On October 9 the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail.
Parallel translations
- WEB On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law.
- KJV And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
- BSB On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.
- NKJV Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.
- NASB Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of the Law.
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
On the next day the family heads, priests, and Levites gathered to Ezra to study the Law more closely. Hunger for God's word led to deeper, continued study.
Overview
The day after the great assembly, the leaders returned to Ezra specifically to gain deeper insight into the Law. This eager, ongoing study shows that genuine encounter with Scripture creates a desire to learn more, not less. Their diligence here leads directly to rediscovering the Feast of Booths (8:14ff.), illustrating how careful study of God's word bears fruit in obedience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Prov 8:33–34Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
- Prov 12:1Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
- Prov 2:1–6My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
- Luke 19:47–48He was teaching daily in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people sought to destroy him.
- Luke 24:32They said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?”
- Acts 13:42So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
- Mark 6:33–34They saw them going, and many recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him.
- 2 Tim 2:24–25The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient,
- Acts 4:1As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,
- Neh 8:7–8Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place.
- 2 Chr 30:23The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 8:13 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
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