Nehemiah 7:73–8:8

⁷³So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities.

Ezra Reads the Law

^oWhen the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

8Now all ^athe people gathered together as one man in the open square that was ^bin front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the ^cscribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. ²So Ezra the priest brought ^dthe Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding ^eon the first day of the seventh month. ³Then he ^fread from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate ¹from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

⁴So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. ⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^gstood up. ⁶And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.

Then all the people ^hanswered, “Amen, Amen!” while ⁱlifting up their hands. And they ^jbowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, ^khelped the people to understand the Law; and the people ^lstood in their place. ⁸So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.