8
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
This Day Is Holy
9 And Nehemiah, who was
1the governor, and Ezra
2the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,
3"This day is holy to the LORD your God;
4do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
10
Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and
5send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
11
So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved."
12
And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because
6they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Feast of Booths Celebrated
13 On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law.
14
And they found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded by Moses
7that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,
15
and that they should proclaim it and
8publish it in all their towns and
9in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring
10branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."
16
So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each
11on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at
12the Water Gate and in the square at
13the Gate of Ephraim.
17
And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day
14the people of Israel had not done so. And there was
15very great rejoicing.
18
And day by day, from the first day to the last day,
16he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and
17on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.