1
And all the people gathered themselves together as oneman into the street that was before the watergate; 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 priestbrought the lawbefore the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the firstday of the seventhmonth.
3
And he read therein before the street that was before the watergate 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 scribestood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stoodMattithiah, 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.
6
And Ezrablessed the LORD, the greatGod. And all the peopleanswered, 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.
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 peoplewept, 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 sendportions 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.
12
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to sendportions, and to makegreatmirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13
And on the secondday 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 foundwritten in the law which the LORD had commandedbyMoses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventhmonth:
15
And that they should publish and proclaim* in all their cities, and in Jerusalem,saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetcholivebranches, and pinebranches*, and myrtlebranches, and palmbranches, and branches of thicktrees, to makebooths, 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 watergate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivitymadebooths, 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 verygreatgladness.
18
Also day by day, from the firstday unto the lastday, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feastsevendays; and on the eighthday was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.