1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man
into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake
unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses,
which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation
both of men and women, and all that could hear with
understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the
water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and
the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of
all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they
had made for the purpose; and beside 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 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 the LORD, the great God. And all the people
answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they
bowed 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, caused 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 distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the
scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all
the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn
not, nor weep. For all the people wept, 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 send portions unto them for whom nothing is
prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye
sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your
peace, for the day is holy; neither be 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
understood 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 to understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD 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 unto the mount, and fetch
olive 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 upon the roof of his house, and
in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in
the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of
Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of
the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since
the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the
children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read
in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven
days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according
unto the manner.
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