The Meaning of Nehemiah 7:65 Explained

Nehemiah 7:65

KJV: 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.

YLT: and the Tirshatha saith to them that they eat not of the most holy things till the standing up of the priest with Urim and Thummim.

Darby: And the Tirshatha said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up the priest with Urim and Thummim.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nehemiah 7:65 Mean?

Study Notes

Tirshatta i.e. governor, Nehemiah 8:9 .
Urim .
Urim and Thummim
Urim and Thummim, meaning "lights and perfections." Some make these to be simply a collective name for the stones of the breastplate, so that the total effect of the twelve stones is to manifest the "lights and perfections" of Him who is the antitype of the Aaronic high priest. Per contra, Leviticus 8:8 . This would seem to be conclusive that "the Urim and Thummim" are additional to the stones of the breastplate. In use the Urim and Thummim were connected, in some way not clearly expressed, with the ascertainment of the divine will in particular cases; Numbers 27:21 ; Deuteronomy 33:8 ; 1 Samuel 28:6 ; Ezra 2:63 .

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 7

1  Nehemiah commits the charge of Jerusalem to Hanani and Hananiah
5  A register of the genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon
9  of the people
39  of the priests
43  of the Levites
46  of the Nethinims
57  of Solomon's servants
63  and of the priests which could not find their pedigree
66  The whole number of them, with their substance
70  Their offerings

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 7:65 mean?

And said the governor to them that not they should eat of the most holy things till could consult a priest with the Urim and Thummim
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ לָהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ יֹאכְל֖וּ מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וְתוּמִּֽים

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙  the  governor 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: תִּרְשָׁתָא  
Sense: Tirshatha—governor.
לָהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֹאכְל֖וּ  they  should  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים  the  most  holy  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
עַ֛ד  till 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עֲמֹ֥ד  could  consult 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן  a  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
לְאוּרִ֥ים  with  the  Urim 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אוּר 
Sense: stones kept in a pouch on the high-priest’s breastplate, used in determining God’s decision in certain questions and issues.
וְתוּמִּֽים  and  Thummim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: תֻּמִּים  
Sense: stones provided for the means of achieving a sacred lot.