Nehemiah 8

1

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,

all the people assembled as one man in the squae before the Water Gate.

They told Ezra the scirbe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,

which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

2

So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought

the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women

and all who were able to understand.

3

He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before

the Water Gate in the presence of men, women and others who could

understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4

Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platfom built for the occasion.

Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah

and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum,

Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

5

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing

above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.

6

Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands

and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped

the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7

The Levites - Jeshua, Bani, Shrebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah,

Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah - instructed the people

in the Law while the people were standing there.

8

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the

meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. 

9

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites

who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the

LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been

weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some

to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our LORD. Do not

grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

11

The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred

day. Do not grieve."

12

Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food

and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words

that had been made known to them.

13

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with

the priests and the Levites, gathered arounf Ezra the scribe to give attetion

to the words of the Law.

14

They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses,

that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month

15

and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns

and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from

olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make

booths" - as it is written.

16

So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves

booths on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house

of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate

of Ephraim.

17

The whole company tht had returned from exile built booths and lived in them.

From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not

celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.

18

Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from

the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days,

and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.