Nehemiah 8

The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

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Esdras Reads the Law at the Water Gate

8:1All the people gathered as one man in the open space before the Water Gate. They told Esdra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.

8:2Esdras the priest brought the law before the assembly—men, women and everyone able to understand by listening—on the first day of the seventh month,

8:3and read from it from the hour when the sun gave light until midday, before the men and women, who were understanding; the ears of all the people were directed toward the book of the law.

8:4Esdras the scribe stood on a wooden platform. Beside him stood Mattathias, Samaias, Ananias, Ouria, Elkia and Maasaia on his right, and on his left Phadaias, Misael, Melchias, Osam, Asabdana, Zacharias and Mosollam.

8:5Esdras opened the book before all the people—for he was above the people—and when he opened it, all the people stood.

8:6Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God. All the people answered and said, “Amen,” lifting their hands, and they bowed and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

8:7Jesus, Banaias and Sarabia were helping the people understand the law, while the people remained in their places.

8:8They read from a book of God’s law, and Esdras taught and explained with knowledge of the Lord; the people understood the reading.

This Day Is Holy to the Lord

8:9Neemias, Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, “The day is holy to the Lord our God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

8:10He said to them, “Go, eat rich food and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have none, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not lose heart, for it is your strength.”

8:11The Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be silent, for the day is holy. Do not be downcast.”

8:12All the people went to eat and drink, to send portions and to celebrate with great gladness, because they understood the words that he had made known to them.

The Feast of Tents Restored

8:13On the second day the heads of the families for all the people, the priests and the Levites gathered around Esdras the scribe to attend to all the words of the law.

8:14They found written in the law, which the Lord had commanded Moses, that the sons of Israel should live in tents during the feast in the seventh month,

8:15and that they should give a signal with trumpets in all their towns and in Jerusalem. Esdras said, “Go out to the hill country and bring leaves of olive trees, cypresses, myrtles, palms and dense trees, to make tents according to what is written.”

8:16The people went out and brought the leaves. They made tents for themselves, each on his roof and in their courtyards, in the courts of God’s house, in the city’s open squares and as far as the Ephraim Gate.

8:17The whole assembly who had returned from captivity made tents and lived in them, for the sons of Israel had not done so from the days of Jesus son of Naue until that day. There was great gladness.

8:18He read from a book of God’s law day by day, from the first day to the last. They kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing observance according to the ordinance.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.