Nehemiah 12:40

(40) In the house of God.—They stood first outside, but afterwards entered to present their offerings. But the main interest of the day was the professional worship under the open heavens.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

40. rulers] R.V. marg. ‘Or, deputies’. In Neh_12:31, ‘the princes.’

and I, and the half of the rulers with me] We have here rather fuller details of Nehemiah’s company to correspond with the description of the other in Neh_12:32-36.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced,.... Or many sacrifices, as Ben Melech interprets it; and these perhaps of the larger sort of cattle, oxen; and which, at least many of them, being peace offerings, the people feasted on them, so that it was a festival day:

for God had made them rejoice with great joy; on account of the wall being set up all around, and so were in greater safety from their enemies:

the wives also and the children rejoiced; while the priests blew the trumpets, and the singers sung and played on their instruments, the women and children gave loud shouts for joy:

so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off; as at the laying of the foundation of the temple, Ezr 3:13.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In the house of God, i.e. in the courts of the temple.

I, and the half of the rulers with me; and Ezra, and the other half with him, as appears by comparing this with Neh 12:31,36.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

40. So stood — Rather, and they stood. The two processions probably united in the street before the water gate, or else in the temple area, and at once proceeded into the courts of the temple, where they stood and worshipped together.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So stood the two companies. Having performed their respective portions of the perambulation, and reached the central portion of the eastern wall, opposite the temple area, the two companies came to a stand, one over against the other, not in the house of God, but by it, or near it, which is a meaning that the preposition b often has. The half of the rulers. Compare ver. 32.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I also took my place

Nehemiah is speaking here. AT: "I, Nehemiah, also took my place"

Eliakim ... Maaseiah ... Miniamin ... Micaiah ... Elioenai ... Zechariah ... Hananiah ... Maaseiah ... Shemaiah ... Eleazar ... Uzzi ... Jehohanan ... Malchijah ... Elam ... Ezer

These are the names of males who were the priests at that time. (See: How to Translate Names)

Jezrahiah

This is the name of a male who was the leader of the singers.

with the trumpets

Possible meanings are 1) only the first seven priests listed from Eliakim to Hananiah carried trumpets or 2) all 15 priests listed from Eliakim to Ezer carried trumpets.

made themselves heard

"sang loudly"

translationWords

house of God

priest

trumpet

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

the two thanksgiving offerings that they carried to the Temple.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.