1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both 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 broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of 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 Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, 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 Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people [stood] in their place. 8 And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah 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 him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah 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 heads of fathers’ [houses] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah 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 branches of wild olive, 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 broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Jeshua 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 ordinance.
Nehemiah · American Standard Version (1901)
Nehemiah 8 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Akkub
Akkub is named among the gatekeepers, with Shallum as their chief (1 Chronicles 9:17).
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 9:17; Nehemiah 8:7
Anaiah
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Azariah
Levite named Azariah in the Levites who instructed the people in the Law (Nehemiah 8:7). The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7
Bani
Levite named Bani in the Levites who taught the Law, led confession and sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 8:7, 9:4-5, 10:13). The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in…
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 9:4; Nehemiah 9:5
Hanan
Levite named Hanan in the Levites who taught the Law and sealed the covenant. The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 10:10
Hash-baddanah
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Hashum
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Hilkiah
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Hodiah
Levite named Hodiah in the Levites who taught the Law, led prayer and sealed the covenant. The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 9:5; Nehemiah 10:10
Jamin
Levite named Jamin in the Levites who instructed the people in the Law (Nehemiah 8:7). The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7
Jeshua
Levite who returned with Zerubbabel, supervised the temple work with Kadmiel, taught the people the Law, and led the confession and blessing. The list in Neh 10:9 names a Jeshua…
Cited in the guide: Ezra 2:40; Ezra 3:9; Nehemiah 8:7
Jozabad
Levite named Jozabad in the Levites who taught the Law, and among the leaders who supervised work outside the house of God. The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in…
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 11:16
Kelita
Levite named Kelita in the Levites who taught the Law and sealed the covenant. The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 10:10
Maaseiah
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Maaseiah
Levite named Maaseiah in the Levites who instructed the people in the Law (Nehemiah 8:7). The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7
Malchijah
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Mattithiah
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Meshullam
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Mishael
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Nehemiah
Son of Hacaliah and cupbearer to Artaxerxes at Susa; grieved over Jerusalem, was sent as governor, rebuilt the wall in 52 days despite opposition, led the covenant renewal, and…
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 10:1
Pedaiah
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Pelaiah
Levite named Pelaiah in the Levites who taught the Law and sealed the covenant. The lists do not say whether same-named Levites in different lists are one man.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 10:10
Shabbethai
Levite who supported the opposition to the plan in Ezra 10:15; a Levite of this name also helps explain the Law (Neh 8:7) and supervises work outside the temple (Neh 11:16).
Cited in the guide: Ezra 10:15; Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 11:16
Shema
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Sherebiah
A man of insight from the line of Mahli son of Levi, brought to Ezra with 18 sons and brothers; he was set apart to guard the silver and gold. A Levite of this name also teaches…
Cited in the guide: Ezra 8:18; Ezra 8:24; Nehemiah 8:7
Uriah
Stood at Ezra’s right side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Zechariah
Stood at Ezra’s left side on the wooden platform when he read the Law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 8:4
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ezra 7:6; 2 Chronicles 34:15; Nehemiah 3:26; Matthew 13:52; Ezra 3:1–13
- 2 Leviticus 23:24; Malachi 2:7; Numbers 29:1; Isaiah 28:9; Acts 15:21
- 3 Revelation 3:22; Luke 4:16–20; Hebrews 2:1–3; Revelation 2:29; Acts 28:23
- 4 Nehemiah 10:18; Nehemiah 10:25; Ezra 10:33; Ezra 10:29; Nehemiah 10:3
- 5 Judges 3:20; 1 Kings 8:14; Luke 4:16–17
- 6 1 Timothy 2:8; Lamentations 3:41; Exodus 4:31; 2 Chronicles 20:18; Revelation 7:11
- 7 Nehemiah 9:4; Leviticus 10:11; Nehemiah 3:23; Ezra 10:22–23; Malachi 2:7
- 8 Luke 24:45; Acts 28:23; Acts 17:2–3; Luke 24:32; Acts 8:30–35
- 9 Nehemiah 7:65; Nehemiah 7:70; Deuteronomy 12:12; Deuteronomy 16:11; Nehemiah 8:2
- 10 Psalm 28:7–8; Proverbs 17:22; 2 Corinthians 12:8–9; Ecclesiastes 9:7; Isaiah 12:1–3
- 11 Numbers 13:30
- 12 Psalm 119:174; Psalm 119:171; Psalm 119:72; Luke 24:32; Nehemiah 8:7–8
- 13 Proverbs 8:33–34; Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 2:1–6; Acts 4:1; 2 Chronicles 30:23
- 14 Leviticus 23:34; Leviticus 23:40–43; Deuteronomy 16:13–15; Zechariah 14:16–19; John 7:2
- 15 Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 16:16; Leviticus 23:4; Judges 9:48–49; Genesis 8:11
- 16 Nehemiah 12:39; 2 Kings 14:13; Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 12:37; Nehemiah 8:3
- 17 2 Chronicles 8:13; 2 Chronicles 7:8–10; Ezra 3:4; John 1:14; Hebrews 11:9
- 18 Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; Deuteronomy 31:10–13; John 7:37
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences