Nehemiah 8:9

Easy To Read Version

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher, and the men from the Levites that were teaching the people spoke. They said, “Today is a special day {\cf2\super [44]} to the Lord your God. Don’t be sad and cry.” They said that because all the people had begun to cry as they were listening to the messages of God in the Law.

Cross References

2 Kings 22:11

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes {to show he was sad and upset}.

2 Chronicles 15:3

For a long time Israel was without the true God. And they were without a teaching priest, and without the law.

2 Chronicles 30:22

King Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites that understood very well how to do the service of the Lord. The people celebrated the Festival for seven days and offered fellowship offerings. They gave thanks and praise to the Lord God of their ancestors. {\cf2\super [375]}

2 Chronicles 34:19

When King Josiah heard the words of the law being read, he tore his clothes. {\cf2\super [429]}

2 Chronicles 34:21

The king said, “Go, ask the Lord for me, and for the people that are left in Israel and in Judah. Ask about the words in the book that was found. The Lord is very angry with us because our ancestors {\cf2\super [430]} did not obey the Lord’s word. They did not do all the things this book says to do!”

2 Chronicles 35:3

Josiah spoke to the Levites who taught the people of Israel and who were made holy for service to the Lord. He said to those Levites: “Put the Holy Box {\cf2\super [442]} in the temple that Solomon built. Solomon was David’s son. David was king of Israel. Do not carry the Holy Box from place to place on your shoulders again. Now serve the Lord your God. Serve God’s people, the people of Israel.

Ezra 2:63

The governor ordered these people not to eat any of the holy food. They could not eat any of this food until there was a priest who could use the Urim and Thummim {\cf2\super [7]} to ask God what to do.

Ezra 7:11

Ezra was a priest and teacher. He knew much about the commands and laws the Lord gave Israel. This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes {\cf2\super [47]} gave to Ezra the teacher:

Nehemiah 10:1

These are the names on the sealed agreement: Nehemiah the governor. Nehemiah was the son of Hacaliah. Zedekiah,

Nehemiah 12:26

Those gatekeepers served in the days of Joiakim. Joiakim was the son of Jeshua, who was the son of Jozadak. And those gatekeepers also served in the days of Nehemiah the governor and in the days of Ezra the priest and teacher.

Nehemiah 7:65

The governor ordered these people not eat any of the most holy food. They could not eat any of this food until the \{high\} priest could use the Urim and Thummim {\cf2\super [35]} to ask God what to do.

Nehemiah 7:70

Some of the family leaders gave money to support the work. The governor gave 19 pounds {\cf2\super [36]} of gold to the treasury. He also gave 50 bowls and 530 pieces of clothing for the priests.

Nehemiah 8:2

So Ezra the priest brought the Law before those people that had met together. This was on the first day of the month. {\cf2\super [43]} It was the seventh month of the year. At that meeting were men and women, and anyone old enough to listen and understand.

Ecclesiastes 3:4

There is a time to cry,\par and a time to laugh.\par There is a time to be sad,\par and a time to dance from joy.\par

Isaiah 61:3

God sent me to the sad people of Zion. \{I will get them ready for the celebration.\} I will take away the ashes on their head, and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will give them celebration clothes. God sent me to name those people ‘Good Trees’ and ‘The Lord’s Wonderful Plant.’

Hosea 4:6

“My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn. So I will refuse to let you be a priest for me. You have forgotten the law of your God, so I will forget your children.

Leviticus 23:24

“Tell the people of Israel: On the first day of the seventh month, you must have a special day of rest. Blow the trumpet to remind the people that this is a holy meeting.

Malachi 2:13

You can cry and cover the Lord’s altar with tears, but the Lord will not accept your gifts. The Lord will not be pleased with the things you bring to him.

Romans 3:20

Why? Because no person can be made right with God by following the law. The law only shows us our sin.

Romans 7:9

I was alive without the law before I knew the law. But when the law’s command came to me, then sin began to live.

Deuteronomy 12:12

Come to that place with all your people—your children, all your servants, and the Levites [76] living in your towns. (These Levites will not have a share of the land for their own.) Enjoy yourselves together there with the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 12:7

You and your families will eat together at that place, and the Lord your God will be there with you. At that place, you will enjoy sharing the things you worked for. You will remember that the Lord your God blessed you and gave you those good things.

Deuteronomy 16:11

Go to the place the Lord will choose to be his special house. You and your people should enjoy yourselves together there with the Lord your God. Take all your people with you—your sons, your daughters, and all your servants. Also, take the Levites, [101] foreigners, orphans, [102] and widows [103] living in your towns.

Deuteronomy 26:14

I have not eaten this food when I was sad. [165] I was not unclean when I collected this food. [166] I have not offered any of this food for dead people. I have obeyed you, Lord my God. I have done all the things you commanded me.

James 4:9

Be sad, be sorry, and cry! Change your laughter into crying. Change your joy into sadness.