Nehemiah 8:7 (LSB)

Passage

Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, were providing understanding of the law to the people while the people stood in their place.

Nearby Context

Nehemiah 8:5 And 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.

Nehemiah 8:6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, were providing understanding of the law to the people while the people stood in their place.

Nehemiah 8:8 They read from the book, from the law of God, explaining and giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.

Nehemiah 8:9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who provided the people with understanding, said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jeshua", "bani", "sherebiah", "jamin", "akkub", "shabbethai", "hodiah", and "maaseiah". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jeshua" and "bani", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God..." into verse 8's "They read from the book from the...", so "jeshua" and "bani" 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 "jeshua" and "bani" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.