Nehemiah 8

1¶ And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the plaza that was before the water gate, and they spoke unto Ezra, the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

2And 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.

3And he read in the book before the plaza 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.

4And Ezra, the scribe, stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5And 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:

6and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands; and they humbled themselves and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, Levites, caused the people to be silent that they might understand the law; and the people were in their place.

8So they read in the book in the law of God clearly and paid attention, and understood the reading.

9¶ And Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to be attentive, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.

10Then he said unto them, Go, eat the fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions unto those who have nothing prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord, and not sad; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

11So the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for the day is holy; neither be ye sad.

12And all the people went to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice with great joy because they had understood the words that were taught unto them.

13¶ And on the next day the princes of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together unto Ezra, the scribe, to understand the words of the law.

14And they found written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month

15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount and bring olive branches and pine branches and myrtle branches and palm branches and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

16So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths, each one upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the plaza of the water gate and in the plaza of the gate of Ephraim.

17And all the congregation of those that returned out of the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths, for since the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, unto that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great joy.

18And Ezra read in the book of the law of God each day, from the first day unto the last day. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

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Nehemiah 8: JUB

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