Nehemiah 8:1-9 ▼

1 And all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they said to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which YHWH had commanded for Israel.

2 And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the face of the assembly, of men and also women, and all with understanding to hear, on the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read from it before the face of the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from the morning until the middle of the day before the men and the women and those with understanding. And the ears of all the people were toward the Book of the Law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a tower of wood that they had made for the purpose. And Mattithiah stood beside him, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right hand, and at his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book before the eyes of all the people, for he was above all the people. And at his opening it, all the people stood up.

6 And Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with lifting up of their hands, and they bowed and prostrated themselves to YHWH—nostrils to the ground.

7 And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites instructed the people in the law, and the people were on their stations.

8 And they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving the meaning, and they gave understanding to the convocation.

9 And Nehemiah (he was the Tirshatha) said—and Ezra the priest and the scribe and the Levites who were instructing the people—to all the people, “This day is holy to YHWH your? God. Do not mourn and do not weep.” For all the people wept at their hearing the words of the Law.