Nehemiah 8
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.
Pada bulan tujuh orang Israel telah menetap di kotanya masing-masing. Pada tanggal satu bulan itu mereka semua berkumpul di Yerusalem, di halaman di depan Pintu Gerbang Air. Mereka meminta supaya Buku Hukum diambil oleh Imam Ezra, seorang ahli dalam Hukum yang diberikan TUHAN kepada Israel melalui Musa.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
Lalu Ezra membawa buku itu ke hadapan sidang yang terdiri dari laki-laki, wanita dan anak-anak yang cukup dewasa untuk mengerti.
3 And he read in it before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
Kemudian, dari pagi sampai siang, Ezra membacakan Hukum itu kepada mereka. Mereka semua mendengarkan dengan penuh perhatian.
4 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.
Ezra berdiri di atas mimbar kayu yang telah dibuat untuk keperluan pertemuan itu. Di sebelah kanannya berdiri orang-orang ini: Matica, Sema, Anaya, Uria, Hilkia dan Maaseya; sedang di sebelah kirinya berdiri: Pedaya, Misael, Malkia, Hasum, Hasbadana, Zakharia dan Mesulam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
Panggung tempat Ezra berdiri itu lebih tinggi dari orang-orang itu, sehingga mereka semua dapat melihatnya. Segera ia membuka buku itu, mereka semua berdiri.
6 And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Truly, Truly, with the lifting up of their hands. And they bowed their heads, and worshiped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
Ezra berkata, "Pujilah TUHAN, Allah yang besar!" Seluruh rakyat mengangkat tangan tinggi-tinggi dan menjawab, "Amin, amin!" Lalu mereka sujud menyembah Allah.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law. And the people stood in their place.
Setelah itu mereka bangkit dan berdiri di tempat masing-masing, sementara sejumlah orang Lewi menerangkan Hukum itu kepada mereka. Orang-orang Lewi itu ialah: Yesua, Bani, Serebya, Yamin, Akub, Sabetai, Hodia, Maaseya, Kelita, Azarya, Yozabad, Hanan dan Pelaya.
8 And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly, and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
Mereka menterjemahkan Hukum Allah itu bagian demi bagian serta menjelaskannya sehingga rakyat dapat mengerti bacaan itu.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Mendengar pembacaan Hukum itu, rakyat menjadi sangat terharu, lalu menangis. Maka gubernur Nehemia dan Imam Ezra ahli Hukum itu, serta orang-orang Lewi yang menerangkan Hukum itu, mengatakan kepada seluruh rakyat demikian, "Hari ini hari yang khusus bagi TUHAN Allahmu, jadi jangan bersedih atau menangis.
10 Then he said to them, Go your way, eat fat things, and drink sweet things, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord; neither be ye grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
Sekarang pulanglah; makanlah dan minumlah dengan gembira. Berilah sebagian dari makanan dan anggurmu kepada mereka yang berkekurangan. Hari ini hari yang khusus bagi Tuhan kita, jadi jangan bersusah. Kegembiraan yang diberikan TUHAN kepada kalian akan menguatkan kalian."
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, Be silent, for the day is holy, neither be ye grieved.
Juga orang-orang Lewi menenangkan rakyat dan berkata berulang-ulang, "Jangan bersedih pada hari yang khusus ini."
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Maka pulanglah seluruh rakyat untuk makan dan minum serta membagi-bagikan makanan kepada orang-orang lain. Mereka bergembira karena telah mengerti arti bacaan yang mereka dengar itu.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law.
Besoknya berkumpullah semua kepala kaum, para imam dan orang-orang Lewi, lalu pergi kepada Ezra untuk mempelajari ajaran-ajaran Hukum TUHAN.
14 And they found written in the law how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month,
Mereka mendapati bahwa di dalam Hukum yang diberikan TUHAN melalui Musa, TUHAN menyuruh umat Israel tinggal di dalam pondok-pondok darurat selama pesta Pondok Daun.
15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
Sebab itu di seluruh Yerusalem di kota-kota dan di desa-desa, mereka mengumumkan perintah ini, "Pergilah ke pegunungan dan ambillah dahan-dahan pohon cemara, zaitun, pohon minyak, palma dan pohon-pohon lain untuk membuat pondok sesuai dengan peraturan di dalam Buku Hukum."
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, each one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
Lalu pergilah rakyat mengambil dahan-dahan itu. Mereka semua membuat pondok-pondok pada atap-atap datar di atas rumah mereka, di halaman rumahnya, di halaman depan Rumah TUHAN, di lapangan dekat Pintu Gerbang Air dan di lapangan dekat Pintu Gerbang Efraim.
17 And all the assembly of those who came again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
Seluruh rakyat yang telah pulang dari pembuangan itu membuat pondok-pondok itu, lalu tinggal di situ. Inilah pertama kali hal itu dilakukan sejak zaman Yosua anak Nun, maka semuanya senang dan bahagia.
18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
Tujuh hari lamanya mereka berpesta. Tiap-tiap hari bagian-bagian buku Hukum Allah dibacakan oleh Ezra. Pada hari yang kedelapan diadakan upacara penutupan, sesuai dengan peraturan Hukum.
