The Meaning of Nehemiah 8:13 Explained

Nehemiah 8:13

KJV: And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

YLT: And on the second day have been gathered heads of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to act wisely concerning the words of the law.

Darby: And on the second day were gathered together the chief fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to gain wisdom as to the words of the law.

ASV: And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And on the second  day  were gathered together  the chief  of the fathers  of all the people,  the priests,  and the Levites,  unto Ezra  the scribe,  even to understand  the words  of the law. 

What does Nehemiah 8:13 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 8:13 mean?

And on the day second were gathered the heads of the fathers' [houses] of all the people the with priests and Levites to Ezra the scribe and in order to understand unto the words of the Law
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֡י נֶאֶסְפוּ֩ רָאשֵׁ֨י הָאָב֜וֹת לְכָל־ הָעָ֗ם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־ עֶזְרָ֖א הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל אֶל־ דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה

וּבַיּ֣וֹם  And  on  the  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשֵּׁנִ֡י  second 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
נֶאֶסְפוּ֩  were  gathered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
רָאשֵׁ֨י  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הָאָב֜וֹת  of  the  fathers'  [houses] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לְכָל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֗ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙  the  with  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם  and  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
עֶזְרָ֖א  Ezra 
Parse: 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.
הַסֹּפֵ֑ר  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל  and  in  order  to  understand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׂכַל 
Sense: to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
דִּבְרֵ֥י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַתּוֹרָֽה  of  the  Law 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.