Nehemiah 8:1–5

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.