1 Now all *Ezra 3:1the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was*Neh. 3:26in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the *Ezra 7:6scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought *(Deut. 31:11, 12); Neh. 8:9the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding *Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1–6on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he *Deut. 31:9–11; 2 Kin. 23:2read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people wereattentive to the Book of the Law.

4 So 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. 5 And 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 *Judg. 3:20; 1 Kin. 8:12–14stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.

Then all the people *Neh. 5:13; (1 Cor. 14:16)answered, "Amen, Amen!" while *Ps. 28:2; Lam. 3:41; 1 Tim. 2:8lifting up their hands. And they *Ex. 4:31; 12:27; 2 Chr. 20:18bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, *Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:10; 2 Chr. 17:7; (Mal. 2:7)helped the people to understand the Law; and the people *Neh. 9:3stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

9 *Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65, 70; 10:1And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, *Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1"This day is holy to the Lord your God; *Deut. 16:14; Eccl. 3:4do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, *(Deut. 26:11–13); Esth. 9:19, 22; Rev. 11:10and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved." 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to *Neh. 8:10send portions and rejoice greatly, because they *Neh. 8:7, 8understood the words that were declared to them.

13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order 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 *Lev. 23:34, 40, 42; Deut. 16:13booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and *Lev. 23:4that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and *Deut. 16:16in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and *Lev. 23:40bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as itis written."

16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the *Deut. 22:8roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the *Neh. 12:37Water Gate *2 Kin. 14:13; Neh. 12:39and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very *2 Chr. 30:21great gladness. 18 Also *Deut. 31:11day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast *Lev. 23:36seven days; and on the *Num. 29:35eighth day therewas a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.