1 but when the seventh month was come, the sons of Israel who were in their cities, and all the people, assembled like one man, in the street which is before the water gate, and spoke to Esdras the scribe to bring out the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had enjoined on Israel.
2 So Esdras the priest, brought out the law before the congregation, consisting of men and women, even all who had understanding, to hear it, on the first day of the seventh month,
3 and read therein from sun rising to mid day, before the men and the women, even all who were capable of understanding. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
4 Now Esdras the scribe stood on a wooden scaffold, and there stood near him Matthathias and Samaias and Ananias and Ourias and Chelkia and Maasia on his right; and on his left, Phadaias and Misael and Melchias and Asom and Asabadma, and Zacharias and Mesollom.
5 And Esdras opened the book in the presence of all the people, for he was above them. And when he opened it all the prophets stood up.
6 Then Esdras blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered and said, Amen, with uplifted hands. Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 And Jesus and Banaias and Sarabias proceeded to instruct the people in the law, and the people kept their station.
8 And when they had read in the book of the law of God, Esdras taught and enforced it with a knowledge of the Lord, so that the people gained understanding by the reading.
9 Then spake Nehemias; when Esdras the priest and scribe and the Levites and they who instructed the people, had said to all the people, This day is holy to the Lord our God, mourn not nor weep [for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law]
10 then he said to them, Go, eat dainty meats, and drink sweet wine and send portions to them who have none, for this day is holy to the Lord; and do not despond; for the Lord is our strength.
11 And the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace for this is a holy day and do not despond.
12 So all the people went away to eat and drink, and send portions and make great joy, because they had gained knowledge by the words which were explained to them.
13 And on the second day, when the heads of the families with all the people and the priests and the Levites, were assembled before Esdras the scribe, to attend to all the words of the law,
14 they found it written in the law which the Lord had given in charge to Moses, That the Israelites should dwell in booths at the festival in the seventh month,
15 and that they should sound trumpets in all their cities and in Jerusalem. Whereupon Esdras said, Go out to the mountains and bring in olive branches, and branches of cypress trees and myrtle branches and palm branches, and the branches of every bushy tree to make booths according to what is written.
16 Accordingly the people went out and brought them, and made for themselves booths, every man on his house top, and in their court yards, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the streets of the city, even to the gate of Ephraim.
17 And when all the congregation; all who had returned from captivity, had made themselves booths and sat therein, because the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nave even to that day, the joy was great.
18 So he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day to the last. And when they had kept the festival for seven days, on the eighth day they kept the exod according to custom.