Nehemiah 8
8
1all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.
2So on October 8#8:2 Hebrew on the first day of the seventh month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 8, 445 b.c.; also see note on 1:1. Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 3He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.
4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
6Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places. 8They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.
9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10And Nehemiah#8:10 Hebrew he. continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
11And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” 12So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.
The Festival of Shelters
13On October 9#8:13 Hebrew On the second day, of the seventh month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 9, 445 b.c.; also see notes on 1:1 and 8:2. the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail. 14As they studied the Law, they discovered that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.#8:14 Hebrew in the seventh month. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of September and October. See Lev 23:39-43. 15He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive,#8:15 Or pine; Hebrew reads oil tree. myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.
16So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate. 17So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua#8:17 Hebrew Jeshua, a variant spelling of Joshua. son of Nun.
18Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.
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Nehemiah 8: NLT
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Nehemiah 8
8
Nehemiah 8
1¶ And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the plaza that was before the water gate, and they spoke unto Ezra, the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2And Ezra, the priest, brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3And he read in the book before the plaza that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4And Ezra, the scribe, stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands; and they humbled themselves and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, Levites, caused the people to be silent that they might understand the law; and the people were in their place.
8So they read in the book in the law of God clearly and paid attention, and understood the reading.
9¶ And Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to be attentive, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10Then he said unto them, Go, eat the fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions unto those who have nothing prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord, and not sad; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11So the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for the day is holy; neither be ye sad.
12And all the people went to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice with great joy because they had understood the words that were taught unto them.
13¶ And on the next day the princes of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together unto Ezra, the scribe, to understand the words of the law.
14And they found written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month
15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount and bring olive branches and pine branches and myrtle branches and palm branches and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths, each one upon the roof of his house and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the plaza of the water gate and in the plaza of the gate of Ephraim.
17And all the congregation of those that returned out of the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths, for since the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, unto that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great joy.
18And Ezra read in the book of the law of God each day, from the first day unto the last day. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International