CHAPTER 8
1 And all the people was gathered together as one man, to the street which is before the gate of waters. And they said to Ezra, the scribe or writer, that he should bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2 Therefore Ezra, the priest, brought the law before the multitude of men and of women, and before all that might understand, in the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read in it openly in the street that was before the gate of waters, from the morrowtide till to midday, in the sight of men and of women, and of wise men; and the ears of all the people were raised up to the book to hear the law.
4 And Ezra the writer stood on the degrees of wood, that he had made to speak upon to the people; and Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him, at his right half; and Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchiah, Hashum, and Hashbadana, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, stood at the left half.
5 And Ezra opened the book before all the people; for he appeared over all the people; and when he had opened the book, all the people stood to hear.
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord God with great voice; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, raising up their hands. And they were bowed, and they worshipped God, lowly upon the earth.
7 And Jeshua, and Bani, and Shere-biah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodi-jah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Joza-bad, Hanan, Pelaiah, deacons [or Levites], made silence in the people, for to hear the law. And the people stood in their degree or place.
8 And they read in the book of God’s law distinctly, and openly, to understand it; and they understood, when it was read.
9 Forsooth Nehemiah said, he is the Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and writer, and the deacons [or Levites], expounding to all the people, This is a day hallowed to the Lord our God; do not ye mourn, and do not ye weep. For all the people wept, when it heard the words of the law.
10 And he said to them, Go ye, and eat ye fat things, and drink ye wine made sweet with honey, and send ye parts to them, that made not ready to themselves, for it is an holy day of the Lord; do not ye be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11 And the deacons [or Levites] made silence in all the people, and said, Be ye still, for this is an holy day, and make ye no sorrow.
12 Therefore all the people went for to eat, and drink, and to send parts, and to make great gladness; for they understood the words, which he had taught them.
13 And in the second day, the princes of meines, and all the peoples, priests, and deacons [or Levites], were gathered to Ezra, the writer, that he should expound to them the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law, that the Lord commanded in the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel dwell in tabernacles in the solemn days, in the seventh month;
15 and that they preach, and publish a voice in all their cities, and in Jerusalem; and say, Go ye out into the hills, and bring ye boughs of the olive tree, and boughs of the fairest tree, the boughs of a myrtle tree, and the branches of a palm tree, and the boughs of a tree full of wood, that tabernacles be made of the boughs, as it is written.
16 And all the people went out, and they brought with them boughs, and they made to themselves tabernacles, each man in his house roof, and in their streets, either foreyards, and in the large places of God’s house, and in the street of the gate of waters, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 Therefore all the church, or congregation, of them, that is, the gathering together, that came again from [the] captivity, made tabernacles, and they dwelled in those tabernacles. Certainly the sons of Israel had not done such things from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, unto that day; and full great gladness was there among them.
18 And Ezra read in the book of God’s law by all days of the solemnity, from the first day unto the last day; and they made the solemnity by seven days; and in the eighth day they made a gathering, or collection, of silver, by the custom.