The Meaning of Nehemiah 13:10 Explained

Nehemiah 13:10

KJV: And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

YLT: And I know that the portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each to his field -- the Levites and the singers, doing the work.

Darby: And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.

ASV: And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I perceived  that the portions  of the Levites  had not been given  [them]: for the Levites  and the singers,  that did  the work,  were fled  every one  to his field. 

What does Nehemiah 13:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 13:1-14 - Neglect Of Religious Duties
In Nehemiah 12:44-47 we have recorded the care that was manifested for the worthy maintenance of those who ministered in sacred things. As a result there were glad outbursts of minstrelsy and holy joy. Make room in your life for songs and praises, Psalms 33:1. In the opening of Nehemiah 13:1-31 we see how the Word of God cuts like a two-edged sword against evil. Happy are they who attend to its solemn warnings. The law referred to here was Deuteronomy 23:3-5. Tobiah was an Ammonite, and it was a scandalous thing that the high priest was not only allied to him by marriage, but had cast out the stores of the Temple in order to make room for him in the sacred edifice. Tobiah's influence was so great that the rest shrank from putting the law of separation into operation against him. When Nehemiah returned from a long sojourn in Persia he cast out all of Tobiah's goods, and restored the chamber to its proper use. If we have given up a chamber in our heart to any Tobiah, we must be prepared to do likewise. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 13

1  Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude
4  Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed
10  He reforms the offices in the house of God;
15  the violation of the Sabbath;
23  and the marriages with the strange wives

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 13:10 mean?

And I realized that the portions for the Levites not had been given [them] for had gone back each of to his field and the singers who did the work
וָאֵ֣דְעָ֔ה כִּֽי־ מְנָי֥וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לֹ֣א נִתָּ֑נָה וַיִּבְרְח֧וּ אִישׁ־ לְשָׂדֵ֛הוּ וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים עֹשֵׂ֥י הַמְּלָאכָֽה

וָאֵ֣דְעָ֔ה  And  I  realized 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מְנָי֥וֹת  the  portions  for 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מְנָת  
Sense: portion.
הַלְוִיִּ֖ם  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
נִתָּ֑נָה  had  been  given  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וַיִּבְרְח֧וּ  for  had  gone  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
אִישׁ־  each 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְשָׂדֵ֛הוּ  of  to  his  field 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים  and  the  singers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שִׁיר  
Sense: to sing.
עֹשֵׂ֥י  who  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַמְּלָאכָֽה  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.