"And Nehemiah, which {is} the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unt…" — Nehemiah 8:9

Nehemiah 8:9 · KJV

“And Nehemiah, which {is} the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day {is} holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. {the Tirshatha: or, the governor}”

— Nehemiah 8:9

Verse 8

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused {them} to understand the reading.

Verse 10

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for {this} day {is} holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8 — Context

Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people {stood} in their place.

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused {them} to understand the reading.

And Nehemiah, which {is} the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day {is} holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. {the Tirshatha: or, the governor}

So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day {is} holy; neither be ye grieved.

Cross References

Nehemiah 7:70

And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. {some: Heb. part.} {the Tirshatha: or, the governor}

Deuteronomy 12:12

And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that {is} within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Nehemiah 7:65

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood {up} a priest with Urim and Thummim. {the Tirshatha: or, the governor}

Deuteronomy 16:11

And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that {is} within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that {are} among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

Nehemiah 8:2

And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. {that...: Heb. that understood in hearing}

Ecclesiastes 3:4

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Leviticus 23:24

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first {day} of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

Isaiah 61:3

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.