The Meaning of Nehemiah 12:36 Explained

Nehemiah 12:36

KJV: And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

YLT: and his brethren Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with instruments of song of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe is before them;

Darby: and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azareel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe before them.

ASV: and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And his brethren,  Shemaiah,  and Azarael,  Milalai,  Gilalai,  Maai,  Nethaneel,  and Judah,  Hanani,  with the musical  instruments  of David  the man  of God,  and Ezra  the scribe  before  them. 

What does Nehemiah 12:36 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 12:36 mean?

and his brothers Shemaiah and Azarel Milalai Gilalai Maai Nethanel Judah [and] Hanani with the instruments of musical David the man of God and Ezra the scribe [went] before them
וְֽאֶחָ֡יו שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה וַעֲזַרְאֵ֡ל מִֽלֲלַ֡י גִּֽלֲלַ֡י מָעַ֞י נְתַנְאֵ֤ל וִֽיהוּדָה֙ חֲנָ֔נִי בִּכְלֵי־ שִׁ֥יר דָּוִ֖יד אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעֶזְרָ֥א הַסּוֹפֵ֖ר לִפְנֵיהֶֽם

וְֽאֶחָ֡יו  and  his  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה  Shemaiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁמַעְיָה 
Sense: a prophet of the Lord in the reign of king Rehoboam of Judah.
וַעֲזַרְאֵ֡ל  and  Azarel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲזַרְאֵל  
Sense: a Korhite warrior of David who joined him at Ziklag.
מִֽלֲלַ֡י  Milalai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִלֲלַי  
Sense: son of the priest Jonathan and a descendant of Asaph.
גִּֽלֲלַ֡י  Gilalai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּלֲלַי  
Sense: a Levitical musician, one of the priest’s sons at the consecration of the wall of Jerusalem.
מָעַ֞י  Maai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָעַי  
Sense: one of the sons of Asaph who took part in the musical service at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.
נְתַנְאֵ֤ל  Nethanel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְתַנְאֵל  
Sense: son of Zuar and a chief of the tribe of Issachar at the exodus.
וִֽיהוּדָה֙  Judah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
חֲנָ֔נִי  [and]  Hanani 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנָנִי  
Sense: one of the sons of Heman, a chief musician of David, and head of the 8th course of the service.
בִּכְלֵי־  with  the  instruments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
שִׁ֥יר  of  musical 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
דָּוִ֖יד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְעֶזְרָ֥א  and  Ezra 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶזְרָא  
Sense: the priest and scribe who led the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem; co-worker with Nehemiah.
הַסּוֹפֵ֖ר  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
לִפְנֵיהֶֽם  [went]  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.