Nehemiah 8

Ezra Reads the Law

(Deuteronomy 31:9–13)

1At that time allH3605 the peopleH5971 gatheredH622 togetherH376H259 inH413 the squareH7339 beforeH6440 the WaterH4325 GateH8179, and they askedH559 EzraH5830 the scribeH5608 to bring outH935 the BookH5612 of the LawH8451 of MosesH4872, whichH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680 forH853 IsraelH3478.

2On the firstH259 dayH3117 of the seventhH7637 monthH2320, EzraH5830 the priestH3548 broughtH935 the LawH8451 beforeH6440 the assemblyH6951 of menH376 andH5704 womenH802 and allH3605 who could listenH8085 and understandH995. 3So Ezra readH7121 it aloud fromH4480 daybreakH216 untilH5704 noonH4276H3117 as he facedH6440 the squareH7339 beforeH6440 the WaterH4325 GateH8179, in front ofH5048 the menH582 and womenH802 and those who could understandH995.

And allH3605 the peopleH5971 listened attentively toH241H413 the BookH5612 of the LawH8451.

4EzraH5830 the scribeH5608 stoodH5975 onH5921 a high woodenH6086 platformH4026 builtH6213 for this occasionH1697. At hisH5921 right sideH3225 stoodH5975 MattithiahH4993, ShemaH8087, AnaiahH6043, UriahH223, HilkiahH2518, and MaaseiahH4641, and at his leftH8040 were PedaiahH6305, MishaelH4332, MalchijahH4441, HashumH2828, Hash-baddanahH2806, ZechariahH2148, and MeshullamH4918.

5EzraH5830 openedH6605 the bookH5612 in full viewH5869 of allH3605 the peopleH5971, sinceH3588 he wasH1961 standing above themH5921 allH3605H5971, and as he opened itH6605, allH3605 the peopleH5971 stood upH5975. 6Then EzraH5830 blessedH1288 the LORDH3068, the greatH1419 GodH430, and with their handsH3027 upliftedH4607, allH3605 the peopleH5971 saidH6030, “AmenH543, AmenH543!” Then they bowed downH6915 and worshipedH7812 the LORDH3068 with their facesH639 to the groundH776.

7The LevitesH3881—JeshuaH3442, BaniH1137, SherebiahH8274, JaminH3226, AkkubH6126, ShabbethaiH7678, HodiahH1941, MaaseiahH4641, KelitaH7042, AzariahH5838, JozabadH3107, HananH2605, and PelaiahH6411—instructedH995 the peopleH5971 in the LawH8451 asH5971 they stood inH5921 their placesH5977. 8So they readH7121 from the BookH5612 of the LawH8451 of GodH430, explaining itH65671 and givingH7760 insightH7922, so that the people could understandH995 what was being readH4744.

9NehemiahH5166 the governorH8660, EzraH5830 the priestH3548 and scribeH5608, and the LevitesH3881 who were instructingH995 the peopleH5971 saidH559 to allH3605 of them, “ThisH1931 dayH3117 is holyH6918 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430. Do notH408 mournH56H408 or weepH1058.”

ForH3588 allH3605 the peopleH5971 were weepingH1058 as they heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of the LawH8451.

10Then Nehemiah toldH559 them, “GoH1980 and eatH398 what is richH4924, drinkH8354 what is sweetH4477, and send outH7971 portionsH4490 to those who have nothingH369 preparedH3559, sinceH3588 todayH3117 is holyH6918 to our LordH113. Do notH408 grieveH6087, forH3588 the joyH2304 of the LORDH3068 isH1931 your strengthH4581.”

11And the LevitesH3881 calmedH2814 allH3605 the peopleH5971, sayingH559, “Be stillH2013, sinceH3588 todayH3117 is holyH6918. Do notH408 grieveH6087.”

12

Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 began to eatH398 and drinkH8354, to send outH7971 portionsH4490, andH6213 to rejoiceH8057 greatlyH1419, becauseH3588 they understoodH995 the wordsH1697 thatH834 had been made knownH3045 to them.

The Feast of Tabernacles

(Leviticus 23:33–44; Zechariah 14:16–21)

13On the secondH8145 dayH3117 of the month, the headsH7218 of allH3605 the familiesH1H5971, along with the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881, gatheredH622 aroundH413 EzraH5830 the scribeH5608 to studyH7919H413 the wordsH1697 of the LawH8451. 14And they foundH4672 writtenH3789 in the LawH8451, whichH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680 throughH3027 MosesH4872, thatH834 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 were to dwellH3427 in boothsH55212 during the feastH2282 of the seventhH7637 monthH2320,

15and thatH834 they should proclaimH8085 this messageH6963 and spreadH5674 it throughoutH3605 their townsH5892 and in JerusalemH3389, sayingH559, “Go outH3318 to the hill countryH2022 and bring backH935 branchesH5929 of oliveH2132H5929, wild oliveH8081H5929,3 myrtleH1918H5929, palmH8558H5929, and other leafyH5687 treesH6086, to makeH6213 boothsH5521, as it is writtenH3789.”4

16And the peopleH5971 went outH3318, brought backH935 branches, and madeH6213 boothsH5521 onH5921 their ownH376 rooftopsH1406, in their courtyardsH2691, in the courtsH2691 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, and in the squaresH7339 by the WaterH4325 GateH8179 and by the GateH8179 of EphraimH669. 17The wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 that had returnedH7725 fromH4480 exileH7628 madeH6213 boothsH5521 and livedH3427 in themH5521H3588. From the daysH3117 of JoshuaH34425 sonH1121 of NunH5126 untilH5704 thatH1931 dayH3117, the IsraelitesH1121H3478 had notH3808 celebratedH6213 like thisH3651. And there wasH1961 greatH1419 rejoicingH8057.

18DayH3117 after dayH3117, fromH4480 the firstH7223 dayH3117 toH5704 the lastH314, Ezra readH7121 from the BookH5612 of the LawH8451 of GodH430. The Israelites keptH6213 the feastH2282 for sevenH7651 daysH3117, and on the eighthH8066 dayH3117 they held an assemblyH6116, according to the ordinanceH4941.