Nehemiah 8
8:1And the seventh month arrived, and the sons of Israel were in their cities. And all the people gathered together as one man into the wide place in front of the water gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the law of Moses, which the lord gave charge to Israel.
8:2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, from man unto woman, and all the ones perceiving to hear, on day one of the seventh month.
8:3And he read in it before the square of the one before the gate of the waters, from the hour of the illuminating by the sun until the middle of the day, before men and women. And they were perceiving, even all the ears of the people, to the scroll of the law.
8:4And Ezra the scribe stood upon the wooden rostrum, the one he made for delivering a public address. And stood next to him, Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right. And at the left, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, and Zechariah, and Meshullam.
8:5And Ezra opened the scroll before all the people, for he was above the people. And it came to pass when he opened it, all the people stood.
8:6And Ezra blessed the lord, the great God. And all the people answered, and said, Amen, amen, lifting up their hands; and they bowed and did obeisance to the lord with their face upon the ground.
8:7And Joshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, and Akkub, Shabbethai, and Hodijah, and Maaseiah, and Kelita, and Azariah, and Jozabad and Hanan, and Pelaiah, and the Levites, were bringing understanding to the people in the law. And the people were at their station.
8:8And they read in the scroll of the law of God; and Ezra taught and gave orders in a higher knowledge of the lord, and the people perceived in the reading.
8:9And Nehemiah spoke, who is the Artasastha, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites, the ones bringing understanding to the people. And they said to all the people, It is a holy day to the lord our God, do not mourn nor weep! for all the people wept as they heard the words of the law.
8:10And he said to them, Go and eat fatness, and drink sweetness, and send portions to the ones not having! for the day is holy to the lord our God. And do not faint! for the joy of the lord, this is our strength.
8:11And the Levites quelled all the people, saying, Keep silent, for the day is holy, and do not fall down!
8:12And all the people went forth to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great gladness; for they perceived the words which he made known to them.
8:13And on the second day the rulers of the families gathered together with all the people, and the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, to attend to all the words of the law.
8:14And they found written in the law which the lord gave charge to Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in tents in the holiday in the seventh month;
8:15and that they should signify with trumpets in all their cities, and in Jerusalem. And Ezra said, Go forth unto the mountain, and bring olive leaves, and leaves of cypress trees, and leaves of a myrtle tree, and leaves of palms, and leaves of the bushy tree! to make tents according to the writing.
8:16And the people went forth, and brought, and they made for themselves tents, each man upon his roof, and in their courtyards, and in the courtyards of the house of God, and in the squares of the gate of the waters, and in the squares of the gate of Ephraim.
8:17And all the assembly of the ones returning from the captivity made tents, and they stayed in tents; for the sons of Israel did not do thus from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there became a great gladness -- exceedingly much.
8:18And he read in the scroll of the law of God day by day; from the first day until the last day. And they observed the holiday seven days, and the eighth day was a holiday recess, according to the distinguishing manner.