Nehemiah 8 - New Living Translation (NLT)

8 1 all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.

2 So on October 8[a] Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 3 He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.

6 Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down 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—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 And Nehemiah[b] continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

11 And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” 12 So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

The Festival of Shelters

13 On October 9[c] the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail. 14 As they studied the Law, they discovered that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.[d] 15 He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive,[e] myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.

16 So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate. 17 So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua[f] son of Nun.

18 Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.

Footnotes

  1. 8:2 Hebrew on the first day of the seventh month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 8, 445 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
  2. 8:10 Hebrew he.
  3. 8:13 Hebrew On the second day, of the seventh month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 9, 445 B.c.; also see notes on 1:1 and 8:2.
  4. 8:14 Hebrew in the seventh month. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of September and October. See Lev 23:39-43.
  5. 8:15 Or pine; Hebrew reads oil tree.
  6. 8:17 Hebrew Jeshua, a variant spelling of Joshua.

You Might Also Like:

Nehemiah 8 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

8 And all the people are gathered as one man unto the broad place that [is] before the water-gate, and they say to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that Jehovah commanded Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest bringeth the law before the assembly, both of men and women, and every one in...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

8 And all the people was gathered together as one man, (in)to the street which is before the gate of waters. And they said to Ezra, the scribe, or the writer, that he should bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. (And then all the people gathered together as one ...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - World English Bible (WEB)

8 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women,...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - The Voice (VOICE)

8 When everyone had settled, they re-gathered in Jerusalem. Everyone met in the square that is in front of the water gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law, the word the Eternal sent through Moses to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest did as they asked, bringing God’s law to Israe...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

8 Then all the people were brought as a single body into the plaza that was before the Water Gate. They said to Ezra the scribe, “Bring out the Torah scroll of Moses that Adonai had commanded Israel.” 2 Ezra the kohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which included men and women and all who co...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

8 1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with unders...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

8 1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with unders...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

8 1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with unders...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

8 1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.(A)2 Accordingly, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with unders...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New Living Translation (NLT)

8 1 all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey. 2 So on October 8[a] Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, whic...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New Life Version (NLV)

Ezra Reads the Law8 Then all the people gathered as one man at the open space in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the writer to bring the book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 And on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the religious leader brought the Law to th...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Ezra Reads and Explains the Law8 Now all (A)the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was (B)in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the (C)scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought (D)the Law before ...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, whic...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New International Version (NIV)

8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.(A) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,(B) which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month(C) Ezra the priest brought the Law(D) before the as...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

8 1 all of them gathered together. They went to the open area in front of the Water Gate. They told Ezra to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses. The Lord had given Israel that Law so they would obey him. Ezra was the teacher of the Law. 2 Ezra the priest brought the Law out to the whole communit...
Read More

Nehemiah 8 - New English Translation (NET)

8 1 all the people gathered together[a] in the plaza which was in front of the Water Gate. They asked[b] Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly which included men and women and all those ab...
Read More