8 all the people gathered togetheri at the square in front of the Water Gate.j They asked the scribe Ezrak to bring the book of the law of Mosesl that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month,m the priest Ezran brought the lawo before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate,p he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentivelyD to the book of the law.q 4 The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platformr made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifteds all the people said, “Amen, Amen!”t Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.u

7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah,v who were Levites,* w explained the lawx to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.