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The Holman Christian Standard Bible
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Public Reading of the Law

When the seventh month y came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, 8 all the people gathered together z at the square in front of the Water Gate. a They asked Ezra the scribe b to bring the book of the law of Moses c that the Lord had given Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, d Ezra the priest e brought the law f before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, g he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively h to the book of the law. i Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform j 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. 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. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted k all the people said, “* Amen, Amen!” l Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. m

Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, n who were Levites, o p explained the law q to the people as they stood in their places. 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. Nehemiah the governor, r Ezra the priest and scribe, s and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day t is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” u For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, v since today w is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.” x 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, y since today z is holy. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, a because they had understood the words that were explained to them.

Festival of Booths Observed

13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, b assembled before Ezra the scribe c to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month. d 15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written.” e 16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops, f and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, g and the square by the Gate of Ephraim. h 17 The whole community that had returned from exile i made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. j And there was tremendous joy. k 18 Ezra l read out of the book of the law of God m every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance. n

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About The Holman Christian Standard Bible

The complete Holman Christian Standard Bible® is now available for the first time ever! More than fifteen years in the making, crafted by the shared expertise of nearly a hundred conservative scholars and English stylists, the Holman CSB® sets the standard in painstaking biblical accuracy and pure literary form.

Accurate, yet highly readable, it's a translation committed to leaving both the grace and gravity of the original languages intact while carefully creating a smooth flow of wording for the reader.

Stylistically, this inaugural edition contributes to the clarity of the written Word, arranging the poetic portions of the Scripture into complete lines of thought, and revering God's presence on each page by capitalizing all the pronouns that refer to Him.

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