|
Nehemiah 8
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into
the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe
to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both
of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day
of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water
gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that
could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of
the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had
made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah,
and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand,
Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and
Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he
was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people
answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads,
and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai,
Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,
caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave
the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the
scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This
day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people
wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the
sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is
holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your
strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace,
for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to
send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words
that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the
fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe,
even to understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded
by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the
seventh month:
15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities,
and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and
pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick
trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves
booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the
courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the
street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the
captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua
the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there
was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read
in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the
eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
|