|
|
|
|
1. All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.
|
1. And all H3605 the people H5971 gathered themselves together H622 as one H259 man H376 into H413 the street H7339 that H834 was before H6440 the water H4325 gate H8179 ; and they spoke H559 unto Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 to bring H935 H853 the book H5612 of the law H8451 of Moses H4872 , which H834 the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 to H853 Israel H3478 .
|
|
2. So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Teachings for the crowd. Men, women, and all who could listen and understand had gathered.
|
2. And Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 brought H935 H853 the law H8451 before H6440 the congregation H6951 both of men H4480 H376 and women H802 , and all H3605 that could hear H8085 with understanding H995 , upon the first H259 day H3117 of the seventh H7637 month H2320 .
|
|
3. At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the Teachings out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could listen and understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Teachings.
|
3. And he read H7121 therein before H6440 the street H7339 that H834 was before H6440 the water H4325 gate H8179 from H4480 the morning H216 until H5704 midday H4276 H3117 , before H5048 the men H376 and the women H802 , and those that could understand H995 ; and the ears H241 of all H3605 the people H5971 were attentive unto H413 the book H5612 of the law H8451 .
|
|
4. Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time. On his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
|
4. And Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 stood H5975 upon H5921 a pulpit H4026 of wood H6086 , which H834 they had made H6213 for the purpose H1697 ; and beside H681 him stood H5975 Mattithiah H4993 , and Shema H8087 , and Anaiah H6043 , and Urijah H223 , and Hilkiah H2518 , and Maaseiah H4641 , on H5921 his right hand H3225 ; and on his left hand H4480 H8040 , Pedaiah H6305 , and Mishael H4332 , and Malchiah H4441 , and Hashum H2828 , and Hashbadana H2806 , Zechariah H2148 , and Meshullam H4918 .
|
|
5. Ezra opened the book in full view of everyone, because he was above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up.
|
5. And Ezra H5830 opened H6605 the book H5612 in the sight H5869 of all H3605 the people H5971 ; ( for H3588 he was H1961 above H4480 H5921 all H3605 the people;) H5971 and when he opened H6605 it, all H3605 the people H5971 stood up H5975 :
|
|
6. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people held up their hands and said, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
|
6. And Ezra H5830 blessed H1288 H853 the LORD H3068 , the great H1419 God H430 . And all H3605 the people H5971 answered H6030 , Amen H543 , Amen H543 , with lifting up H4607 their hands H3027 : and they bowed H6915 their heads , and worshiped H7812 the LORD H3068 with their faces H639 to the ground H776 .
|
|
7. These Levites explained the Teachings to the people as they stood there: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah.
|
7. Also Jeshua H3442 , and Bani H1137 , and Sherebiah H8274 , Jamin H3226 , Akkub H6126 , Shabbethai H7678 , Hodijah H1941 , Maaseiah H4641 , Kelita H7042 , Azariah H5838 , Jozabad H3107 , Hanan H2605 , Pelaiah H6411 , and the Levites H3881 , caused H853 the people H5971 to understand H995 the law H8451 : and the people H5971 stood in H5921 their place H5977 .
|
|
8. They read from the Book of the Teachings of God and explained what it meant so the people understood what was being read.
|
8. So they read H7121 in the book H5612 in the law H8451 of God H430 distinctly H6567 , and gave H7760 the sense H7922 , and caused them to understand H995 the reading H4744 .
|
|
9. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher, and the Levites who were teaching said to all the people, "This is a holy day to the Lord your God. Don't be sad or cry." All the people had been crying as they listened to the words of the Teachings.
|
9. And Nehemiah H5166 , which H1931 is the Tirshatha H8660 , and Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 the scribe H5608 , and the Levites H3881 that taught H995 H853 the people H5971 , said H559 unto all H3605 the people H5971 , This H1931 day H3117 is holy H6918 unto the LORD H3068 your God H430 ; mourn H56 not H408 , nor H408 weep H1058 . For H3588 all H3605 the people H5971 wept H1058 , when they heard H8085 H853 the words H1697 of the law H8451 .
|
|
10. Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy good food and sweet drinks. Send some to people who have none, because today is a holy day to the Lord. Don't be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong."
|
10. Then he said H559 unto them, Go H1980 your way, eat H398 the fat H4924 , and drink H8354 the sweet H4477 , and send H7971 portions H4490 unto them for whom nothing H369 is prepared H3559 : for H3588 this day H3117 is holy H6918 unto our Lord H113 : neither H408 be ye sorry H6087 ; for H3588 the joy H2304 of the LORD H3068 is your strength H4581 .
|
|
11. The Levites helped calm the people, saying, "Be quiet, because this is a holy day. Don't be sad."
|
11. So the Levites H3881 stilled H2814 all H3605 the people H5971 , saying H559 , Hold your peace H2013 , for H3588 the day H3117 is holy H6918 ; neither H408 be ye grieved H6087 .
|
|
12. Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send some of their food to others, and to celebrate with great joy. They finally understood what they had been taught.
|
12. And all H3605 the people H5971 went H1980 their way to eat H398 , and to drink H8354 , and to send H7971 portions H4490 , and to make H6213 great H1419 mirth H8057 , because H3588 they had understood H995 the words H1697 that H834 were declared H3045 unto them.
|
|
13. On the second day of the month, the leaders of all the families, the priests, and the Levites met with Ezra the teacher. They gathered to study the words of the Teachings.
|
13. And on the second H8145 day H3117 were gathered together H622 the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of all H3605 the people H5971 , the priests H3548 , and the Levites H3881 , unto H413 Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 , even to understand H7919 H413 the words H1697 of the law H8451 .
|
|
14. This is what they found written in the Teachings: The Lord commanded through Moses that the people of Israel were to live in shelters during the feast of the seventh month.
|
14. And they found H4672 written H3789 in the law H8451 which H834 the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 by H3027 Moses H4872 , that H834 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 should dwell H3427 in booths H5521 in the feast H2282 of the seventh H7637 month H2320 :
|
|
15. The people were supposed to preach this message and spread it through all their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the mountains, and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, myrtle trees, palms, and shade trees. Make shelters with them, as it is written."
|
15. And that H834 they should publish H8085 and proclaim H5674 H6963 in all H3605 their cities H5892 , and in Jerusalem H3389 , saying H559 , Go forth H3318 unto the mount H2022 , and fetch H935 olive H2132 branches H5929 , and pine H6086 H8081 branches H5929 , and myrtle H1918 branches H5929 , and palm H8558 branches H5929 , and branches H5929 of thick H5687 trees H6086 , to make H6213 booths H5521 , as it is written H3789 .
|
|
16. So the people went out and got tree branches. They built shelters on their roofs, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the Temple, in the square by the Water Gate, and in the square next to the Gate of Ephraim.
|
16. So the people H5971 went forth H3318 , and brought H935 them , and made H6213 themselves booths H5521 , every one H376 upon H5921 the roof of his house H1406 , and in their courts H2691 , and in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of God H430 , and in the street H7339 of the water H4325 gate H8179 , and in the street H7339 of the gate H8179 of Ephraim H669 .
|
|
17. The whole group that had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done this since the time of Joshua son of Nun. And they were very happy.
|
17. And all H3605 the congregation H6951 of them that were come again H7725 out of H4480 the captivity H7628 made H6213 booths H5521 , and sat H3427 under the booths H5521 : for H3588 since the days H4480 H3117 of Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Nun H5126 unto H5704 that H1931 day H3117 had not H3808 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 done H6213 so H3651 . And there was H1961 very H3966 great H1419 gladness H8057 .
|
|
18. Ezra read to them every day from the Book of the Teachings, from the first day to the last. The people of Israel celebrated the feast for seven days, and then on the eighth day the people gathered as the law said.
|
18. Also day H3117 by day H3117 , from H4480 the first H7223 day H3117 unto H5704 the last H314 day H3117 , he read H7121 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 of God H430 . And they kept H6213 the feast H2282 seven H7651 days H3117 ; and on the eighth H8066 day H3117 was a solemn assembly H6116 , according unto the manner H4941 .
|