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Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices.
Nehemiah 12:9 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
  • BSB Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood across from them in the services.
  • NKJV Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties.
  • NASB Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their service divisions.
  • NLT Their associates, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them during the service.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Bakbukiah, Unno, and their relatives served opposite them in the worship duties. The Levites were arranged for ordered, responsive praise.

Overview

These Levites stood 'opposite' the others according to their offices, suggesting antiphonal singing where choirs answered one another in praise. Such ordered, responsive worship gave beauty and structure to the temple's songs. The arrangement shows the care taken that worship be both heartfelt and well-ordered, fitting for the God who is worthy of honor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • Neh 12:24The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.
  • Ps 134:1–3A Song of Ascents. Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Nehemiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Nehemiah 12:9YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on NehemiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'

How Nehemiah 12:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.