[1] 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 Yahweh had commanded to Israel.
[2] 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. [3] 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 who could understand; and the ears of all the
people were [attentive] to the book of the law. [4] Ezra the scribe stood
on 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] 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 Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, Amen, Amen,
with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and
worshipped Yahweh 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] They read in
the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that
they understood the reading. [9] Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra
the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all
the people, This day is holy to Yahweh your God; don`t mourn, 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 Yahweh 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] 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] 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] They found written in the law, how that Yahweh
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
mountain, and get 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, everyone on 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] All the assembly
of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in
the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the
children of Israel had not done so. 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. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a
solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
