Nehemiah 8:11

11 And the deacons made silence in all the people, and said, Be ye still, for this is an holy day, and make ye no sorrow. (And the Levites silenced all the people, and said, Be ye quiet, for this day is holy, and so do not ye be sad.)

Nehemiah 8:11 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 8:11

So the Levites stilled all the people
Made them quiet and easy, being backed by the governor:

saying, hold your peace;
refrain from weeping and mourning:

for the day is holy;
a festival, set apart for joy and gladness:

neither be ye grieved;
inwardly; as they were not to show any signs of sorrow outwardly, so they were not to cherish grief inwardly.

Nehemiah 8:11 In-Context

9 Forsooth Nehemiah said, he is (the) Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and writer, and the deacons, expounding to all the people, This is a day hallowed to the Lord our God; do not ye mourn, and do not ye weep. For all the people wept, when it heard the words of the law. (And Nehemiah, he was the governor, and Ezra, the priest and writer/the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites, expounding the Law to all the people, said to them, This day is holy to the Lord our God; do not ye mourn, and do not ye weep. For all the people had wept, when they had heard the words of the Law.)

10 And he said to them, Go ye, and eat ye fat things, and drink ye wine made sweet with honey, and send ye parts to them, that made not ready to themselves, for it is an holy day of the Lord; do not ye be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (And he said to them, Now go ye, and eat ye rich food, and drink ye mead, and send ye portions to those who cannot provide for themselves, for this day is holy to the Lord; do not ye be sorrowful, or sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.)

11 And the deacons made silence in all the people, and said, Be ye still, for this is an holy day, and make ye no sorrow. (And the Levites silenced all the people, and said, Be ye quiet, for this day is holy, and so do not ye be sad.)

12 Therefore all the people went for to eat, and (to) drink, and to send parts (and to send portions to the needy), and to make great gladness; for they understood the words, which he had taught them.

13 And in the second day, the princes of families, and all the peoples, priests, and deacons, were gathered to Ezra, the writer, that he should expound to them the words of the law. (And on the second day, the leaders of the families, and all the people, and the priests, and the Levites, were gathered before Ezra, the writer/the teacher of the Law, so that he could expound to them the words of the Law.)