1And allthe peoplegatheredas onemanat the squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGate,and they askedEzrathe scribeto bringthe bookof the lawof Moseswhichthe LORDhad givento Israel.2Then Ezrathe priestbroughtthe lawbeforethe assemblyof men,womenand allwho [could] listenwith understanding,on the firstdayof the seventhmonth.3He readfrom it beforethe squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGatefrom earlymorninguntilmidday,in the presenceof menand women,those who could understand;and allthe peoplewere attentiveto the bookof the law.4Ezrathe scribestoodat a woodenpodiumwhichthey had madefor the purpose.And besidehim stoodMattithiah,Shema,Anaiah,Uriah,Hilkiah,and Maaseiahon his righthand;and Pedaiah,Mishael,Malchijah,Hashum,Hashbaddanah,Zechariah[and] Meshullamon his lefthand.5Ezraopenedthe bookin the sightof allthe peoplefor he was standing aboveallthe people;and when he openedit, allthe peoplestoodup.6Then Ezrablessedthe LORDthe greatGod.And allthe peopleanswered,"Amen,Amen!"while liftingup their hands;then they bowedlowand worshipedthe LORDwith [their] facesto the ground.7Also Jeshua,Bani,Sherebiah,Jamin,Akkub,Shabbethai,Hodiah,Maaseiah,Kelita,Azariah,Jozabad,Hanan,Pelaiah,the Levites,explainedthe lawto the peoplewhile the people[remained] in their place.8They readfrom the book,from the lawof God,translatingto givethe senseso that they understoodthe reading.
9Then Nehemiah,whowas the governor,and Ezrathe priest[and] scribe,and the Leviteswho taughtthe peoplesaidto allthe people,"Thisdayis holyto the LORDyour God;do not mournor weep."For allthe peoplewere weepingwhen they heardthe wordsof the law.10Then he saidto them, "Go,eatof the fat,drinkof the sweet,and sendportionsto him who has nothingprepared;for this dayis holyto our Lord.Do not be grieved,for the joyof the LORDis your strength."11So the Levitescalmedallthe people,saying,"Be still,for the dayis holy;do not be grieved."12Allthe peoplewentaway to eat,to drink,to sendportionsand to celebratea greatfestival,becausethey understoodthe wordswhichhad been madeknownto them.
13Then on the seconddaythe headsof fathers'[households] of allthe people,the priestsand the Leviteswere gatheredto Ezrathe scribethat they might gaininsightinto the wordsof the law.14They foundwrittenin the lawhowthe LORDhad commandedthroughMosesthat the sonsof Israelshould livein boothsduring the feastof the seventhmonth.15So they proclaimedand circulateda proclamationin alltheir citiesand in Jerusalem,saying,"Goout to the hills,and bringolivebranchesand wildolivebranches,myrtlebranches,palmbranchesand branchesof [other] leafytrees,to makebooths,as it is written."16So the peoplewentout and brought[them] and madeboothsfor themselves, eachon his roof,and in their courtsand in the courtsof the houseof God,and in the squareat the WaterGateand in the squareat the Gateof Ephraim.17The entireassemblyof those who had returnedfrom the captivitymadeboothsand livedin them. The sonsof Israelhad indeednot donesofrom the daysof Joshuathe sonof Nunto that day.And there was greatrejoicing.18He readfrom the bookof the lawof Goddaily,from the firstdayto the lastday.And they celebratedthe feastsevendays,and on the eighthday[there was] a solemnassemblyaccording to the ordinance.
