Nehemiah:8

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* Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate ; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses , which the LORD had commanded Israel . * So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month . * Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday , before the men and women and those who could understand ; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law . * So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose ; and beside him , at his right hand , stood Mattithiah , Shema , Anaiah , Urijah , Hilkiah , and Maaseiah ; and at his left hand Pedaiah , Mishael , Malchijah , Hashum , Hashbadana , Zechariah , and Meshullam . * And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people , for he was standing above all the people ; and when he opened it , all the people stood up . * And Ezra blessed the LORD , the great God . Then all the people answered , "Amen , Amen !" while lifting up their hands . And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground . * Also Jeshua , Bani , Sherebiah , Jamin , Akkub , Shabbethai , Hodijah , Maaseiah , Kelita , Azariah , Jozabad , Hanan , Pelaiah , and the Levites , helped the people to understand the Law ; and the people stood in their place . * So they read distinctly from the book , in the Law of God ; and they gave the sense , and helped them to understand the reading . * And Nehemiah , who was the governor , Ezra the priest and scribe , and the Levites who taught 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 . * Then he said to them , "Go your way , eat the fat , drink the sweet , and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared ; for this day is holy to our Lord . Do not sorrow , for the joy of the LORD is your strength ." * So the Levites quieted all the people , saying , "Be still , for the day is holy ; do not be grieved ." * And all the people went their way to eat and drink , to send portions and rejoice greatly , because they understood the words that were declared to them . * Now on the second day the heads of the fathers ' houses of all the people , with the priests and Levites , were gathered to Ezra the scribe , in order to understand the words of the Law . * And they found written in the Law , which the LORD had commanded by Moses , that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month , * and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem , saying , "Go out to the mountain , and bring olive branches , branches of oil trees , myrtle branches , palm branches , and branches of leafy trees , to make booths , as it is written ." * Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths , each one on the roof of his house , or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God , and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim . * So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths ; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so . And there was very great gladness . * Also day by day , from the first day until the last day , he read from the Book of the Law of God . And they kept the feast seven days ; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly , according to the prescribed manner .

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