Nehemiah 8:1–12

Ezra Reads the Book of the Law

¹And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of ^athe Water Gate, and they said to ^bEzra the scribe to bring ^cthe book of the law of Moses which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.

²Then ^aEzra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could understand when listening, on ^bthe first day of the seventh month.

³And he read from it before the square which was in front of ^athe Water Gate from ¹early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law.

⁴Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.

⁵And Ezra opened ^athe book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^bstood up.

⁶Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God. And all the people answered, “^aAmen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then ^bthey bowed low and worshiped Yahweh with their ¹faces to the ground.

⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, were providing understanding of the law to the people while the people stood in their place.

⁸They read from the book, from the law of God, ¹explaining and ²giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.

This Day Is Holy

⁹Then Nehemiah, who was the ^1agovernor, and Ezra ^bthe priest and scribe, and the Levites, who provided the people with understanding, said to all the people, “^cThis day is holy to Yahweh your God; ^ddo not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and ^asend portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”

¹¹So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

¹²Then all the people went away to eat, to drink, ^ato send portions, and to celebrate with great gladness, ^bbecause they understood the words which had been made known to them.