The Meaning of Nehemiah 8:16 Explained

Nehemiah 8:16

KJV: So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

YLT: And the people go out, and bring in, and make for themselves booths, each on his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.

Darby: And the people went forth and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the open space of the water-gate, and in the open space of the gate of Ephraim.

ASV: So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So the people  went forth,  and brought  [them], and made  themselves booths,  every one  upon the roof of his house,  and in their courts,  and in the courts  of the house  of God,  and in the street  of the water  gate,  and in the street  of the gate  of Ephraim. 

What does Nehemiah 8:16 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 8:16 mean?

And went out the people and brought [them] and made themselves booths each one on the roof of his house or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God and in the open square of Gate the Water and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim
וַיֵּצְא֣וּ הָעָם֮ וַיָּבִיאוּ֒ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ֩ לָהֶ֨ם סֻכּ֜וֹת אִ֤ישׁ עַל־ גַּגּוֹ֙ וּבְחַצְרֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְחַצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבִרְחוֹב֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַמַּ֔יִם וּבִרְח֖וֹב שַׁ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם

וַיֵּצְא֣וּ  And  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
הָעָם֮  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיָּבִיאוּ֒  and  brought  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ֩  and  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֨ם  themselves 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
סֻכּ֜וֹת  booths 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
אִ֤ישׁ  each  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
גַּגּוֹ֙  the  roof  of  his  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּג  
Sense: roof, top, housetop.
וּבְחַצְרֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם  or  in  their  courtyards 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
וּבְחַצְר֖וֹת  or  the  courts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, common plural construct
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
בֵּ֣ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וּבִרְחוֹב֙  and  in  the  open  square 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רְחֹב  
Sense: broad or open place or plaza.
שַׁ֣עַר  of  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַמַּ֔יִם  the  Water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וּבִרְח֖וֹב  and  in  the  open  square 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רְחֹב  
Sense: broad or open place or plaza.
שַׁ֥עַר  of  the  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אֶפְרָֽיִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.