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.

NEHEMIAH 8:6KJV
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Nehemiah 8:6 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 8:6 mean?

Nehemiah 8:6 shows a whole gathering joining Ezra in honoring God before hearing the law read. Ezra speaks first, and the people answer together with words and bodily gestures that express agreement and deep respect.

After Ezra opens the book in verse 5, he addresses the LORD as “the great God.” The people lift their hands as they answer, then bow with their faces to the ground. Their response involves both a public voice and a visible posture.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 8:6

  • “blessed” — בָּרַךְ (barakh): The word can mean to bless or praise. Here Ezra directs that blessing toward God, rather than asking God to bless the people.
  • “Amen” — אָמֵן (amen): The word expresses affirmation, with a sense such as “surely” or “so be it.” The people say it twice in response to Ezra’s words.
  • “worshipped” — שָׁחָה (shachah): The word carries the sense of bowing low or prostrating oneself. It helps explain why worship here is described together with faces toward the ground.

Why Nehemiah 8:6 matters

  • The gathering is not merely listening to Ezra. “All the people answered” shows that they take part in the moment before the reading begins.
  • The verse connects their response to the book Ezra has opened. In verse 5 the people stand when he opens it; in verse 6 they answer his blessing and bow before the LORD.
  • The reading that follows is meant to be understood, not just heard. Verse 8 says the readers give the sense so that the people understand what is read.

Where else these words appear

“bowed” Hebrew H6915 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
  • 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.
  • 1 Kings 1:16 And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

“Ezra” Hebrew H5830 · used in 22 verses

  • Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
  • Ezra 10:6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
  • Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

“Amen” Hebrew H543 · used in 24 verses

  • Numbers 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
  • Deuteronomy 27:21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, 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.