< Nehemiah 8 >

1 All the people gathered as one man in the open area in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.
And the seventh month arrived, and the children of Israel [were settled] in their cities; and all the people were gathered as one man to the broad place before the water-gate, and they told Esdras the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord commanded Israel.
2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear and understand.
So Esdras the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and every one who had understanding [was present] to listen, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 He faced the open area in front of the Water Gate, and he read from it from early morning until midday, before men and women, and any who could understand, and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
And he read in it from the time of sunrise to the middle of the day, before the men and the women; and they understood [it], and the ears of all the people [were attentive] to the book of the law.
4 Then Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform which the people had made for the purpose. Standing beside him were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right side; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam were standing on his left side.
And Esdras the scribe stood on a wooden stage, and there stood next to him Mattathias, and Samaeas, and Ananias, and Urias, and Chelcia, and Massia, on his right hand; and on his left Phadaeas, and Misael, and Melchias, and Asom, and Asabadma, and Zacharias, and Mesollam.
5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above the people, and when he opened it all the people stood up.
And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he was above the people; and it came to pass when he had opened it, [that] all the people stood.
6 Ezra gave thanks to Yahweh, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed their heads and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God: and all the people answered, and said, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their face to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah—the Levites—helped the people understand the law, while the people remained in their place.
And Jesus and Banaias and Sarabias instructed the people in the law, and the people [stood] in their place.
8 They read in the book, The Law of God, making it clear with interpretation and giving the meaning so the people understood the reading.
And they read in the book of the law of God, and Esdras taught, and instructed them distinctly in the knowledge of the Lord, and the people understood [the law] in the reading.
9 Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
And Neemias, and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites, and they that instructed the people, spoke and said to all the people, It is a holy day to the Lord our God; do not mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then Nehemiah said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and have something sweet to drink, and send some of it to one who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”
And [the governor] said to them, Go, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them that have nothing; for the day is holy to our Lord: and faint not, for the Lord is our strength.
11 So the Levites made the people be quiet, saying, “Hush! for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.”
And the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for [it is] a holy day, and despond not.
12 Then all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to share food and to celebrate with great joy because they had understood the words that were made known to them.
So all the people departed to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, for they understood the words which he made known to them.
13 On the second day the leaders of the ancestors' families from all the people, the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe to gain insight from the words of the law.
And on the second day the heads of families assembled with all the people, [also] the priests and Levites, to Esdras the scribe, to attend to all the words of the law.
14 They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded through Moses that the people of Israel should live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.
And they found written in the law which the Lord commanded Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths, in the feast in the seventh month:
15 They should make a proclamation in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out into the hill country, and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtle, palms and shade trees, to make shelters, as it is written.”
and that they should sound with trumpets in all their cities, and in Jerusalem. And Esdras said, Go forth to the mountain, and bring branches of olive, and branches of cypress trees, and branches of myrtle, and branches of palm trees, and branches of [every] thick tree, to make booths, according to that which was written.
16 So the people went out and brought the branches back and made themselves shelters, each on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, in the open area in front of the Water Gate, and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.
And the people went forth, and brought [them], and made booths for themselves, each one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the streets of the city, and as far as the gate of Ephraim.
17 All the assembly of those who had returned from captivity made shelters and lived in them. For since the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day, the people of Israel had not celebrated this festival, and so their joy was very great.
And all the congregation who had returned from the captivity, made booths, and lived in booths: for the children of Israel [had] not done so from the days of Jesus the son of Naue until that day: and there was great joy.
18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, in obedience to the decree.
And [Esdras] read in the book of the law of God daily, from the first day even to the last day: and they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

< Nehemiah 8 >