Nehemiah 8
1 At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
and the people gathered together as one in the square beside the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had ordered Israel to follow.
2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly—men and women, and all those children who could listen and understand.
3 So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
He read from it in front of the square before the Water Gate from early morning till noon to everyone there, the men and the women and those who could understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden stage built for this event. On his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
Ezra opened the book while they were all watching because the whole crowd could see him. When he opened it they all stood up.
6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and everyone answered, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted up their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were the Levites present, explained the Law to the people as they remained standing there.
8 So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making clear the meaning so that the people could understand what it said.
9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people told them all, “This is a holy day to the Lord your God. Don't mourn or cry,” for everyone was crying as they heard the Law being read.
10 Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah went on, “Go and enjoy some good food and sweet drinks, and share some with those who don't have anything ready, because today is a special, holy day to our Lord. Don't be sad, for your strength comes from the Lord who makes you happy.”
11 And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”
The Levites too were quieting everyone down, telling them, “Don't cry! This is a holy day and you shouldn't be sad.”
12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
Then everyone went away to eat and drink, and to share their food. They celebrated happily because now they understood the Law as it had been explained to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.
The next day family leaders of all the people, as well as the priests and Levites, joined with Ezra the scribe to study the Law in more depth.
14 And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month.
They discovered written in the Law the Lord had ordered to be observed through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.
15 So they proclaimed this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
They were to make an announcement in all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go into the hills and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make shelters to live in, as the Law requires.”
16 And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim.
So they went out and brought back branches and made shelters for themselves on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, and in the squares near the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
17 The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
Everyone who came back from exile made shelters and stayed in them. They had not celebrated like this since the time of Joshua, son of Nun. Everyone was very happy.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.
Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they met together in assembly, as the Law required.
