¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(A) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^{(B) 17} The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.^(C) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated^(D) it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read^(E) from the Book of the Law^(F) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,^(G) there was an assembly.^(H)