Nehemiah
Chapter 8
1 All the people came together as one in the street by the water gate and asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of Moses’s Law, which God had given to Israel.
2 Ezra the priest presented the law to the assembly of men and women, and to all who could understand, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 He read to them in front of the Water Gate from morning until noon. Men, women, and others who could understand listened closely to the reading of God’s laws.
4 Ezra the teacher stood on a wooden platform built for this reason, and next to him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book where everyone could see, because he was higher than everyone else; and when he opened it, everyone stood up.
6 Ezra praised God, the great one. All the people replied, “Yes, yes,” raising their hands. They lowered their heads and worshiped God with their faces to the earth.
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law, and the people stood where they were.
8 They clearly read from God’s law book, explained the meaning, and helped them understand what was read.
9 Nehemiah, the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher, and the Levites who instructed the people told everyone, “This day is special for God; don’t be sad or cry.” Because everyone cried when they heard the law’s words.
10 He told them, “Go, eat rich food, drink sweet drinks, and give some to those who have nothing ready. Today is sacred to God. Don’t be sad, because the joy of God gives you strength.”
11 The Levites calmed everyone, saying, “Be quiet, because this day is sacred; don’t be sad.”
12 Everyone went to eat, drink, share food, and celebrate with joy because they understood the words that were explained to them.
13 On the second day, the leaders of all the families, the priests, and the Levites came together to Ezra the writer to learn the meaning of the law.
14 They discovered in the law that God gave through Moses, it said the people of Israel must live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.
15 They should announce in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, “Go to the mountain and get branches from olive trees, pine trees, myrtle trees, palm trees, and other leafy trees to make shelters as it is written.”
16 The people went out, brought branches, and made shelters for themselves—on their rooftops, in their yards, in the yards of God’s house, by the Water Gate, and by the Ephraim Gate.
17 Everyone who had returned from being captives built shelters and sat under them. They hadn’t done this since the time of Joshua son of Nun. And they were very happy.
18 Every day from the start to the end, he read from God’s book of laws. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day, they held a special gathering as was the custom.