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 worshiped 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.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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