⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, ^(A)to teach in the cities of Judah; ^8 (B)and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. ⁹ And ^(C)they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

³ And he said to the Levites ^(A)who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. You need not carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.

^7 (A)Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,^{[a] (B)}helped the people to understand the Law, ^(C)while the people remained in their places. ⁸ They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly,^[b] and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

This Day Is Holy

⁹ And Nehemiah, who was ^(D)the governor, and Ezra ^(E)the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ^(F)“This day is holy to the Lord your God; ^(G)do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

⁴ So shall you know that I have sent ^(A)this command to you, that ^(B)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. ⁵ My covenant with him was one of life and ^(C)peace, and I gave them to him. ^(D)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. ^6 (E)True instruction^[a] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he ^(F)turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For ^(G)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people^[b] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.