1. And all the people gathered themselves thogether as one man into the street that was before the water-gate and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the beek of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2. And Ezra the piest brought the law before the congration both of man and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first, day of the seventh menth.
3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate from the moning until midday, before the man and the women, and those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon an pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand, and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, abd Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5. And 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.
6. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands, and they bowed theri heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7. And Jushua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jami, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to undersatand the law and the poeple stood in their place.
8. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God, mourn not nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drunk the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our LORD neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy, neither be ye grieved.
12. And all the poeple went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13. And on the second say were gathered together the chief of the father of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
14. And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month.
15. And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the Mount, and fetch olive-branches, and pine-branches, and myrtle-branches, and palm-branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the couts of the house fo God, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat onder the booths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law pf God. And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.