The Meaning of Nehemiah 12:24 Explained

Nehemiah 12:24

KJV: And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

YLT: and heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brethren, are over-against them, to give praise, to give thanks, by command of David the man of God, charge over-against charge.

Darby: And the chief Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

ASV: And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the chief  of the Levites:  Hashabiah,  Sherebiah,  and Jeshua  the son  of Kadmiel,  with their brethren  over against them, to praise  [and] to give thanks,  according to the commandment  of David  the man  of God,  ward  over against  ward. 

What does Nehemiah 12:24 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 12

1  The priests and the Levites which came up with Zerubbabel
10  The succession of high priests
22  Certain chief Levites
27  The solemnity of the dedication of the walls
44  The offices of priests and Levites appointed in the temple

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 12:24 mean?

And the heads of the Levites [were] Hashabiah Sherebiah and Jeshua son of Kadmiel and with their brothers across from them to praise [and] give thanks according to the command of David the man of God group alternating with group
וְרָאשֵׁ֣י הַ֠לְוִיִּם חֲשַׁבְיָ֨ה שֵֽׁרֵבְיָ֜ה וְיֵשׁ֤וּעַ בֶּן־ קַדְמִיאֵל֙ וַאֲחֵיהֶ֣ם לְנֶגְדָּ֔ם לְהַלֵּ֣ל לְהוֹד֔וֹת בְּמִצְוַ֖ת דָּוִ֣יד אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים מִשְׁמָ֖ר לְעֻמַּ֥ת מִשְׁמָֽר

וְרָאשֵׁ֣י  And  the  heads 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַ֠לְוִיִּם  of  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
חֲשַׁבְיָ֨ה  [were]  Hashabiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲשַׁבְיָה 
Sense: a Merarite Levite.
שֵֽׁרֵבְיָ֜ה  Sherebiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁרֵבְיָה  
Sense: a Levite who assisted Ezra at the reading of the Law and who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah.
וְיֵשׁ֤וּעַ  and  Jeshua 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵשׁוּעַ 
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קַדְמִיאֵל֙  of  Kadmiel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַדְמִיאֵל  
Sense: a Levite, descendant of Hodaviah, and head of a family of returning exiles; also oversaw the work on the temple and also was one of the leaders of the people who led the people in the public confession.
וַאֲחֵיהֶ֣ם  and  with  their  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
לְנֶגְדָּ֔ם  across  from  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
לְהַלֵּ֣ל  to  praise 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
לְהוֹד֔וֹת  [and]  give  thanks 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
בְּמִצְוַ֖ת  according  to  the  command 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
דָּוִ֣יד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אִישׁ־  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מִשְׁמָ֖ר  group 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁמָר 
Sense: place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch, observance.
לְעֻמַּ֥ת  alternating  with 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: עֻמָּה  
Sense: juxtaposition.
מִשְׁמָֽר  group 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁמָר 
Sense: place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch, observance.