of sin forgiven, of acceptance with God, of hope that anchors us to the unseen, and that cannot be ashamed. You may not be able to joy in yourself or your surroundings, but you may always rejoice in the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 8

1  The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9  They comfort the people
13  The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16  They keep the feast of tabernacles

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 8:3 mean?

And he read from it in the open square that [was] in front of Gate the Water from morning until midday midday before the men and the women and those who could understand and the ears of all the people [were attentive] to Book of the Law
וַיִּקְרָא־ בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־ הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־ הָאוֹר֙ עַד־ מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאָזְנֵ֥י כָל־ הָעָ֖ם אֶל־ סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה

וַיִּקְרָא־  And  he  read 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בוֹ֩  from  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
הָרְח֜וֹב  the  open  square 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: רְחֹב  
Sense: broad or open place or plaza.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לִפְנֵ֣י  in  front 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
שַֽׁעַר־  of  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַמַּ֗יִם  the  Water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הָאוֹר֙  morning 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מַחֲצִ֣ית  midday 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מַחֲצִית  
Sense: half, middle.
הַיּ֔וֹם  midday 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
נֶ֛גֶד  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים  and  the  women 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים  and  those  who  could  understand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
וְאָזְנֵ֥י  and  the  ears 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
כָל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֶל־  [were  attentive]  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
סֵ֥פֶר  Book 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
הַתּוֹרָֽה  of  the  Law 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.