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Festival of Booths

13 On the second day the heads of the families[a] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.[b] 14 They found written in the law,[c] which Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites[d] should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the public square of the Water Gate, and in the public square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the Israelites[e] had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy. 18 And he read from the scroll of the law[f] of God day by day from the first day up to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly according to the rule.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:13 Literally “fathers”
  2. Nehemiah 8:13 Hebrew torah
  3. Nehemiah 8:14 Hebrew torah
  4. Nehemiah 8:14 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  5. Nehemiah 8:17 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  6. Nehemiah 8:18 Hebrew torah

13 And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah 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 forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. 16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a [a]solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:18 Or, closing festival