Ezra Reads the Law

(Deuteronomy 31:9-13)

1And all the people are gathered as one man unto the broad place that [is] before the water-gate, and they say to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that Jehovah commanded Israel. 2And Ezra the priest bringeth the law before the assembly, both of men and women, and every one intelligent to hear, on the first day of the seventh month, 3and he readeth in it before the broad place that [is] before the water-gate, from the light till the middle of the day, over-against the men, and the women, and those intelligent, and the ears of all the people [are] unto the book of the law. 4And Ezra the scribe standeth on a tower of wood that they made for the purpose, and Mattithiah standeth near him, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right; and on his left Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddana, Zechariah, Meshullam. 5And Ezra openeth the book before the eyes of all the people—for above all the people he hath been—and at his opening [it] all the people have stood up, 6and Ezra blesseth Jehovah, the great God, and all the people answer, ‘Amen, Amen,’ with lifting up of their hands, and they bow and do obeisance to Jehovah—faces to the earth. 7And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, giving the people understanding in the law, and the people, [are] on their station, 8and they read in the book, in the law of God, explaining—so as to give the meaning, and they give understanding to the convocation.

This Day is Holy

9And Nehemiah—he [is] the Tirshatha—saith (and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who are instructing the people) to all the people, ‘To-day is holy to Jehovah your God, do not mourn, nor weep:’ for all the people are weeping at their hearing the words of the law. 10And he saith to them, ‘Go, eat fat things, and drink sweet things, and sent portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for to-day [is] holy to our Lord, and be not grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.’ 11And the Levites are keeping all the people silent, saying, ‘Be silent, for to-day [is] holy, and be not grieved.’ 12And all the people go to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great joy, because they have understood concerning the words that they made known to them.

The Feast of Booths

(Leviticus 23:33-44)

13And on the second day have been gathered heads of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to act wisely concerning the words of the law. 14And they find written in the law that Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel dwell in booths in the feast, in the seventh month, 15and that they proclaim and cause to pass over all their cities, (and in Jerusalem,) saying, ‘Go ye out to the mount, and bring leaves of the olive, and leaves of the oil tree, and leaves of the myrtle, and leaves of the palms, and leaves of thick trees, to make booths as it is written.’ 16And the people go out, and bring in, and make for themselves booths, each on 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. 17And they make—all the assembly of the captives of the captivity—booths, and they sit in booths; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so unto that day, and there is very great joy. 18And he readeth in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day till the last day, and they make a feast seven days, and on the eighth day a restraint, according to the ordinance.