1(7:73b) WHEN THE SEVENTH MONTH CAME, and the Israelites were now settled in their towns, (8:1) the people assembled as one man in the square in front of the Water Gate, and Ezra the scribe was asked to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had enjoined upon Israel. 2On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, every man and woman, and all who were capable of understanding what they heard . 3He read from it, facing the square in front of the Water Gate, from early morning till noon, in the presence of the men and the women, and those who could understand , all the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform made for the purpose , and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. 5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above them; and when he opened it, they all stood. 6Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, 'Amen, Amen'; and they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves humbly before the LORD. 7Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites , expounded the law to the people while they remained in their places. 8They read from the book of the law of God clearly, made its sense plain and gave instruction in what was read.
9Then Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who instructed the people, said to them all, 'This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.' For all the people had been weeping while they listened to the words of the law. 10Then he said to them, 'You may go now; refresh yourselves with rich food and sweet drinks, and send a share to all who cannot provide for themselves; for this day is holy to our Lord. Let there be no sadness, for joy in the LORD is your strength.' 11The Levites silenced the people, saying, 'Be quiet, for this day is holy; let there be no sadness.' 12So all the people went away to eat and to drink, to send shares to others and to celebrate the day with great rejoicing, because they had understood what had been explained to them.
13On the second day the heads of families of the whole people, with the priests and the Levites, assembled before Ezra the scribe to study the law. 14And they found written in the law that the LORD had given commandment through Moses that the Israelites should live in arbours during the feast of the seventh month, 15and that they should make proclamation throughout all their cities and in Jerusalem: 'Go out into the hills and fetch branches of olive and wild olive, myrtle and palm, and other leafy boughs to make arbours, as prescribed.' 16So the people went out and fetched them and made arbours for themselves, each on his own roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and the square at the Ephraim Gate. 17And the whole community of those who had returned from the captivity made arbours and lived in them, a thing that the Israelites had not done from the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day; and there was very great rejoicing. 18And day by day, from the first day to the last, the book of the law of God was read. They kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, according to the rule.
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