1 all the people gathered togetherat the square in front of the Water Gate.They asked Ezra the scribeto bring the book of the law of Mosesthat theLordhad given Israel.
2 On the first day of the seventh month,Ezra the priestbrought the lawbefore the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding.
3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate,he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentivelyto the book of the law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platformmade for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 Ezra praised theLord, the great God, and with their hands upliftedall the people said, “Amen, Amen! ”Then they bowed down and worshiped theLordwith their faces to the ground.
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah,who were Levites,explained the lawto the people as they stood in their places.
8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
9 Nehemiah the governor,Ezra the priest and scribe,and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This dayis holy to theLordyour God. Do not mourn or weep.”For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared,since todayis holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of theLordis your stronghold.”
11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still,since todayis holy. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration,because they had understood the words that were explained to them.
Festival of Booths Observed
13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites,assembled before Ezra the scribeto study the words of the law.
14 They found written in the law how theLordhad commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month.
15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written.”
16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops,and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate,and the square by the Gate of Ephraim.
17 The whole community that had returned from exilemade booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day.And there was tremendous joy.
18 Ezraread out of the book of the law of Godevery day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NEH/8-5c11c3692409a169e65f4dd40973a010.mp3?version_id=72—