1And all the people gathered as one into the square that was 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 Israel to obey. 2And so, on the first day of the seventh month (October 8), Ezra brought the law before the assembly of both men and women, and all who were able to understand. 3And he read aloud from it as he faced the square in front of the Water Gate from the morning until midday, before the entire assembly; and the people were attentive to his reading of the book of the law. 4Ezra stood upon a high wooden platform (pulpit) which they had made for the purpose; and beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and on his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5And when Ezra opened the book on that raised platform, in full view of all the people, all the people stood up. 6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen”, while lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites expounded upon and explained the law to the people; and the people stood in their place. 8In this way, they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

9And Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha (governor), Ezra, the priest, the scribes, and the Levites who taught the people, proclaimed to all the people: “This day is holy unto the LORD your God; do not mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10Then Ezra told them, “Go your way, eat the food, and sweet drinks, and send portions to others for whom nothing was prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Nor should you be you grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; nor be grieved.” 12And all the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they now understood the words that were made known to them.

13And on the second day the heads of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, were gathered around Ezra, the scribe, to learn more of the words of the law. 14And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 15And that they should publish and proclaim it in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out into the hills, and fetch olive, pine, myrtle, and palm branches - branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, each upon the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of the Temple of God, in the street of the water gate, or in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17And all those who had returned from the captivity made booths, and sat under them; for since the days of Jeshua (Joshua), son of Nun, until that day, the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18Also, day by day, from the first day to the last day, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.