Nehemiah 8
1 Ezra, who taught people the laws of Moses, [had a scroll on which] the laws of Moses were written. Those were the laws that Yahweh had commanded the Israeli people [to obey]. On October 8 of that year, all the people gathered together in the plaza/square that was close to the Water Gate. Men and women and [children] who [were old enough to] understand gathered together. Someone told Ezra to bring out that scroll.
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.
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 So he brought it out and read it to the people. He started reading it early in the morning and continued reading it until noontime. All the people listened carefully to the laws that were written on the scroll.
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 stood on top of a high wooden platform that had been built just for that event. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. At his left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, 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 stood on the platform above the people, where they could all see him. He opened the scroll; and as he did that, all the people stood up, [and they continued to stand, to show respect for God’s word].
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 Then Ezra praised Yahweh, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and said, “Amen! Amen!” Then they all bowed down with their foreheads touching the ground, and they worshiped Yahweh.
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, were all (Levites/men who worked in the temple). They explained the meaning of the laws of Moses to the people who were 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 also read from scrolls that contained the laws that God [gave to Moses], and they interpreted [into the Aramaic language] what they read, making the meaning clear so that the people could understand the meaning.
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 I, Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra, and the Levites who were interpreting what was being read to the people, said to them, “Yahweh your God considers that this day is very holy/sacred. So do not be sad or cry!” They said that because all the people were crying as they were listening to the laws of Moses.
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 Then I said to them, “Now go home and enjoy [some] good food and drink [some] sweet wine. And send some of it to people who do not have anything [to eat or drink]. This is a day that Yahweh considers sacred. Do not be sad! Yahweh will cause you to be joyful and make you strong.”
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 also caused the people to be quiet, saying “Be quiet [and do not cry], because this is a sacred day! Do not 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 So the people went away, and they ate and drank, and they sent portions of food [to those who did not have any]. They celebrated very joyfully, because they had heard and understood what had been read 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, the leaders of the families and the priests and [other] descendants of Levi met with Ezra to study carefully the laws that Yahweh had given to Moses.
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 While they were doing that, they realized that Yahweh had told Moses to command the Israeli people to live in shelters during that month, [to remember that their ancestors lived in shelters when they left Egypt].
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 also learned that they should proclaim in Jerusalem and in all the towns that the people should go to the hills and cut branches from olive trees [that they have planted] and from wild olive trees and from myrtle trees and palm trees and fig trees. They should make shelters from these branches, and live in those shelters during the festival, just as Moses wrote [that they should do].
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 the people went out [of the city] and cut branches and used them to build shelters. They built shelters on the [flat] roofs [of their houses], in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the temple, and in the plazas/squares close to 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 All of the Israeli people who had returned from Babylon built shelters and lived in them [for one week]. The Israeli people had not celebrated that festival like that since the time that Joshua lived. And they were very joyful.
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 Every day during that week Ezra read to the people from the scroll that contained the laws that God [gave Moses]. Then on the eighth day, just as one of the laws of God said that they should do, they gathered together to end the celebration.
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.
