וּשְׁאָ֣ר הָעָ֡ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים הַלְוִיִּם הַשֹּׁועֲרִ֨ים הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֜ים הַנְּתִינִ֗ים וְכָל־הַנִּבְדָּ֞ל מֵעַמֵּ֤י הָאֲרָצֹות֙ אֶל־תֹּורַ֣ת הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים נְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם בְּנֵיהֶ֣ם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֖ל יֹודֵ֥עַ מֵבִֽין׃
(Nehemiah 10:29)
And the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and everyone who had separated himself from the peoples of the lands to the law of God—their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who knows and understands.
This verse lists the people who committed themselves to the Torah after the return from exile. The Hebrew sentence is long, but its structure is very logical. It gathers many groups together and then describes them with a final phrase: “everyone who knows and understands.”
Let’s walk through the grammar step by step.
Understanding the Structure of the Sentence
The verse is essentially a long list followed by a description.
The pattern looks like this:
- Main group: “the rest of the people”
- Sub-groups: priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants
- Additional description: those separated from the surrounding nations
- Family members: wives, sons, daughters
- Final summary: everyone who knows and understands
Hebrew often builds sentences this way—stacking nouns and descriptions, then ending with a phrase that explains the whole group.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
| Hebrew Word | Meaning | Type | Grammar Clues | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁאָר | and the rest | Noun | Prefix וּ = “and”; שְׁאָר = remainder | Introduces the group |
| הָעָם | the people | Noun | Definite article הַ | Main collective group |
| הַכֹּהֲנִים | the priests | Noun plural | Definite plural form | First subgroup |
| הַלְוִיִּם | the Levites | Noun plural | Tribal religious group | Second subgroup |
| הַשֹּׁועֲרִים | the gatekeepers | Noun plural | Temple guards responsible for entrances | Third subgroup |
| הַמְשֹׁרְרִים | the singers | Noun plural | Temple musicians | Fourth subgroup |
| הַנְּתִינִים | the temple servants | Noun plural | From root נ־ת־ן (“to give”); literally “the given ones” | Temple assistants |
| וְכָל־ | and all | Quantifier | Connects additional participants | Expands the list |
| הַנִּבְדָּל | the one separated | Participle | Root ב־ד־ל (“to separate”) Nifal participle masculine singular |
Describes those who separated themselves |
| מֵעַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת | from the peoples of the lands | Prepositional phrase | מִן = from עַמֵּי = peoples (construct) הָאֲרָצוֹת = the lands |
Explains separation |
| אֶל־תּוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים | to the law of God | Prepositional phrase | אֶל = toward תּוֹרַת construct form of “law” |
Destination of commitment |
| נְשֵׁיהֶם | their wives | Noun + suffix | Plural with suffix “their” | Family members included |
| בְּנֵיהֶם | their sons | Noun + suffix | Plural with possessive ending | Family members included |
| וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם | and their daughters | Noun + suffix | Prefix וּ = “and” | Completes family list |
| כֹּל | everyone | Quantifier | Summarizes the entire group | Introduces final description |
| יוֹדֵעַ | knowing | Participle | Root י־ד־ע (“to know”) Qal participle masculine singular |
Describes understanding ability |
| מֵבִין | understanding | Participle | Root ב־י־ן (“to understand”) Hiphil participle |
Completes the description |
Important Grammar Patterns
- Participles as Descriptions: Words like הַנִּבְדָּל, יוֹדֵעַ, and מֵבִין function like adjectives describing people.
- Construct Chains: עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת literally means “peoples of the lands.” The first noun connects to the second.
- Collective Summary: Hebrew often ends a list with a summarizing phrase like כֹּל יוֹדֵעַ מֵבִין (“everyone who knows and understands”).
Tips for Beginners
- Look for repeating prefixes: Many nouns begin with הַ, the definite article “the.”
- Participles describe people: They often function like adjectives or titles.
- Lists are common in Hebrew: Long noun chains often identify groups before the main point appears.
- Watch the ending phrase: The final clause often explains the whole list.
Seeing the Sentence Come Together
This verse gathers an entire covenant community—leaders, workers, families, and ordinary people. The Hebrew structure builds patiently through a list of groups and ends with a defining characteristic:
“everyone who knows and understands.”
The grammar quietly teaches an important idea: belonging to the covenant community was not only about ancestry or position, but also about understanding the Torah of God.
As you read Hebrew like this, you begin to see how lists, participles, and construct phrases work together to describe a living community devoted to learning and obedience.
