Nehemiah 8:6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

◄ Nehemiah 8:6 ►

New International Version
Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

New Living Translation
Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

English Standard Version
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

King James Bible
And 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.

New King James Version
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

New American Standard Bible
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” with the raising of their hands; then they kneeled down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

NASB 1995
Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

NASB 1977
Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Legacy Standard Bible
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.

Amplified Bible
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; and they knelt down and worshiped the LORD with their faces toward the ground.

Christian Standard Bible
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen! ” Then they knelt low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Ezra praised the great LORD God, and they lifted their hands, shouting "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.

English Revised Version
and Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Ezra thanked the LORD, the great God. All the people responded, "Amen! Amen!" as they raised their hands and then bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.

Good News Translation
Ezra said, "Praise the LORD, the great God!" All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, "Amen! Amen!" They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground.

International Standard Version
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with uplifted hands, all the people responded, "Amen! Amen!" They bowed down and worshipped the LORD prostrate on the ground.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

NET Bible
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people replied "Amen! Amen!" as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

New Heart English Bible
and Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

World English Bible
Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and Ezra blesses YHWH, the great God, and all the people answer, “Amen, Amen,” with lifting up of their hands, and they bow and pay respect to YHWH—faces to the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
and 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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Ezra will praise Jehovah the great God: and all the people will answer, Amen, Amen, in lifting up their hands: and they will bow down and worship to Jehovah, with faces to the earth.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing the ground.

New American Bible
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!” Then they knelt down and bowed before the LORD, their faces to the ground.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands; and they knelt down and worshipped before the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Azra blessed LORD JEHOVAH, the great God, and all the people answered, and they said: “Amen and Amen!” And when they lifted up their hands, they knelt and they bowed before LORD JEHOVAH on their faces unto the ground.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered: 'Amen, Amen', with the lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and fell down before the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God: and all the people answered, and said, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their face to the ground.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Ezra Reads the Law
…5Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Ezra 3:11
And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.

1 Chronicles 16:36
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the LORD!”

Psalm 106:48
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 27:15-26
‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ / ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ / ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ ...

2 Chronicles 20:18-19
Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him. / And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.

Psalm 95:6
O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

Psalm 134:2
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the LORD!

Psalm 63:4
So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.

Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be set before You like incense; my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.

1 Kings 8:14-15
And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all / and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,

1 Timothy 2:8
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

Revelation 7:11-12
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, / saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Luke 24:52-53
And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, / praising God continually in the temple.

Matthew 21:9
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

Ephesians 5:20
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

blessed

1 Chronicles 29:20
And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

2 Chronicles 6:4
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,

Psalm 41:13
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Amen

Nehemiah 5:13
Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

Jeremiah 28:6
Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

with lifting

Genesis 14:22
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

Psalm 28:2
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Psalm 63:4
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

bowed

Genesis 24:26
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

Exodus 4:31
And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 12:27
That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

with their faces

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Matthew 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Revelation 7:11
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

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Nehemiah 8

1. The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9. They comfort the people
13. The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16. They keep the feast of tabernacles

Berean Study Bible

Then Ezra blessed the LORD
Ezra, a scribe and priest, plays a pivotal role in the spiritual renewal of Israel. The Hebrew word for "blessed" is "barak," which means to kneel or to praise. This act of blessing the LORD signifies a deep reverence and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and goodness. Ezra's leadership in blessing God sets a tone of worship and gratitude, reminding us of the importance of recognizing God's greatness in our lives.

the great God
The phrase "the great God" emphasizes the supremacy and majesty of the LORD. In Hebrew, "ha'elohim ha'gadol" underscores God's unparalleled power and authority. This acknowledgment of God's greatness is crucial in the context of the Israelites, who had returned from exile and were rebuilding their identity as God's chosen people. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and His mighty acts throughout history.

and all the people lifted up their hands
Lifting hands in worship is a physical expression of surrender and adoration. This gesture, rooted in ancient Hebrew worship practices, symbolizes openness to God's presence and a desire to receive His blessings. It reflects a communal act of worship, where the entire assembly participates in honoring God, demonstrating unity and collective devotion.

and responded, 'Amen, Amen!'
The repetition of "Amen" signifies affirmation and agreement. In Hebrew, "Amen" means "so be it" or "truly." By saying "Amen, Amen," the people express their wholehearted agreement with Ezra's blessing and their commitment to the covenant with God. This response highlights the importance of communal affirmation in worship and the power of spoken agreement in faith.

Then they bowed down and worshiped
Bowing down is an act of humility and submission before God. The Hebrew word "shachah" means to prostrate oneself, indicating deep reverence and worship. This physical act of bowing is a powerful expression of acknowledging God's holiness and our own need for His grace and mercy. It reflects a heart posture of worship that is both humble and sincere.

the LORD with their faces to the ground
Worshiping with faces to the ground is an ultimate act of humility and reverence. This posture signifies total submission and recognition of God's holiness. In the historical context, it reflects the Israelites' acknowledgment of their dependence on God and their desire to honor Him above all else. It serves as a reminder for us to approach God with humility, recognizing His greatness and our need for His presence in our lives.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) And Ezra blessed the Lord.--The book was formally and solemnly opened in the sight of the people. At this request the multitude arose, and, after a doxology offered by Ezra, they all uttered a double Amen, "with lifting up of their hands," in token of their most fervent assent; and then "with faces bowed to the ground," in token of adoration.

The great God is Nehemiah's expression, not Ezra's; the sentence used is not reported.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - Ezra blessed the Lord. Ezra began by an ascription of praise to Jehovah, as the Levites, probably under his direction, begin in Nehemiah 9:5, and as David began his last address to the congregation (1 Chronicles 29:10). The great God. The epithet belongs to the writer rather than to Ezra himself, who in his own book never uses it. It recurs in this section (Nehemiah 9:32), and is also employed by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:5). Amen, Amen. The repetition marks intensity of feeling, as does the lifting up their hands. Compare 2 Kings 11:14; Luke 23:21; and for the lifting up of the hands, so natural in prayer, see Psalm 134:2; 1 Timothy 2:8, etc. Worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Compare 2 Chronicles 7:3; Ezra 10:2.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Then Ezra
עֶזְרָ֔א (‘ez·rā)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5830: Ezra -- 'help', three Israelites

blessed
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ (way·ḇā·reḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

the LORD,
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the great
הַגָּד֑וֹל (hag·gā·ḏō·wl)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

God,
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and with their hands
יְדֵיהֶ֔ם (yə·ḏê·hem)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3027: A hand

uplifted,
בְּמֹ֣עַל (bə·mō·‘al)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4607: A raising

all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֜ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

said,
וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ (way·ya·‘ă·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

“Amen,
אָמֵ֤ן ׀ (’ā·mên)
Adverb
Strong's 543: Sure, faithfulness, truly

Amen!”
אָמֵן֙ (’ā·mên)
Adverb
Strong's 543: Sure, faithfulness, truly

Then they bowed down
וַיִּקְּד֧וּ (way·yiq·qə·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6915: To shrivel up, contract, bend the body, in deference

and worshiped
וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֻּ֛ (way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wu)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

the LORD
לַיהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

with their faces
אַפַּ֥יִם (’ap·pa·yim)
Noun - md
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

to the ground.
אָֽרְצָה׃ (’ā·rə·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

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OT History: Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God (Neh Ne)