And all the people
gathered
as one
man
at the square
which
was in front
of athe Water
Gate
, and they 1asked
bEzra
the scribe
to bring
cthe book
of the law
of Moses
which
the LORD
had 2given
to Israel
.
Then aEzra the priest
brought
the law
before
the assembly
of men
, women
and all
who could listen
with understanding
, on bthe first
day
of the seventh
month
.
He read from it before
the square
which
was in front
of athe Water
Gate
from 1early
morning
until
midday
, in the presence
of men
and women
, those who could understand
; and all
the people
were attentive
to the book
of the law
.
Ezra the scribe
stood
at a wooden
podium
which
they had made
for the purpose
. And beside
him stood
Mattithiah
, Shema
, Anaiah
, Uriah
, Hilkiah
, and Maaseiah
on his right
hand
; and Pedaiah
, Mishael
, Malchijah
, Hashum
, Hashbaddanah
, Zechariah
and Meshullam
on his left
hand
.
Ezra opened
athe book
in the sight
of all
the people
for he was standing above
all
the people
; and when he opened
it, all
the people
bstood
up.
Then Ezra blessed
the LORD
the great
God
. And all
the people
answered
, " aAmen
, Amen
!" while lifting
up their hands
; then bthey bowed
low
and worshiped
the LORD
with their faces
to the ground
.
Also Jeshua, Bani
, Sherebiah
, Jamin
, Akkub
, Shabbethai
, Hodiah
, Maaseiah
, Kelita
, Azariah
, Jozabad
, Hanan
, Pelaiah
, the Levites
, explained
the law
to the people
while the people
remained in their place
.
They read from the book
, from the law
of God
, 1translating
to give
the sense
so that they understood
the reading
.
Then Nehemiah, who
was the 1 agovernor
, and Ezra
bthe priest
and scribe
, and the Levites
who taught
the people
said
to all
the people
, " cThis
day
is holy
to the LORD
your God
; ddo not mourn
or weep
." For all
the people
were weeping
when they heard
the words
of the law
.
Then he said to them, "Go
, eat
of the fat
, drink
of the sweet
, and asend
portions
to him who has nothing
prepared
; for this day
is holy
to our Lord
. Do not be grieved
, for the joy
of the LORD
is your strength
."
So the Levites calmed
all
the people
, saying
, "Be still
, for the day
is holy
; do not be grieved
."
All the people
went
away to eat
, to drink
, ato send
portions
and to 1celebrate
a great
festival
, bbecause
they understood
the words
which
had been made
known
to them.
Then on the second day
the heads
of fathers'
households of all
the people
, the priests
and the Levites
were gathered
to Ezra
the scribe
that they might gain
insight
into the words
of the law
.
They found written
in the law
how
the LORD
had commanded
through
Moses
that the sons
of Israel
ashould live
in booths
during the feast
of the seventh
month
.
1 aSo they proclaimed and circulated
a proclamation
in all
their cities
and bin Jerusalem
, saying
, " cGo
out to the hills
, and bring
olive
branches
and 2wild
olive
branches
, myrtle
branches
, palm
branches
and branches
of other leafy
trees
, to make
booths
, as it is written
."
So the people went
out and brought
them and made
booths
for themselves, each
aon his roof
, and in their courts
and in the courts
of the house
of God
, and in the square
at bthe Water
Gate
and in the square
at cthe Gate
of Ephraim
.
The entire assembly
of those who had returned
from the captivity
made
booths
and lived
in 1them. The sons
of Israel
ahad indeed
not done
so
from the days
of Joshua
the son
of Nun
to that day
. And bthere was great
rejoicing
.
aHe read from the book
of the law
of God
daily
, from the first
day
to the last
day
. And they bcelebrated
the feast
seven
days
, and on cthe eighth
day
there was a solemn
assembly
according to the ordinance
.