< Nehemiah 8 >
1 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.
And they gathered all the people like a person one to the open space which [was] before [the] gate of the water and they said to Ezra the scribe to bring [the] scroll of [the] law of Moses which he had commanded Yahweh Israel.
2 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.
And he brought Ezra the priest the law before the assembly from man and unto woman and every [one who] understood to listen on day one of the month seventh.
3 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.
And he read aloud in it before the open space which - [was] before [the] gate of the water from the light until [the] middle of the day before the men and the women and the [ones who] understood and [the] ears of all the people [were] to [the] scroll of the law.
4 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.
And he stood Ezra the scribe on a high platform of wood which people had made for the matter and he stood beside him Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on right [hand] his and from left his Pedaiah and Mishael and Malkijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah Zechariah Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book while they were all watching because the whole crowd could see him. When he opened it they all stood up.
And he opened Ezra the scroll to [the] eyes of all the people for above all the people he was and just as opened [it] he they stood up all the people.
6 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.
And he blessed Ezra Yahweh God great and they answered all the people amen - amen in [the] raising of hands their and they bowed low and they bowed down to Yahweh face [the] ground towards.
7 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.
And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah - Jamin Akkub Shabbethai - Hodiah Maaseiah Kelita Azariah Jozabad Hanan Pelaiah and the Levites [were] causing to understand the people the law and the people [were] at place their.
8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making clear the meaning so that the people could understand what it said.
And they read aloud in the scroll in [the] law of God making clear and they gave [the] sense and they understood the reading.
9 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.
And he said Nehemiah he [was] the governor and Ezra the priest - the scribe and the Levites who were causing to understand the people to all the people this day [is] holy it to Yahweh God your may not you mourn and may not you weep for [were] weeping all the people when heard they [the] words of the law.
10 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.”
And he said to them go eat fat foods and drink sweet things and send portions to [any whom] nothing [is] prepared for him for [is] holy this day to lord our and may not you be grieved for [the] joy of Yahweh it [is] refuge your.
11 The Levites too were quieting everyone down, telling them, “Don't cry! This is a holy day and you shouldn't be sad.”
And the Levites [were] making quiet all the people saying hush! for this day [is] holy and may not you be grieved.
12 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.
And they went all the people to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make joy great for they had understood the words which they had made known to them.
13 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.
And on the day second they gathered [the] leaders of the fathers of all the people the priests and the Levites to Ezra the scribe and to gain insight into [the] words of the law.
14 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.
And they found written in the law which he had commanded Yahweh by [the] hand of Moses that they will dwell [the] people of Israel in booths at the festival in the month seventh.
15 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.”
And that they will make proclamation and they may cause to pass a proclamation in all cities their and in Jerusalem saying go out the hill country and bring leaves of olive and leaves of tree[s] of oil and leaves of myrtle and leaves of palm trees and leaves of tree[s] leafy to make booths according to [what] is written.
16 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.
And they went out the people and they brought [leaves] and they made for themselves booths each one on own roof his and in courtyards their and in [the] courtyards of [the] house of God and in [the] open space of [the] gate of the water and in [the] open space of [the] gate of Ephraim.
17 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.
And they made all the assembly which had returned from the captivity - booths and they dwelt in the booths for not they had done since [the] days of Jeshua [the] son of Nun thus [the] people of Israel until the day that and it was joy great very.
18 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.
And he read aloud in [the] scroll of [the] law of God a day - in a day from the day first until the day last and they celebrated a festival seven days and on the day eighth an assembly according to the ordinance.