8 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Water Gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

² And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

³ And he read therein before the street that was before the Water Gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Law.

⁴ And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah, and Urijah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah, and Hashum and Hashbadana,Zechariah and Meshullam.

⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it all the people stood up.

⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” while lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

⁷ Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stood in their place.

⁸ So they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading.