Nehemiah 8:6
What does Nehemiah 8:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 8:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 8:6 means
Ezra blesses “Jehovah, the great God,” and the people answer, “Amen, Amen,” with uplifted hands, then bow with faces to the ground. Their gestures—raised hands and prostrate worship—express both assent and humility. They agree that God is great and worthy, and they lower themselves before Him. The Word leads to doxology before it leads to duty; praise precedes practice. This is the fitting atmosphere for understanding. The people are not consumers of religious information but worshipers before the living God. The double “Amen” is a corporate seal, affirming that what is declared about God is true and welcome. From this posture, they are ready to be taught.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Ezra gave praise to the Lord, the great God. And all the people in answer said, So be it, so be it; lifting up their hands; and with bent heads they gave worship to the Lord, going down on their faces to the earth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Ezra blesseth Jehovah, the great God, and all the people answer, `Amen, Amen,' with lifting up of their hands, and they bow and do obeisance to Jehovah--faces to the earth.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Esdras blessed the Lord the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, amen: lifting up their hands: and they bowed down, and adored God with their faces to the ground.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the greatGod; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen! with lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
Context
Having stood when the book was opened, the people now respond to Ezra’s blessing with full-bodied worship. This prepares the way for the teaching ministry of the Levites in the next verses. The chapter progresses from hearing to honoring to worshiping to understanding—each step building on the previous one so that instruction will not be barren but received with reverent hearts.
v.5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people); and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
v.6This passage
v.7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Leviticus 9:24
And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
- Matthew 6:13
And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
- Lamentations 3:41
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
- Revelation 7:11
And all the angels were standing round about the throne, andaboutthe elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
- 2 Chronicles 29:30
Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto Jehovah with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
- 1 Timothy 2:8
I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.
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