Nehemiah 8

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

1All the people gathered together as one person in the open square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel.

2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

2So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which included men, women, and all the children old enough to understand.

3And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

3He read from it facing the square by the Water Gate from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

4And 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 Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. Standing beside him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. On his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5And 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.

5Ezra opened the book in plain view of all the people because he was standing above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up.

6And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.

6Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people lifted their hands and shouted, 'Amen! Amen!' Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—explained the Law to the people while they remained in their places.

8And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.

8They read clearly from the Book of the Law of God and explained what it meant so that the people could understand what was being read.

9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people said to them, 'This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.' For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.

10Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy good food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'

11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, 'Be quiet, for this is a holy day. Do not be sad.'

12And 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.

12Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they now understood the words that had been explained to them.

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

13On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.

14And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;

14They found written in the Law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites were to live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.

15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

15So they spread the word and honored it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, 'Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make shelters, just as it is written.'

16So 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 broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.

16So the people went out and brought back branches and built shelters for themselves on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and the Gate of Ephraim.

17And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in 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.

17The whole community that had returned from captivity made shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great joy.

18Also 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 ordinance.

18Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God every day, from the first day to the last. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, there was a solemn assembly, in accordance with the rule.