Nehemiah 8:8 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Nehemiah 8:6 and 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.

Nehemiah 8:7 Also 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.

Nehemiah 8:8 And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.

Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "read", "book", "distinctly", "gave", "sense", "understood", and "reading". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "read" and "book", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah Jamin..." into verse 9's "And Nehemiah who was the governor and...", so "read" and "book" belong inside that flow. In Nehemiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "read" and "book" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.