Nehemiah 8

1All the people gathered together as one to the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. 2So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, men and women and all who could understand what they heard. It was the first day of the seventh month. 3He read from it, facing the square in front of the Water Gate, from early morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened closely to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, since he stood above them all. And as he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people understand the law, while the people stayed where they stood. 8They read from the book, from the law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood what was read.

9Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn and do not weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10And he said to them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your stronghold.” 11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.” 12So all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions, and to celebrate with great joy, because they had understood the words that had been made known to them.

13On the second day the heads of the families of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law more closely. 14And they found written in the law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites were to live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15and that they should announce it and spread the word in all their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.”

16So the people went out and brought the branches and made booths for themselves, each on their own roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square by the Gate of Ephraim. 17The whole assembly of those who had come back from captivity made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day the Israelites had not done this. And there was very great joy. 18Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, as the law required.