Nehemiah 8:7-9

Common English Bible

⁷ The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah^[a]—helped the people to understand the Instruction while the people remained in their places. ⁸ They read aloud from the scroll, the Instruction from God, explaining and interpreting it so the people could understand what they heard.

⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Don’t mourn or weep.” They said this^[b] because all the people wept when they heard the words of the Instruction.