Ne 8:1And all the people gathered as one man in the open area that was before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.
Ne 8:2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
Ne 8:3And he read in it before the open area that was before the Water Gate from first light until midday in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
Ne 8:4And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform that had been made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah at his right hand; and at his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Ne 8:5And 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.
Ne 8:6And Ezra blessed Jehovah the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
Ne 8:7Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law; and the people stood in their place.
Ne 8:8And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading.
Ne 8:9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Ne 8:10Then he said to them, Go your way; eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions to him for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
Ne 8:11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved.
Ne 8:12And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Ne 8:13And on the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe, that is, in order to gain insight into the words of the law.
Ne 8:14And they found it written in the law that Jehovah had commanded through Moses that the children of Israel dwell in booths during the feast in the seventh month,
Ne 8:15And that they publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, Go out to the mountain and bring olive branches and wild olive branches and myrtle branches and palm branches and branches of other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.
Ne 8:16So the people went out and brought them, and all made booths for themselves on their roofs and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the open area before the Water Gate and in the open area before the Gate of Ephraim.
Ne 8:17And all the assembly of those who returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so; and there was very great rejoicing.
Ne 8:18And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they held the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
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