Nehemiah 8:1–12

all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^g They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^h which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

²So on the first day of the seventh monthⁱ Ezra the priest brought the Law^j before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^k in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

⁴Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform^l built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing^m above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their handsⁿ and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷The Levites^o—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^p the people in the Law while the people were standing there. ⁸They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear^a and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

⁹Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites^q who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^r For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing^s prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy^t of the Lord is your strength.”

¹¹The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

¹²Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,^u because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.