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13 On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make temporary shelters,[a] as it is written.”

16 So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters,[b] everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. 17 All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters,[c] and lived in the temporary shelters; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:15 or, booths
  2. 8:16 or, booths
  3. 8:17 or, booths

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 so that they might gain insight into the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel (A)were to live in [a]booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15 (B)And that they were to proclaim and circulate a proclamation in all their cities and (C)in Jerusalem, saying, “(D)Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and [b]wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other trees with thick branches, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each (E)on his roof, and in their courtyards and in the courtyards of the house of God, and in the public square at (F)the Water Gate, and in the square at (G)the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. Indeed, the sons of Israel (H)had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And (I)there was very great rejoicing. 18 (J)He read from the Book of the Law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they (K)celebrated the feast seven days, and on (L)the eighth day there was a festive assembly in accordance with the ordinance.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:14 I.e., huts, also called tabernacles
  2. Nehemiah 8:15 Lit oil tree, species unknown