< Nehemiah 8 >
1 And all the people assembled themselues together, in the streete that was before the watergate, and they spake vnto Ezra the Scribe, that hee would bring the booke of ye Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the Priest brought the Lawe before the Congregation both of men and women, and of all that coulde heare and vnderstand it, in the first day of the seuenth moneth,
3 And he read therein in the streete that was before the watergate (from the morning vntill the midday) before men and women, and them that vnderstoode it, and the eares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the Lawe.
4 And Ezra the Scribe stoode vpon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Ananiah, and Vriiah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hande, and on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the booke before all the people: for hee was aboue all the people: and when he opened it, all the people stoode vp.
6 And Ezra praysed the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting vp their handes: and they bowed themselues, and worshipped the Lord with their faces toward the grounde.
7 Also Ieshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Iamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the lawe, and the people stood in their place.
8 And they read in the booke of the Lawe of God distinctly, and gaue the sense, and caused them to vnderstand the reading.
9 Then Nehemiah (which is Tirshatha) and Ezra the Priest and scribe, and the Leuites that instructed the people, saide vnto all the people, This day is holie vnto ye Lord your God: mourne not, neither weepe: for all the people wept, whe they heard the words of the Lawe.
10 He saide also vnto the, Go, and eate of the fat, and drinke the sweete, and send part vnto them, for whome none is prepared: for this day is holie vnto our Lord: be ye not sorie therefore: for the ioy of the Lord is your strength.
11 And the Leuites made silence throughout all the people, saying, Holde your peace: for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.
12 Then all the people went to eate and to drinke, and to send away part, and to make great ioy, because they had vnderstand the wordes that they had taught them.
13 And on the second day the chiefe fathers of all the people, the Priests and the Leuites were gathered vnto Ezra the scribe, that he also might instruct them in the wordes of the Lawe.
14 And they found written in the Law, (that the Lord had commanded by Moses) that the children of Israel should dwel in boothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth,
15 And that they shoulde cause it to bee declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and in Ierusalem, saying, Go forth vnto the mount, and bring oliue branches, and pine branches, and branches of myrtus, and palme branches, and branches of thicke trees, to make boothes, as it is written.
16 So the people went foorth and brought them, and made them boothes, euerie one vpon the roofe of his house, and in their courtes, and in the courtes of the house of God, and in the streete by the watergate, and in the streete of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the Congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie made boothes, and sate vnder the boothes: for since the time of Ieshua the sonne of Nun vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great ioy.
18 And he read in the booke of the Lawe of God euery day, from the first day vnto the last day. and they kept the feast seuen dayes, and on the eight day a solemne assemblie, according vnto the maner.
