The Meaning of Nehemiah 8:8 Explained

Nehemiah 8:8

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

YLT: and they read in the book, in the law of God, explaining -- so as to give the meaning, and they give understanding to the convocation.

Darby: And they read in the law of God distinctly out of the book, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

ASV: And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Nehemiah 8:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 8:1-18 - New Light From God's Law
Surely this was the first public Bible-reading! When will the people be again as hungry for the Word of God as these Jews who stood in the open space from early dawn till the scorching noon? What reverence for the Word! When Ezra opened the Book, all the people stood up. What holy worship! When he blessed the great God, all the people answered, Amen, amen! What a model to us all! They gave the sense, so that they understood. What searching of heart! The people wept when they heard the words of the law.
There is nothing which weakens us so much as does unrestrained remorse. Contriteness of heart is wholesome and helpful, but excessive grief incapacitates us for our duties. It is well therefore to cultivate holy joy; the joy of sin forgiven, of acceptance with God, of hope that anchors us to the unseen, and that cannot be ashamed. You may not be able to joy in yourself or your surroundings, but you may always rejoice in the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 8

1  The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9  They comfort the people
13  The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16  They keep the feast of tabernacles

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 8:8 mean?

So they read from the book in the Law of God distinctly and they gave the sense and helped [them] to understand the reading -
וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בְּתוֹרַ֥ת הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְשׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּמִּקְרָֽא ס

וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ  So  they  read 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בַסֵּ֛פֶר  from  the  book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
בְּתוֹרַ֥ת  in  the  Law 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מְפֹרָ֑שׁ  distinctly 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּרַשׁ 
Sense: to make distinct, declare, distinguish, separate.
וְשׂ֣וֹם  and  they  gave 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
שֶׂ֔כֶל  the  sense 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׂכֶל  
Sense: prudence, insight, understanding.
וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ  and  helped  [them]  to  understand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
בַּמִּקְרָֽא  the  reading 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְרָא  
Sense: convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation