The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:4 Explained

Nehemiah 9:4

KJV: Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.

YLT: And there stand up on the ascent, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and they cry with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.

Darby: Then stood up upon the platform of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to Jehovah their God.

ASV: Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then stood up  upon the stairs,  of the Levites,  Jeshua,  and Bani,  Kadmiel,  Shebaniah,  Bunni,  Sherebiah,  Bani,  [and] Chenani,  and cried  with a loud  voice  unto the LORD  their God. 

What does Nehemiah 9:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 9:1-21 - God's Hand In History
What a blessed result of the Bible-study of the previous chapter. It led to confession, separation from evil association and worship. It is good to review the dealings of God with us and with our people in bygone days. There are hilltops in our experience where the air is clear, and we can see the way by which we have been led. At such times we look beyond second causes to the great Orderer of our lives, and our history is one perpetual assertion of THOU. The history of God's dealings with Israel is an epitome of His dealings with ourselves. The choice in Ur, the redemption from Egypt, the wilderness wanderings, the land of rest-all these have their counterparts in our life-story. Side by side with the story of God's care runs the story of transgression, Nehemiah 9:16-18. The gold and black strands are closely interwoven. In the midst of God's best gifts, we break out into sin; yet He still gives us His good spirit, and withholds not the manna which He promised, Nehemiah 9:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 9

1  A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4  The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 9:4 mean?

And stood on the stairs of the Levites Jeshua and Bani Kadmiel Shebaniah Bunni Sherebiah Bani [and] Chenani and cried out with a voice loud to Yahweh their God
וַיָּ֜קָם עַֽל־ מַֽעֲלֵ֣ה הַלְוִיִּ֗ם יֵשׁ֨וּעַ וּבָנִ֜י קַדְמִיאֵ֧ל שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה בֻּנִּ֥י שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה בָּנִ֣י כְנָ֑נִי וַֽיִּזְעֲקוּ֙ בְּק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם

וַיָּ֜קָם  And  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
מַֽעֲלֵ֣ה  the  stairs 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲלֶה  
Sense: ascent, incline.
הַלְוִיִּ֗ם  of  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
יֵשׁ֨וּעַ  Jeshua 
Parse: 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.
וּבָנִ֜י  and  Bani 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּנִי  
Sense: a Gadite, one of David’s mighty warriors.
קַדְמִיאֵ֧ל  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.
שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה  Shebaniah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁבַנְיָה 
Sense: a Levite who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah.
בֻּנִּ֥י  Bunni 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֻּנִּי  
Sense: a Levite in the time of Nehemiah.
שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה  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.
בָּנִ֣י  Bani 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּנִי  
Sense: a Gadite, one of David’s mighty warriors.
כְנָ֑נִי  [and]  Chenani 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנָנִי  
Sense: one of the Levites who assisted at the solemn purification of the people under Ezra.
וַֽיִּזְעֲקוּ֙  and  cried  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
בְּק֣וֹל  with  a  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
גָּד֔וֹל  loud 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).