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all the people assembled together as one man at the square in front of the Water Gate, they told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, woman, and all who could listen and understand. 3 He read it aloud as he faced the square in front of the Water Gate from early morning until the middle of the day in the presence of the men, women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform made for this purpose. Beside him at his right hand stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was elevated above everyone, and as he opened it, they all stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen, Amen!”. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also some Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Hamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kilita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah explained the Law to the people to help them understand while they stood in their places. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it clearly so that the people could understand what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go away and eat choice food, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, and to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day, the heads of the all the families of people, along with the priests and Levites gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and they should announce this proclamation throughout all of their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back olive branches, wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.”
16 So the people went out and brought back branches. Then they built booths for themselves on the roofs of their own houses and courtyards, and in the courtyards of the house of God, in the open square at the Water Gate, and in the open square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole community that returned from the exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day the Israelites had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last day, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, in accordance with the ordinance.