Nehemiah 8

1And all the people gathered as one man at the square that was before the Water Gate, and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.

2Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.

3And he read from it before the square that was in front of the Water Gate, from daybreak 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.

4Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that 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.

5Ezra 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.

6And Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” while lifting up their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.

7And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the law to the people, while the people remained in their places.

8They read from the book, from the law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.

9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

10Then he said to them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to anyone for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your stronghold.”

11And the Levites were quieting all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

12And all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions, and to celebrate with great joy, because they had understood the words that had been made known to them.

13And on the second day, the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe to gain insight into the words of the law.

14And they found it written in the Law that Yahweh had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast, in the seventh month.

15and that they should proclaim and spread the message through all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring branches of olive, oil tree, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”

16So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courtyards, and in the courtyards of the house of God, and in the square of the Water Gate, and in the square of the Gate of Ephraim.

17And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for the sons of Israel had not done so from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great rejoicing.

18And he read from the Book of the Law of God day by day, from the first day to the last day. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.