Ezra reads the Torah to the people for seven days
8:1-18
1
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street
that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring
the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2
And 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.
3
And he read therein before the street 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.
4
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 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, and Hashbadana, Zechariah,
and Meshullam.
Everyone in Israel listens to Ezra as he reads the Torah to them.
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:
When Ezra began to read, everyone 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 their heads, and
worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah,
Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused
the people to understand the law: and the people 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.
Ezra blessed God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen", while they lifted up their hands, bowed their
heads, and touched their faces to the ground.
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.
Nehemiah and Ezra said to all the people,
This is a holy day. Don't mourn or weep.
(Everyone was weeping when they heard the words of the law.)
10
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink 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.
Then they said,
Go and eat the fat, drink the sweet, and don't be sorry.
12
And all the people 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 day were gathered together the chief of the fathers 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.
So all the people ate, drank, and were happy.
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 courts
of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, 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 under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son
of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was
very great gladness.
The people made booths and sat under the booths.
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 of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day
was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
And Ezra read the book of the law for seven days.
Every Jot and Tittle: All the commandments in the Bible