1 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of ANeh 3:26the Water Gate, and they 1Lit said toasked BEzra 7:6Ezra the scribe to bring C2 Chr 34:15the book of the law of Moses which the Loʀᴅ had 2Lit commandedgiven to Israel. 2 Then ADeut 31:9-11; Neh 8:9Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on BLev 23:24the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it before the square which was in front of ANeh 8:1the Water Gate from 1Lit the lightearly morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 Ezra opened ANeh 8:3the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people BJudg 3:20; 1 Kin 8:12-14stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Loʀᴅ the great God. And all the people answered, “ANeh 5:13Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then BEx 4:31they bowed low and worshiped the Loʀᴅ with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the law of God, 1Or explainingtranslating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

9 Then Nehemiah, who was the 1Heb Tirshatha, a Persian titleANeh 7:65, 70governor, and Ezra BNeh 12:26the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “CNeh 8:2This day is holy to the Loʀᴅ your God; DDeut 12:7, 12do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and ADeut 26:11-13send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Loʀᴅ is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, ANeh 8:10to send portions and to 1Lit make a great rejoicingcelebrate a great festival, BNeh 8:7, 8because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Loʀᴅ had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel ALev 23:34, 40, 42should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15 1Lit And that they will cause to be heardALev 23:4So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and BDeut 16:16in Jerusalem, saying, “CLev 23:40Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and 2Lit oil tree, species unknownwild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of 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 AJer 32:29on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at BNeh 8:1the Water Gate and in the square at C2 Kin 14:13; Neh 12:39the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in 1Lit the boothsthem. The sons of Israel A2 Chr 7:8; 8:13had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And B2 Chr 30:21there was great rejoicing. 18 ADeut 31:11He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they BLev 23:36celebrated the feast seven days, and on CNum 29:35the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.