Nehemiah 8:1-9 ▼

1 THEN all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street which is before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded concerning Israel.

2 And Ezra the priest brought the book of the law before the congregation, both of men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read the book in the street that was in front of the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women and before those who could hear: and the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform which they had made that he might speak upon it; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Hananiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maasiah on his right hand; and on his left hand stood Periah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashabiah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 And Ezra opened the book of the law 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, lifting up their hands; and they knelt down and worshipped before the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua and his sons and Serebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maasiah, Kelatiah, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Penaiah, and the Levites ministered to the people, explaining the law; and the people stood in their place.

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

9 And Nehemiah the high priest and Ezra the priest the scribe and the Levites who ministered to the people said to all the people, This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.