Neh 8
1
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that
was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of
the law of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel.
2
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all
that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3
And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early
morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that
could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] to the book of the
law.
4
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose;
and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and
Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah,
and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam.
5
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the
people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6
and Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with
the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped YHWH with
their faces to the ground.
7
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah,
Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand
the law: and the people [stood] in their place.
8
And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense,
so that they understood the reading.
9
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites
that taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to YHWH your God;
mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10
Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions
to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord: neither be
you grieved; for the joy of YHWH is your strength.
11
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy;
neither be you grieved.
12
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and
to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
13
And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers` [houses] of all
the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention
to the words of the law.
14
And they found written in the law, how that YHWH had commanded by Moses, that the
children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;
15
and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying,
Go forth to the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle
branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is
written.
16
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one
upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of
God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate
of Ephraim.
17
And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths,
and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day had
not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18
Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law
of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly,
according to the ordinance.