Nehemiah 8

¹ All the people gathered as one in the square in front of the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel.

² On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly: men and women and all who were able to understand what they heard.

³ He read from it in the square in front of the Water Gate from daybreak until noon, before the men, the women, and those who could understand; and all the people listened closely to the book of the Law.

⁴ Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for this purpose. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

⁶ Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” as they raised their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

⁷ 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.

⁸ They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, explaining its meaning; and so the people understood what was read.

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

¹⁰ He told them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to anyone who has nothing prepared, because this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

¹¹ The Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for this day is holy. Do not be sad.”

¹² Then all the people went 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.

¹³ On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law more deeply.

¹⁴ They found written in the Law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.

¹⁵ They were also to proclaim and make this announcement throughout all their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle, palm trees, and leafy trees to make shelters, as it is written.”

¹⁶ The people went out, brought branches, and made shelters for themselves: each one on the roof of his house, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the square at the Water Gate, and in the square at the Ephraim Gate.

¹⁷ The whole assembly of those who had returned from captivity made shelters and lived in them. From the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not done so; and there was very great joy.

¹⁸ The Book of the Law of God was read day after day, from the first day to the last. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, as prescribed.

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