Nehemiah 8:3

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.

📖 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

• 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.

• 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.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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 Let the one who has ears hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
• Heb 2:1-3 : 1 Therefore, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first declared by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.
• Rev 2:29 : 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
• Acts 28:23 : 23 They arranged to meet with him on a certain day, and many came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, Paul was explaining and testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
• 1 Thess 2:13 : 13 For this reason, we also thank God constantly, because when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a message from men but as what it truly is—the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
• Matt 7:28-29 : 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, 29 because He taught them as one who had authority, and not like their scribes.
• Mark 12:37 : 37 David himself calls him 'Lord.' So how can he be his son?' And the large crowd listened to him with delight.
• Luke 4:16-20 : 16 He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the eyes in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
• Luke 8:18 : 18 Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. For whoever has will be given more; but whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.
• Luke 19:48 : 48 But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were clinging to him, listening to what he said.
• Acts 13:15 : 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, 'Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.'
• Acts 13:27 : 27 The people living in Jerusalem and their rulers, not recognizing Him or the words of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning Him.
• Acts 15:21 : 21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city from ancient generations, being read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
• Acts 16:14 : 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
• Acts 17:11 : 11 The Bereans were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• Acts 20:7 : 7 On the first day of the week, we were gathered together to break bread, and Paul began to speak to them. Since he was planning to leave the next day, he continued his message until midnight.
• Acts 20:11 : 11 Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread and ate. After talking with them for a long time, until daybreak, he left.