Nehemiah 8

1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Torah, which יהוה had commanded to Yisrael by Moses (Mosheh).

2 And Ezra the priest (kohen) brought the Torah before the congregation both of men and women, and all that 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 that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Torah.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattityah, and Shema, and Anayah, and Uriyah, and Hilkiah (Chilqiyah), and Maaseyah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedayah, and Mishael, and Malkiyah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah (Zekharyah), 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 יהוה, the great God (Elohim). And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” with lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshipped יהוה with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Joshua (Yeshua), and Bani, and Sherevyah, Yamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiyah, Maaseyah, Kelita, Azaryah, Yozavad, Hanan, Pelayah, and the Levites (Lewiyim), caused the people to understand the Torah; and the people stood in their place.

8 So they read in the Book in the Torah of God (Elohim) distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah (Nechemyah), who is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest (kohen) the scribe, and the Levites (Lewiyim) who taught the people, said unto all the people, “This day is holy unto יהוה your God (Elohim); mourn not, nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Torah.

10 Then he said unto them, “Go your way, eat the richly prepared food, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord (Adonai); neither be you sorry; for the joy of יהוה is your strength.”

11 So the Levites (Lewiyim) quieted all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved.”

12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests (kohanim), and the Levites (Lewiyim), unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the Torah.

14 And they found written in the Torah which יהוה had commanded by Moses (Mosheh), that the children of Yisrael should dwell in booths (sukkot) in the feast of the seventh month;

15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), saying, “Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, 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 (Elohim), and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Efrayim.

17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths (sukkot), and sat under the booths (sukkot); for since the days of Joshua (Yeshua) the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Yisrael 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 Torah of God (Elohim). And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.