The Meaning of Nehemiah 12:27 Explained

Nehemiah 12:27

KJV: And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

YLT: And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them in to Jerusalem, to make the dedication even with gladness, and with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps;

Darby: And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to hold the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, lutes and harps.

ASV: And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And at the dedication  of the wall  of Jerusalem  they sought  the Levites  out of all their places,  to bring  them to Jerusalem,  to keep  the dedication  with gladness,  both with thanksgivings,  and with singing,  [with] cymbals,  psalteries,  and with harps. 

What does Nehemiah 12:27 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 12

1  The priests and the Levites which came up with Zerubbabel
10  The succession of high priests
22  Certain chief Levites
27  The solemnity of the dedication of the walls
44  The offices of priests and Levites appointed in the temple

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 12:27 mean?

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out - the Levites in all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication and with gladness and both with thanksgivings and singing [with] cymbals and stringed instruments and harps
וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בִּקְשׁ֤וּ אֶת־ הַלְוִיִּם֙ מִכָּל־ מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם לַהֲבִיאָ֖ם לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לַעֲשֹׂ֨ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה וְשִׂמְחָה֙ וּבְתוֹד֣וֹת וּבְשִׁ֔יר מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם נְבָלִ֥ים וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת

וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת  And  at  the  dedication 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֲנֻכָּה  
Sense: dedication, consecration.
חוֹמַ֣ת  of  the  wall 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בִּקְשׁ֤וּ  they  sought  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַלְוִיִּם֙  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
מִכָּל־  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם  their  places 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
לַהֲבִיאָ֖ם  to  bring  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  to  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
לַעֲשֹׂ֨ת  to  celebrate 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חֲנֻכָּ֤ה  the  dedication 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנֻכָּה  
Sense: dedication, consecration.
וְשִׂמְחָה֙  and  with  gladness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
וּבְתוֹד֣וֹת  and  both  with  thanksgivings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: תֹּודָה  
Sense: confession, praise, thanksgiving.
וּבְשִׁ֔יר  and  singing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם  [with]  cymbals 
Parse: Noun, cd
Root: מְצִלְתַּיִם  
Sense: cymbals.
נְבָלִ֥ים  and  stringed  instruments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root:  
Sense: a skin-bag, jar, pitcher.
וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת  and  harps 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כִּנּׄור  
Sense: lyre, harp.