1 All the people came together as one man in the square in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel.
2 On the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, men and women and everyone old enough to listen with understanding.
3 Facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read from it aloud from dawn until noon to the men, the women, and those who could understand, and all the people listened closely to the book of the law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden stand built for the occasion. On his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book where all the people could see it, since he stood higher than all of them, and when he opened it, all the people rose to their feet.
6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people lifted their hands and answered, "Amen! Amen!" Then they knelt and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah explained the law to the people as they stood in their places.
8 They read from the book of the law of God, making it clear and explaining the meaning, so that the people understood what was read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people told all of them, "Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the law.
10 He told them, "Go and enjoy rich food and sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have nothing ready, for today is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
11 The Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Hush, for today is holy. Do not be sad."
12 So all the people went off to eat and drink, to send portions, and to celebrate joyfully, because they now understood the words that had been explained to them.
13 On the second day the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.
14 They found written in the law, which the LORD had given through Moses, that the children of Israel were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month,
15 and that they should announce and spread this word through all their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches of olive and wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and made booths for themselves on their roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square by the Ephraim Gate.
17 The whole assembly that had come back from captivity built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not celebrated like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Ezra read from the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, as required, there was a solemn assembly.