Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, June 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 5 / Ordinary 10
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Nehemiah 8:4

Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Anaiah;   Ananiah;   Commandments;   Feasts;   Hashbadana;   Hashum;   Hilkiah;   Law;   Maaseiah;   Malchiah;   Mattithiah;   Meshullam;   Mishael;   Pedaiah;   Pulpit;   Repentance;   Shema;   Synagogue;   Urijah;   Word of God;   Worship;   Zechariah (Zecharias);   Thompson Chain Reference - Ezra;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Church of Israel;   Scribes;   Synagogues;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ezra;   Synagogue;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Education;   Israel;   Priest;   Scribes;   Synagogue;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Church;   Preaching;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ezra;   Hashbadana;   Hashum;   Hilkiah;   Malchiah;   Mattithiah;   Meshullam;   Pulpit;   Scribes;   Shema;   Synagogue;   Urijah;   Zechariah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Anaiah;   Canon of the Old Testament;   Church;   Hashbadana;   Hashum, the Children of;   Hilkiah;   Maaseiah;   Malchiah;   Mattithiah;   Meshullam;   Mishael;   Nehemiah, the Book of;   Pedaiah;   Priest;   Shema (2);   Uriah;   Zechariah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Anaiah;   Ezra, Book of;   Hashbaddanah;   Hashum;   Hilkiah;   Maaseiah;   Malchijah;   Mattithiah;   Meshullam;   Mishael;   Nehemiah;   Pedaiah;   Pulpit;   Shema;   Uriah;   Zechariah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Anaiah;   Ananias;   Azarias;   Canon of the Old Testament;   Daniel;   Ezekias;   Ezra;   Ezra, Book of;   Hashbaddanah;   Hashum;   Hilkiah;   Lothasubus;   Maaseiah;   Malachi;   Malchijah;   Mattathias;   Melchias;   Meshullam;   Misael;   Mishael;   Nabarias;   Pedaiah;   Phaldeus;   Priests and Levites;   Sammus;   Shema;   Synagogue;   Uriah;   Urias;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Synagogue;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Anaiah ;   Ezra ;   Hashbadana ;   Hashum ;   Hilkiah ;   Maaseiah ;   Malchiah, Malchijah ;   Mattithiah ;   Meshullam ;   Mishael ;   Pedaiah ;   Pulpit,;   Scribes;   Shema ;   Urijah ;   Zechariah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ezra;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Anai'ah;   Hashbad'ana;   Ha'shum;   Hilki'ah;   Ma-Ase'iah;   Meshul'lam;   Mish'ael;   Peda'iah;   She'ma;   Uri'jah;   Zechari'ah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anaiah;   Ananias (2);   Crafts;   Ezekias;   Hashbadana;   Hashum;   Hilkiah;   Lothasubus;   Maaseiah;   Malchijah;   Mattathias;   Mattithiah;   Melchias;   Meshullam;   Misael;   Mishael;   Nabarias;   Pedaiah;   Phaldeus;   Pulpit;   Sammus;   Shema (2);   Synagogue;   Teach;   Tower of Ivory;   Trumpets, Feast of;   Uriah;   Urias (1);   Zacharias (1);   Zechariah (1);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Almemar;   Anaiah;   Ananias;   Hashum;   Homiletics;   Law, Reading from the;   Pulpit;   Uriah, Urijah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Hebrew Names Version
Ezra the Sofer stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattityah, and Shema, and `Anayah, and Uriyah, and Hilkiyah, and Ma`aseyah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedayahu, and Misha'el, and Malkiyah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zekharyah, [and] Meshullam.
King James Version
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
English Standard Version
And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
New Century Version
Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time. On his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
New English Translation
Ezra the scribe stood on a towering wooden platform constructed for this purpose. Standing near him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Masseiah. On his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Amplified Bible
Ezra the scribe stood on a [large] wooden platform which they had constructed for this purpose. And beside him [on the platform] stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left.
New American Standard Bible
Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left.
World English Bible
Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ezra the Scribe stoode vpon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, & Ananiah, and Vriiah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hande, and on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, & Hashum, & Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Legacy Standard Bible
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
Berean Standard Bible
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Contemporary English Version
Ezra stood on a high wooden platform that had been built for this occasion. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah were standing to his right, while Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash Baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam were standing to his left.
Complete Jewish Bible
‘Ezra the Torah-teacher stood on a wood platform which they had made for the purpose; beside him on his right stood Mattityah, Shema, ‘Anayah, Uriyah, Hilkiyah and Ma‘aseiyah; while on his left were P'dayah, Misha'el, Malkiyah, Hashum, Hashbadanah, Z'kharyah and Meshulam.
Darby Translation
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a high stage of wood, which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkijah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddana, Zechariah, Meshullam.
Easy-to-Read Version
Ezra stood on a high wooden stage. It had been built just for this special time. On his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
George Lamsa Translation
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform which they had made that he might speak upon it; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Hananiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maasiah on his right hand; and on his left hand stood Periah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashabiah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Lexham English Bible
Then Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium that had been made for the occasion. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. On his left was Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Literal Translation
And Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand were Pedaiah, and Mishael,and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And E?dras the scrybe stode vpon an hye pulpit of wod, which they had made for the preachynge, & beside him stode Mathithia, Sema, Anania Vria, Ezechias, and Maeseia on his righte hand: And on his lefte honde stode Pedaia, Misael, Malchia, Hasum, Ha?badana, Zachary and Mesullam.
American Standard Version
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Bible in Basic English
And Ezra the scribe took his place on a tower of wood which they had made for the purpose; and by his side were placed Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on the right; and on the left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Esdras the scribe stoode vpon a pulpet of wood which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stoode Mathathia, Sema, & Anaiah, Uriah, Helkia, & Maaseiah, on his right hande: and on his left hand stoode Pedaia, Misael, & Melchia, & Hasum, Hasabadana, Zachari, and Mesullam.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
King James Version (1611)
And Ezra the scribe, stood vpon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand: and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Esdras the scribe stood on a wooden stage, and there stood next to him Mattathias, and Samaeas, and Ananias, and Urias, and Chelcia, and Massia, on his right hand; and on his left Phadaeas, and Misael, and Melchias, and Asom, and Asabadma, and Zacharias, and Mesollam.
English Revised Version
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Esdras the writere stood on the grees of tree, which he hadde maad to speke theron; and Mathatie, and Semma, and Ananye, and Vrie, and Elchie, and Maasie stoden bisidis hym at his riyt half; and Phadaie, Mysael, and Melchie, Assum, and Aseph, Dana, and Zacharie, and Mosollam stoden at the left half.
Update Bible Version
And Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam.
New King James Version
So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
New Living Translation
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
New Life Bible
Ezra the writer stood on a raised floor of wood which they had made for this reason. Beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam stood on his left.
New Revised Standard
The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a lofty platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and there stood, beside him, Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand, - and, on his left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Esdras the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made to speak upon, and there stood by him Mathathias, and Semeia, and Ania, and Uria, and Helcia, and Maasia, on his right hand: and on the left, Phadaia, Misael, and Melchia, and Hasum, and Hasbadana, Zacharia and Mosollam.
Revised Standard Version
And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi'ah, Shema, Anai'ah, Uri'ah, Hilki'ah, and Ma-asei'ah on his right hand; and Pedai'ah, Mish'a-el, Malchi'jah, Hashum, Hash-bad'danah, Zechari'ah, and Meshul'lam on his left hand.
Young's Literal Translation
And Ezra the scribe standeth on a tower of wood that they made for the purpose, and Mattithiah standeth near him, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right; and on his left Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddana, Zechariah, Meshullam.
THE MESSAGE
The scholar Ezra stood on a wooden platform constructed for the occasion. He was flanked on the right by Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on the left by Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand.

Contextual Overview

1 By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the Lord had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law. 2 So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered—men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand. 3 There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively. 4 Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him. As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up. 6 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. 7 Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. 8 They gave an oral translation of God's Law and explained it so that the people could understand it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

pulpit: Heb. tower

Maaseiah: Nehemiah 10:25, Nehemiah 11:5

Malchiah: Nehemiah 10:3

Hashum: Nehemiah 10:18, Ezra 10:33

Meshullam: Nehemiah 10:7, Nehemiah 10:20, Nehemiah 11:7, Nehemiah 12:13, Ezra 10:29

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 9:7 - Sallu 2 Chronicles 6:13 - scaffold Ezra 7:6 - scribe Ezra 10:18 - Maaseiah Nehemiah 3:23 - Maaseiah Nehemiah 3:25 - Pedaiah Nehemiah 8:1 - Ezra Nehemiah 8:7 - Maaseiah Nehemiah 9:3 - they stood Nehemiah 13:13 - Pedaiah Matthew 23:2 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 8:17
Take all the birds and animals out with you, so that they may reproduce and spread over all the earth."
Genesis 8:19
All the animals and birds went out of the boat in groups of their own kind.
2 Kings 19:37
One day, when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords and then escaped to the land of Ararat. Another of his sons, Esarhaddon, succeeded him as emperor.
Isaiah 37:38
One day when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords and then escaped to the land of Ararat. Another of his sons, Esarhaddon, succeeded him as emperor.
Jeremiah 51:27
"Give the signal to attack! Blow the trumpet so that the nations can hear! Prepare the nations for war against Babylonia! Tell the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz to attack. Appoint an officer to lead the attack. Bring up the horses like a swarm of locusts.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose,.... Or to speak out of, as the Syriac and Arabic versions; this, in the Hebrew text, is called a "tower" i, partly because of its height, and partly because in the form of one; and also for its largeness, considering the use it was for; for it was so large as to hold fourteen men, as appears by what follows: a pulpit of wood was made for the king in the court, to read the law from k; though, according to Jacob Leo, it was a throne like an high tower,

:-, the pulpits, in the Jewish synagogues, made after the same manner, as Aben Ezra observes, are called by the same l name:

and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah; and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam; in all thirteen; there were six on his right, and seven on his left, who stood here, not merely in honour to him, and as approvers and supporters of the truth of what he read, but to relieve him when weary.

i על מגדל עץ "super turrem ligni", Montanus; so Dionysius is said, "concionari ex turri alta", Ciceron. Tuscul. Quaest. l. 5. k Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 141. sect. 7. l Misn. Sotah, c. 7. sect. 8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 13 persons mentioned were probably the chief priests of the course (shift) which was at the time performing the temple service.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 8:4. Stood upon a pulpit of wood — מגדל migdal, a tower, a platform, raised up for the purpose, to elevate him sufficiently for the people both to see and hear him; for it is said, Nehemiah 8:5, that he was above all the people. This is the first intimation we have of a pulpit, or structure of this kind. But we must not suppose that it was any thing similar to those tubs or barrels ridiculously set up in churches and chapels, in which a preacher is nearly as much confined, during the time of his preaching, as if he was in the stocks.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile