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Ezra Reads the Law |
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| Nehemiah 8:1 |
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And all the people gathered as one man at the
square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to
bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. |
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| Nehemiah 8:2 |
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Then Ezra the priest brought the law before
the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the
first day of the seventh month. |
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| Nehemiah 8:3 |
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He read from it before the square which was
in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of
men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to
the book of the law. |
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| Nehemiah 8:4 |
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Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which
they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah,
Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah,
Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. |
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| Nehemiah 8:5 |
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Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the
people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the
people stood up. |
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| Nehemiah 8:6 |
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Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And
all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands; then they
bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. |
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| Nehemiah 8:7 |
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Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,
explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. |
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| Nehemiah 8:8 |
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They read from the book, from the law of God,
translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. |
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"This Day Is Holy"
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| Nehemiah 8:9 |
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Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra
the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,
"This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people
were weeping when they heard the words of the law. |
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| Nehemiah 8:10 |
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Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink
of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day
is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." |
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| Nehemiah 8:11 |
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So the Levites calmed all the people, saying,
"Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved." |
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| Nehemiah 8:12 |
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All the people went away to eat, to drink, to
send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words
which had been made known to them. |
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Feast of Booths Restored |
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| Nehemiah 8:13 |
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Then on the second day the heads of fathers'
households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra
the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. |
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| Nehemiah 8:14 |
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They found written in the law how the LORD had
commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the
feast of the seventh month. |
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| Nehemiah 8:15 |
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So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation
in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hills, and bring
olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches
of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written." |
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| Nehemiah 8:16 |
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So the people went out and brought them and
made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts
of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at
the Gate of Ephraim. |
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| Nehemiah 8:17 |
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The entire assembly of those who had returned
from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed
not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was
great rejoicing. |
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| Nehemiah 8:18 |
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He read from the book of the law of God daily,
from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days,
and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance. |
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