Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah Chapter 8

1The religious manner in which the law was read by Ezra and expounded to the people. 9Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites, comfort them. 13They are instructed out of the law concerning the feast of tabernacles, 16which is kept in a solemn manner.
1 And all 1the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before 2the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the 3scribe to bring 4the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest 1brought the law before the congregation both of 2men and women, and all athat could hear with understanding, upon the 3first day of the seventh month.
3 And he 1read therein before the street that was before the water gate afrom the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the 2ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a apulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and 1beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra 1opened the book in the asight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people 2stood up:
6 And Ezra 1blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, 2Amen, Amen, with 3lifting up their hands: and they 4bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, 1caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God 1distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 ¶ And Nehemiah, which is athe Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites 1that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is 2holy unto the Lord your God; 3mourn not, nor weep. For all the people 4wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and 1send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for 2the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, 1Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither 2be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had 1understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 ¶ And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even ato understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded aby Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in 1booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 And that they should 1publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch 2olive branches, and pine branches, 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, every one 1upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in 2the courts of the house of God, and in the 3street of the water gate, and in the street of the 4gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat 1under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done 2so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he 1read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was aa solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Nehemiah 8