Nehemiah 8

1And all the peopleH5971 gatheredH622 themselves together as oneH259 manH376 into the broad place that was before the waterH4325 gateH8179; and they spake unto EzraH5830 the scribeH5608 to bringH935 the bookH5612 of the lawH8451 of MosesH4872, which Jehovah had commandedH6680 to IsraelH3478. 2And EzraH5830 the priestH3548 broughtH935 the lawH8451 before the assemblyH6951, both menH376 and womenH802, and all that could hearH8085 with understandingH995, upon the first dayH3117 of the seventhH7637 monthH2320. 3And he readH7121 therein before the broad place that was before the waterH4325 gateH8179 from early morning until midday, in the presenceH6440 of the menH376 and the womenH802, and of those that could understandH995; and the earsH241 of all the peopleH5971 were attentive unto the bookH5612 of the lawH8451. 4And EzraH5830 the scribeH5608 stoodH5975 upon a pulpit of woodH6086, which they had madeH6213 for the purpose; and beside him stoodH5975 MattithiahH4993, and ShemaH8087, and AnaiahH6043, and UriahH223, and HilkiahH2518, and MaaseiahH4641, on his rightH3225 handH3225; and on his left handH3225, PedaiahH6305, and MishaelH4332, and Malchijah, and HashumH2828, and Hashbaddanah, ZechariahH2148, and MeshullamH4918. 5And EzraH5830 openedH6605 the bookH5612 in the sight of all the peopleH5971 (for he wasH1961 above all the peopleH5971); and when he openedH6605 it, all the peopleH5971 stoodH5975 up. 6And EzraH5830 blessedH1288 Jehovah, the greatH1419 GodH430; and all the peopleH5971 answeredH6030, AmenH543, AmenH543, with the lifting up of their handsH3027: and they bowedH7812 their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their facesH639 to the groundH776. 7Also JeshuaH3442, and BaniH1137, and SherebiahH8274, JaminH3226, AkkubH6126, ShabbethaiH7678, HodiahH1941, MaaseiahH4641, KelitaH7042, AzariahH5838, JozabadH3107, HananH2605, PelaiahH6411, and the LevitesH3881, caused the peopleH5971 to understandH995 the lawH8451: and the peopleH5971 stood in their placeH5977. 8And they readH7121 in the bookH5612, in the lawH8451 of GodH430, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understoodH995 the readingH7121.

9And NehemiahH5166, who was the governorH8660, and EzraH5830 the priestH3548 the scribeH5608, and the LevitesH3881 that taught the peopleH5971, saidH559 unto all the peopleH5971, This dayH3117 is holyH6918 unto Jehovah your GodH430; mournH56 not, nor weepH1058. For all the peopleH5971 weptH1058, when they heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of the lawH8451. 10Then he saidH559 unto them, GoH7971 your way, eatH398 the fat, and drinkH8354 the sweet, and sendH7971 portionsH4490 unto him for whom nothingH369 is preparedH3559; for this dayH3117 is holyH6918 unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joyH2304 of Jehovah is your strength. 11So the LevitesH3881 stilled all the peopleH5971, sayingH559, Hold your peace, for the dayH3117 is holyH6918; neither be ye grieved. 12And all the peopleH5971 went their way to eatH398, and to drinkH8354, and to sendH7971 portionsH4490, and to makeH6213 greatH1419 mirth, because they had understoodH995 the wordsH1697 that were declared unto them.

13And on the secondH8145 dayH3117 were gatheredH622 together the headsH7218 of fathers’H1housesof all the peopleH5971, the priestsH3548, and the LevitesH3881, unto EzraH5830 the scribeH5608, even to give attention to the wordsH1697 of the lawH8451. 14And they foundH4672 writtenH3789 in the lawH8451, how that Jehovah had commandedH6680 by MosesH4872, that the children of IsraelH3478 should dwellH3427 in boothsH5521 in the feastH2282 of the seventhH7637 monthH2320; 15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their citiesH5892, and in JerusalemH3389, sayingH559, GoH3318 forthH3318 unto the mount, and fetch oliveH2132 branches, and branches of wild oliveH2132, and myrtleH1918 branches, and palmH8558 branches, and branches of thick treesH6086, to makeH6213 boothsH5521, as it is writtenH3789. 16So the peopleH5971 wentH3318 forthH3318, and broughtH935 them, and madeH6213 themselves boothsH5521, every oneH376 upon the roofH1406 of his houseH1004, and in their courts, and in the courts of the houseH1004 of GodH430, and in the broad place of the waterH4325 gateH8179, and in the broad place of the gateH8179 of EphraimH669. 17And all the assemblyH6951 of them that wereH1961 come again out of the captivityH7628 madeH6213 boothsH5521, and dweltH3427 in the boothsH5521: for since the daysH3117 of JeshuaH3442 the sonH1121 of NunH5126 unto that dayH3117 had not the children of IsraelH3478 done soH3651. And there wasH1961 veryH3966 greatH1419 gladnessH8057. 18Also dayH3117 by dayH3117, from the firstH7223 dayH3117 unto the lastH314 dayH3117, he readH7121 in the bookH5612 of the lawH8451 of GodH430. And they kept the feastH2282 sevenH7651 daysH3117; and on the eighthH8066 dayH3117 was a solemnH6116 assemblyH6116, according unto the ordinanceH4941.