Nehemiah, Chapter 8

1. And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spoke to 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 to the book of the law.    4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for this 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, lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped 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 clearly, and gave the meaning, and caused them to understand the reading.    9. And Nehemiah, who is the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.    10. Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.    11. So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be grieved.    12. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to greatly rejoice, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.    13. And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to 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 announce and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to 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 those who had come back out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until 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 until 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 to the prescribed manner.