1 Durante o mês de Setembro, certo dia todo o povo se concentrou na praça em frente à porta da Água e requereu de Esdras, chefe religioso, que lhes lesse a lei de Deus, que tinha sido dada a Moisés.

2 Então Esdras, que era também sacerdote, trouxe o rolo das leis de Moisés, subiu para um estrado de madeira feito propositadamente para aquela cerimónia, para que toda a gente pudesse vê-lo enquanto lia. O estrado estava virado para o lado da praça, frente à porta da Água; começou a ler de manhã cedo, até ao meio-dia. Quando abriu o rolo, toda a gente se levantou. Todos os que tinham idade de compreender prestavam muita atenção ao que ouviam. À direita de Esdras encontravam-se Matitias, Sema, Ananias, Urias, Hilquias, e Maaséias. À sua esquerda estavam Pedaías, Misael, Malquias, Hasum, Hasbadana, Zacarias, Mesulão.

6 Esdras louvou o Senhor, o grande Deus, e todo o povo disse Amém, levantando as mãos para o céu. Depois curvaram-se e adoraram o Senhor, com os rostos em terra.

7 Os levitas - Jesua, Bani, Serebias, Jamim, Acube, Sebatai, Hodias, Maaséias, Quelita, Azarias, Jozabade, Hanã, Pelaías - dirigiram-se ao povo, que permanecia nos seus lugares, e explicavam o sentido da passagem que estava a ser lida. Todo o povo chorava, ouvindo as palavras da lei.

9 Então o sacerdote Esdras e eu próprio, Neemias, como governador, mais os levitas que me assistiam, dissemos-lhes: Não chorem, sobretudo num dia como este! Hoje será um dia consagrado ao Senhor vosso Deus. Vão comer uma boa refeição, disse-lhes eu, e mandem presentes aos que são necessitados. Não estejam tristes, porque a alegria do Senhor é a vossa força!

11 Também os levitas sossegavam o povo: Não se ponham assim! Não chorem! Este dia deve ser de uma santa alegria e não de amargura!

12 Todo o povo foi então comer festivamente e mandaram dádivas a outros. Foi uma ocasião de grande e alegre celebração, pois que puderam ouvir e compreender as palavras de Deus.

13 No dia seguinte juntaram-se os líderes, os sacerdotes e os levitas e foram ter com Esdras para continuarem a debruçar-se sobre a lei, agora com mais detalhe. Enquanto a estudavam, deram-se conta de que Jeová dissera a Moisés que o povo deveria viver em tendas durante a festa dos tabernáculos, a realizar-se nesse mês. Deus tinha dito igualmente que deveria ser feita uma proclamação em todas as localidades da terra, particularmente em Jerusalém, dizendo ao povo que fossem aos montes, trouxessem ramos de oliveira, de zambujeiro, de murta, de palmeira e de figueira, e que fizessem cabanas onde vivessem durante o tempo da festividade.

16 Todo o povo assim fez: foi buscar ramos, cortaram-nos e fizeram cabanas nos telhados das suas habitações, nos pátios das casas, no pátio do templo, na praça por detrás da porta da Água e na praça da porta de Efraim. As pessoas viveram ali nessas barracas durante os sete dias das festividades, e toda a gente estava cheia de alegria! Tal coisa nunca tinha sido feita, desde os tempos de Josué. Esdras leu no rolo em cada dia da celebração. No oitavo dia houve um serviço solene de encerramento tal como requeria a lei de Moisés.

1 Then all the people gathered themselves together as one man, into the broad way that was before the water-gate,and they spake unto Ezra the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.

2 So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken,on the first day of the seventh month;

3 and read therein, before the broad place which was before the water-gate, from the time it was light, until the noon of the day, in presence of the men and the women, and such as had understanding,and, the ears of all the people, were unto the book of the law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a lofty platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and there stood, beside him, Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand,and, on his left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.

5 And Ezra the scribe opened the book before the eyes of all the people, for, above all the people, was he,and, when he opened it, all the people, stood up.

6 And Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God,and all the people responded, Amen! Amen! with the lifting up of their hands,and they bent their heads and bowed themselves down unto Yahweh, with their faces to the ground.

7 And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places.

8 So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly,and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.

9 Then Nehemiahhe, was the governorand Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who were causing the people to understand, said unto all the people, To-day, is, holy, unto Yahweh your God, do not mourn, nor weep,for, weeping, were all the people, when they heard the words of the law.

10 So he said unto themGo your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for holy is the day, unto our Lord,and be not grieved, for, the joy of Yahweh, is your strength.

11 And, the Levites, were quieting all the people, sayingHush! for, the day, is holy,and be not grieved.

12 And all the people went their way, to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing,because they had understood the words which were made known unto them.

13 And, on the second day, were gathered togetherthe ancestral heads of all the people, the priests and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe,even to give attention unto the words of the law.

14 And they found written in the law,that Yahweh gave command through Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths, during the festival of the seventh month;

15 and that they should publish and send along a proclamation throughout all their cities and throughout Jerusalem, saying, Forth to the mountain, and bring in branches of olive, and branches of oleaster, and branches of myrtle, and branches of palms, and branches of thick trees,to make booths, as it is written.

16 So the people went forth, and brought in, and made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.

17 And all the convocation of them who had returned out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in booths, for, since the days of Jeshua son of Nun, had not the sons of Israel done so, unto that day,and there was very great rejoicing.

18 So he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day unto the last day, and they kept the festival seven days, and, on the eighth day, a closing feast, according to the regulation.