Nehemiah 8
Legacy Standard Bible
Ezra Reads the Book of the Law
8 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of (A)the Water Gate, and they said to (B)Ezra the scribe to bring (C)the book of the law of Moses which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. 2 Then (D)Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could understand when listening, on (E)the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it before the square which was in front of (F)the Water Gate from [a]early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened (G)the book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people (H)stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God. And all the people answered, “(I)Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then (J)they bowed low and worshiped Yahweh with their [b]faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, were providing understanding of the law to the people while the people stood in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the law of God, [c]explaining and [d]giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.
This Day Is Holy
9 Then Nehemiah, who was the [e](K)governor, and Ezra (L)the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who provided the people with understanding, said to all the people, “(M)This day is holy to Yahweh your God; (N)do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and (O)send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 Then all the people went away to eat, to drink, (P)to send portions, and to celebrate with great gladness, (Q)because they understood the words which had been made known to them.
Feast of Booths Restored
13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses that the sons of Israel (R)should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 (S)and that they should make the report heard and make a proclamation of it pass throughout all their cities and (T)in Jerusalem, saying, “(U)Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and [f]wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each (V)on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at (W)the Water Gate and in the square at (X)the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. The sons of Israel (Y)had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And (Z)there was exceedingly great gladness. 18 (AA)And he read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they (AB)celebrated the feast seven days, and on (AC)the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the legal judgment.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 8:3 Lit the light
- Nehemiah 8:6 Lit noses
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or translating
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or giving the sense
- Nehemiah 8:9 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 8:15 Lit oil tree, species unknown
Nehemiah 8
New King James Version
Ezra Reads and Explains the Law
8 Now all (A)the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was (B)in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the (C)scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought (D)the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding (E)on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he (F)read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate [a]from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people (G)stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
Then all the people (H)answered, “Amen, Amen!” while (I)lifting up their hands. And they (J)bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, (K)helped the people to understand the Law; and the people (L)stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
9 (M)And Nehemiah, who was the [b]governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, (N)“This day is holy to the Lord your God; (O)do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, (P)and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to (Q)send portions and rejoice greatly, because they (R)understood the words that were declared to them.
The Feast of Tabernacles(S)
13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order 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 (T)booths[c] during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and (U)that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and (V)in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and (W)bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the (X)roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the (Y)Water Gate (Z)and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made [d]booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very (AA)great gladness. 18 Also (AB)day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast (AC)seven days; and on the (AD)eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 8:3 Lit. from the light
- Nehemiah 8:9 Heb. Tirshatha
- Nehemiah 8:14 Temporary shelters
- Nehemiah 8:17 Temporary shelters
Nechemyah 8
Orthodox Jewish Bible
8 And kol HaAm gathered themselves together as one man into the rechov that was before the Water Gate; and they spoke unto Ezra HaSofer to bring the Sefer Torat Moshe, which Hashem had commanded to Yisroel.
2 And Ezra HaKohen brought the Torah before the Kahal both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month [Rosh Hashanah].
3 And he read therein before the rechov 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 kol HaAm were attentive unto the Sefer HaTorah.
4 And Ezra HaSofer stood upon a platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattityah, and Shema, and Anayah, and Uriyah, and Chilkiyah, and Ma’aseiyah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedayah, and Mishael, and Malkiyah, and Chashum, and Chashbadana, Zecharyah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the Sefer before the eyes of kol HaAm (for he was above kol HaAm); and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 And Ezra blessed Hashem, HaElohim HaGadol. And kol HaAm answered, Omein, Omein, with lifting up their hands; and they bowed, and worshiped Hashem with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Yeshua, and Bani, and Sherevyah, Yamin, Akuv, Shabtai, Hodiyah, Ma’aseiyah, Kelita, Azaryah, Yozavad, Chanan, Pelayah, and the Levi’im caused the people to understand the Torah; and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read from the Sefer Torat HaElohim distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nechemyah the Tirshata, and Ezra HaKohen HaSofer, and the Levi’im that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is kadosh unto Hashem Eloheichem; mourn not, nor weep. For kol HaAm wept, when they heard the words of the Torah.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the choice foods, and drink the sweet things, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is kadosh unto Adoneinu; neither be ye grieving; for the chedvah (joy) of Hashem is your strength.
11 So the Levi’im calmed kol HaAm, saying, Be still, for the day is kadosh; neither be ye grieved.
12 And kol HaAm went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make simchah gedolah, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the avot of kol HaAm, the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, unto Ezra HaSofer, to understand the words of the Torah.
14 And they found written in the Torah which Hashem had commanded by Moshe, that the Bnei Yisroel should dwell in sukkot in the Chag of the seventh month,
15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns, and in Yerushalayim, saying, Go forth unto the hill country, and bring back olive branches, and wild olive branches, and myrtle, and palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make sukkot, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves sukkot, every one upon the roof of his bais, and in their courtyards, and in the khatzerot Bais HaElohim, and in the rechov of the Water Gate, and in the rechov of the Ephrayim Gate.
17 And kol HaKahal of them that were come again out of the captivity made sukkot, and sat under the sukkot; for since the days of Yeshua ben Nun unto that day had not the Bnei Yisroel done so. And there was simchah gedolah.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last, he read from the Sefer Torat HaElohim. And they kept the Chag seven days; and then came Shmini Atzeret, according unto the mishpat.
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