1
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting and with sackcloth and earth upon them.
2
And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
3
And they stood up in their place and read in the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for onefourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.
4
Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.
5
Then the Levites, Jeshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said: "Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever! And blessed be Thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
6
Thou, even Thou, art LORD alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein; and Thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshipeth Thee.
7
Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
8
and foundest his heart faithful before Thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites and the Girgashites--to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed Thy words, for Thou art righteous"
9
and didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea;