“1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the
street that [was] before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the
scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had
commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the
congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with
understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read
therein before the street that [was] before the water gate from the
morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could
understand; and the ears of all the people [were attentive] unto the
book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood,
which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah,
and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his
right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah,
and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam. 5 And Ezra
opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all
the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra
blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen,
Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and
worshipped the LORD with [their] faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and
Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita,
Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to
understand the law: and the people [stood] in their place. 8 So they
read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and
caused [them] to understand the reading.”
“9 And Nehemiah, which [is] the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the
scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the
people, This day [is] holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.
For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then
he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and
send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for [this] day
[is] holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is
your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold
your peace, for the day [is] holy; neither be ye grieved. 12 And all the
people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to
make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were
declared unto them.”
“13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the
fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the
scribe, even to understand the words of the law. 14 And they found
written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the
children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh
month: 15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities,
and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive
branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and
branches of thick trees, to make booths, as [it is] written. 16 So the
people went forth, and brought [them], and made themselves booths, every
one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts
of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the
street of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the congregation of them that
were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the
booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had
not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the
book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the
eighth day [was] a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.”
(Nehemiah 8:1-18 AV)
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