Nehemiah 10:8 — Word Study
WLCמַֽעַזְיָ֥ה בִלְגַּ֖י שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה אֵ֖לֶּה הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ ס
BSAMeshullamMᵉshullâm AbijahʼĂbîyâh MijaminMîyâmin
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה | Maaziah | Noun proper masculine |
| בִלְגַּ֖י | Bilgai | Noun proper masculine |
| שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה | Shemaiah | Noun proper masculine |
| אֵ֖לֶּה | these | Particle |
| הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ ס | [were] the priests | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests. |
| KJV | Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. |
| ASV | Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests. |
| YLT | Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these [are] the priests. |
| WEB | Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests. |
| BBE | Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests. |
The translations agree on the identification of the priests listed in this verse.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a predicate that identifies the subject.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectH428
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 5 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Nehemiah 10:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The List of Priests in Nehemiahgenerated
Nehemiah 10:8 lists the names of priests who returned from Babylonian exile, highlighting their roles in the restoration of worship in Jerusalem. This list emphasizes the importance of the priestly lineage and the continuity of worship practices among the Israelites after their return.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 12:5 | Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, |
| 2 | Nehemiah 3:29 | Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East Gate, made repairs. |
| 3 | Nehemiah 12:6–18 | Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| 4 | Ezra 10:21 | From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה, ma.'az.Yahgenerated
The name מַעַזְיָה (Maaziah) is a proper noun referring to a priest, meaning 'consolation of Jehovah'. It indicates a connection to divine support, as it is derived from roots that imply protection and God's name.
This priest is mentioned in the context of the return from exile, signifying his role in the spiritual leadership of the Israelite community during a critical time of restoration.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase These were the priests.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb structure is implied rather than explicit, as the sentence lists the priests and identifies them as הַכֹּהֲנִֽים (the priests). The structure is straightforward, presenting a list of names followed by a declarative statement about their roles.
The Hebrew word order places the names first, emphasizing the individuals before stating their collective identity as priests.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew names are rendered as μεσουλαμ for Maaziah, αβια for Bilgai, and μιαμιν for Shemaiah. This choice shows a consistent effort to maintain the identity of these priests while adapting to the Greek language.
The translation reflects an effort to preserve the significance of these names within the context of the priestly lineage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 10:8 lists the priests Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah, indicating their roles in the restoration of worship after the exile. These names are significant as they represent the continuity of the priesthood in Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Maaziah means 'consolation of Jehovah', indicating a connection to divine support.
Bilgai is another name for Bilgah, a priest during the Exile, while Shemaiah means 'heard by God' and refers to multiple individuals, including prophets.
The list emphasizes the restoration of worship and the continuity of the priestly lineage after the exile.
These priests served as spiritual leaders and mediators between God and the people during the restoration of worship in Jerusalem.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can understanding the roles of these priests help us appreciate the importance of spiritual leadership today?
- What does the name Maaziah teach us about God's support in our lives?
- In what ways can we serve as spiritual leaders in our communities, like these priests?
- How does knowing the history of the priesthood influence our understanding of worship?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 10:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySeraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) These were the priests.—That is, the names of the priestly families. (Comp. Nehemiah 12:1-6.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. these were the priests] The names of Seraiah, Jeremiah, Amariah are found in both lists (a) Nehemiah 12:1-7 and (b) Nehemiah 12:12-22. Shebaniah is found in (b) Nehemiah 12:14 but appears as Shechaniah in (a) Nehemiah 12:3. Malluch is found in (a) Nehemiah 12:2, but appears as Malluchi (Melicu) in (b) Nehemiah 12:14 : Harim is found in (b) Nehemiah 12:15 but appears probably as Rehum in (a) Nehemiah 12:3 : Meremoth is found in (a) Nehemiah 12:3, but appears as Meraioth in (b) Nehemiah 12:15 : Ginnetho is found in (b) Nehemiah 12:16, but appears as Ginnethoi in (a) Nehemiah 12:4 : Mijamin is found in (a) Nehemiah 12:5 but appears as Miniamin in (b) Nehemiah 12:17. Bilgai is clearly the…
Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Tyndale line
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these are the Priestes.
Strictly literal
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these [are] the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these [are] the priests.
(10:9) Ma'azyah, Bilgai, Shema'yah: these were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
From the Latin
Maazia, Belgia, Semeia: these were priests.
Simplified
Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists the names of the priests as מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה בִלְגַּ֖י שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה אֵ֖לֶּה הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃. The Septuagint matches three of the five words, indicating a general agreement in the naming but differing in word order and structure.
מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה בִלְגַּ֖י שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה אֵ֖לֶּה הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ ס
3 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Nehemiah 10:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מַעַזְיָהוּ (Ma`azyah) is a Hebrew name meaning 'rescue of Jah' or 'consolation of Jehovah.' It refers to two priests: one during David's reign and another who signed a covenant with Nehemiah. The name is likely derived from roots meaning protection and God’s name, indicating a connection to divine support.
מַעַזְיָהוּ, מַעַזְיָה n.pr.m. of priests
ascribed to David’s time
Nehemiah’s time
base
H4590 מַעַזְיָהוּ, מַעַזְיָה
4590 Ma`azyah mah-az-yaw'
or Ma.azyahuw {mah-az-yaw'-hoo}; probably from 5756 (in the
sense of protection) and 3050; rescue of Jah; Maazjah, the
name of two Israelites:--Maaziah.
see HEBREW for 05756
see HEBREW for 03050
מַעַזְיָהוּ (ma.az.yah) — Maaziah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.24.18
§ Maaziah = "consolation of Jehovah"
1) a priest in charge of the 24th course in the time of David
2) a priest who signed the covenant with Nehemiah
מַעַזְיָהוּ (ma.az.yah) — Maaziah.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.10.8; also called Maadiah at Neh.12.5; Moadiah at Neh.12.17;
§ Maaziah = "consolation of Jehovah"
1) a priest in charge of the 24th course in the time of David
2) a priest who signed the covenant with Nehemiah
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Maaziah
Strength or consolation of Jehovah. (1.) The head of the twenty-fourth priestly course (1 Chr. 24:18) in David’s reign.
(2.) A priest (Neh. 10:8).
(consolation of Jehovah). One of the priests who signed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:8) A priest in the reign of David, head of the twenty-fourth course. (1 Chronicles 24:18)
בִּלְגַּי (Bilgay) refers to an Israelite mentioned in the context of the Exile and Return, specifically in Nehemiah 10:8. The name is derived from a root meaning 'desistant' and is associated with a priest who made a covenant with Nehemiah. It is also noted as another name for בִּלְגָּה (Bilgah), which means 'my cheerfulness'.
בִּלְגַּי n.pr.m. (id. [b.bs.ab]) priest with Neh. Ne 10:9.
done
H1084 בִּלְגַּי
1084 Bilgay bil-gah'ee
from 1082; desistant; Bilgai, an Israelite:--Bilgai.
see HEBREW for 01082
בִּלְגַּי (bil.gay) — Bilgai.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.10.8; also called Bilgai at Neh.10.8;
Another name of bil.gah (בִּלְגָּה "Bilgah" H1083H)
§ Bilgai = "my cheerfulness"
a priest who covenanted with Nehemiah
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(Nehemiah 10:8) [BILGAH, 2]
→ A priest Ne 10:8
שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה (Shma`yah) means 'Jah has heard' and refers to a name associated with numerous individuals in the Old Testament, particularly prophets and Levites. The entries highlight its use for a prophet during King Rehoboam's reign and various descendants, including those in the time of Jeremiah and Nehemiah. Notably, it is mentioned in contexts involving both true and false prophets.
שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה(וּ) n.pr.m.
prophet, Rehob.’s time
Jer.’s time
a prophet’s father
descendant of Zerub.
in Simeon
in Reuben
Levites
companions of Ezra
of Neh.
priests
a prince
base
H8098 שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה(וּ), שְׁמַעְיָה, שְׁמַעְיָהוּ
8098 Shma`yah shem-aw-yaw'
or Shmamyahuw {shem-aw-yaw'-hoo}; from 8085 and 3050; Jah has
heard; Shemajah, the name of twenty-five
Israelites:--Shemaiah.
see HEBREW for 08085
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ (she.ma.yah) — Shemaiah.
A prophet living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.12.22
§ Shemaiah = "heard by Jehovah"
1) a prophet of the Lord in the reign of king Rehoboam of Judah
2) the Nehelamite, a false prophet in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
3) father of Delaiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
4) an inhabitant of Kirjathjearim and father of Urijah, a prophet of the Lord in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
5) a Judaite, son of Shechaniah, father of Hattush, and descendant of Zerubbabel
6) a Simeonite, father of Shimri
7) a Reubenite, son of Joel and father of Gog
8) a Merarite Levite, son of Hasshub in the time of Nehemiah
9) a Levite, son of Galal and father of Obadiah
10) a Levite and head of the family of the sons of Elizaphan who were commissioned to bring the ark to Jerusalem in the time of David
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
she-ma'-ya, she-mi'-a (shema`yah (in 2Ch 11:2; 17:8; 31:15; 35:9; Jer 26:20; 29:24; 36:12, shema`yahu), "Jahveh hears"): The name is most frequently borne by priests, Levites and prophets.
(1) Codex Vaticanus Sammaias; Codex Alexandrinus Samaias (2Ch 12:5,7). A prophet who, together with Ahijah, protested against Rehoboam's contemplated war against the ten revolted tribes (1Ki 12:22-24 = 2Ch 11:2-4). He declared that the rebellion had divine sanction. The second Greek account knows nothing of Ahijah in this connection and introduces Shemaiah at the gathering at Shechem where both Jeroboam and Rehoboam were present; it…
Shemaiah
Whom Jehovah heard. (1.) A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:22-24).
(2.) Neh. 3:29.
(3.) A Simeonite (1 Chr. 4:37).
(4.) A priest (Neh. 12:42).
(5.) A Levite (1 Chr. 9:16).
(6.) 1 Chr. 9:14; Neh. 11:15.
(7.) A Levite in the time of David, who with 200 of his brethren took part in the bringing up of the ark from Obed-edom to Hebron (1 Chr. 15:8).
(8.) A Levite (1 Chr. 24:6).
(heard by Jehovah). A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam. (1 Kings 12:22; 2 Chronicles 11:2) (B.C. 972.) He wrote a chronicle containing the events of Rehoboam’s reign. (2 Chronicles 12:5,15) The son of Shechaniah, among the descendants of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:23; Nehemiah 3:28) A prince of the tribe of Simeon. (1 Chronicles 4:27) Son of Joel, Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:4) (B.C. after 1706.) Son of Hasshub, a Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 9:14;
1. A prophet of Israel, by whom God forbade Rehoboam to endeavor to coerce the ten tribes back to their allegiance, and called the king and his court to repent at the invasion of Shishak. He is said to have written the history of Rehoboam’s reign, 1Ki 12:22-24 2Ch 12:5-8,15.
2. A Levite, who made a registry of the twenty-four priestly classes, 1Ch 15:8,11 24:6.
3. A false prophet among the exiled Jews in Babylon, who opposed the prophet Jeremiah, and incurred divine judgments on himself and his family. For his name, Nehelamite, a dreamer, Jer 29:24-32.
אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.
אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these
in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
with preps.
base
H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
. with preps.
428 'el-leh ale'-leh
prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one
sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,
thus, which, who(-m).
see HEBREW for 0411
אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.
1) these
1a) used before antecedent
1b) used following antecedent
Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)
HTm — ParticleHTm
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
HTd/Ncmpa — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa