Nehemiah 8:1-8

Expanded Bible

Ezra Reads the Teachings

8 All the people of Israel ·gathered [assembled] ·together [^Llike one man/person] in the square ·by [in front of] the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] to bring out the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Law; ^LTorah] of Moses, which the Lord had ·given to [commanded/prescribed for] Israel.

² So on the first day of the seventh month [^COctober 8], Ezra the priest brought out the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah] for the ·crowd [assembly]. Men, women, and all who could ·listen and understand [understand what they heard; ^Cpresumably older children] had ·gathered [assembled]. ³ At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah] out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could ·listen and understand [understand what they heard; ^Cpresumably older children]. All the people listened ·carefully [attentively; eagerly] to the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah].

⁴ Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] stood on a high ·wooden platform [dais; ^Ltower of wood; 2 Chr. 6:13] that had been built just for this ·time [occasion; purpose]. On his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ Ezra opened the ·book [scroll] ·in full view [^Lto the eyes] of everyone, because he was above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up [^Ca sign of respect; Judg. 3:20; Job 29:8; Ezek. 2:1]. ⁶ Ezra ·praised [blessed] the Lord, the great God, and all the people ·held up [lifted] their hands [Ezra 9:5; Ps. 28:2; 134:2] and said, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed ·down [low] and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ These Levites ·explained [instructed regarding; 2 Chr. 17:7–9] the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah] to the people as they ·stood there [remained in place]: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. ⁸ They read from the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah] of God and ·explained [clarified; or translated] what it meant so the people understood what was being read.