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 law of Moses, which the Lord had
commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law 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 law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which
they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and
Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right
hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and
Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, 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 the
Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with
lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the
Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to
understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read
in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused
them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe,
and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This
day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the
people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto
them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions
unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our
Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the
day is holy; neither be ye 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, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe,
even to understand the words of the law.
14 And 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: 15 And
that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in
Jerusalem, 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, and in the street of the water gate,
and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of
them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat
under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua (Joshua) the son of Nun unto that
day had not the children of Israel 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 law of God. And they kept the feast seven days;
and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
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Comments by Joan Boney
When I read this, it gives me great joy. Order is being restored by the Word of God. The people are again learning the Word of God. This is route to blessings and prosperity for them and certainly for us in the NT.
Promises of God for those who seriously consider the Word of God and go in HIS Word:
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Joshua 1
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.