Nehemiah 8:3

KJV1611 – Modern English

And he read from it in the street before the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־הָאוֹר֙ עַד־מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאָזְנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃

Transliteration

wə-yiqrāʾ-bô lipnê hārəḥôb which lipnê šaʿar-hammayim min-hāʾôr until-maḥăṣît hayyôm neged hāʾănāšîm wə-hannāšîm wə-hamməbînîm wə-ʾoznê all-hāʿām to-sēper hattôrâ

Grammar Details

• *wə-yiqrāʾ-bô*: conjunction + qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - and he read in it
• *lipnê*: preposition + construct noun - before/in front of
• *hārəḥôb*: definite noun, masculine singular - the square/open place
• *šaʿar-hammayim*: construct phrase - gate of the water
• *min-hāʾôr*: preposition + definite noun, masculine singular - from the light/daybreak
• *maḥăṣît*: noun, feminine singular construct - half of
• *hayyôm*: definite noun, masculine singular - the day
• *neged*: preposition - before/in front of
• *hāʾănāšîm*: definite noun, masculine plural - the men
• *wə-hannāšîm*: conjunction + definite noun, feminine plural - and the women
• *wə-hamməbînîm*: conjunction + definite hiphil participle, masculine plural - and those who understand
• *wə-ʾoznê*: conjunction + noun, feminine dual construct - and ears of
• *hāʿām*: definite noun, masculine singular - the people
• *sēper*: noun, masculine singular - book/scroll
• *hattôrâ*: definite noun, feminine singular - the law

Word Meanings

• *hāʾôr*: light/daybreak/morning
• *maḥăṣît*: half/middle/midpoint
• *hamməbînîm*: those who understand/comprehend/perceive
• *sēper*: book/scroll/document

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  He read from it in the open square before the Water Gate, from daybreak until midday, in the presence of the men, women, and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] unto the book of the law.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and red therin in the strete that is before the Watergate, from ye light mornynge vntyll the noone daye before men and wemen and soch as coulde vnderstonde it: and the eares of all the people were inclyned vnto the boke of the lawe.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he read therein in the streete that was before the watergate (from the morning vntill the midday) before men and women, and them that vnderstoode it, and the eares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the Lawe.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he read therein in the streete that was before the water gate, from the morning vntill the noone day, before men and women that did hearken to it: and the eares of all the people were inclined vnto the booke of the law.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he read therein before the street that [was] before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people [were attentive] unto the book of the law.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] to the book of the law.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and he readeth in it before the broad place that `is' before the water-gate, from the light till the middle of the day, over-against the men, and the women, and those intelligent, and the ears of all the people `are' unto the book of the law.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were `attentive' unto the book of the law.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] unto the book of the law.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  He was reading it in the wide place in front of the water-doorway, from early morning till the middle of the day, in the hearing of all those men and women whose minds were able to take it in; and the ears of all the people were open to the book of the law.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] to the book of the law.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon before the men and women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the law.

Referenced Verses

• Rev 3:22 : 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
• Heb 2:1-3 : 1 Therefore we ought to give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those that heard him;
• Rev 2:29 : 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
• Acts 28:23 : 23 And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.
• 1 Thess 2:13 : 13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectively works also in you who believe.
• Matt 7:28-29 : 28 And it happened, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching. 29 For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
• Mark 12:37 : 37 Therefore David himself calls him 'Lord'; how then is he his son?' And the common people heard him gladly.
• Luke 4:16-20 : 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And there was handed to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all those in the synagogue were fixed on him.
• Luke 8:18 : 18 Take heed therefore how you hear: for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.
• Luke 19:48 : 48 And could not find what they might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
• Acts 13:15 : 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak on.
• Acts 13:27 : 27 For those who dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, have fulfilled them in condemning him.
• Acts 15:21 : 21 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.
• Acts 16:14 : 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, so she heeded the things spoken by Paul.
• Acts 17:11 : 11 These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• Acts 20:7 : 7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart the next day, and continued his message until midnight.
• Acts 20:11 : 11 Now when he had come up, and had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.