1 And the seventh month had arrived. Now the sons of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together, like one man, in the street which is before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe, so that he would bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had instructed to Israel. 2 Therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those who were able to understand, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read it openly in the street which was before the water gate, from morning even until midday, in the sight of the men and women, and those who understood. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book. 4 Then Ezra the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made for speaking. And standing beside him were Mattithiah, and Shemaiah, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And on the left were Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book before all the people. For he stood out above all the people. And when he had opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing the ground. 7 Then Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, caused the people to be silent in order to hear the law. And the people were standing on their feet. 8 And they read from the book of the law of God, distinctly and plainly, so as to be understood. And when it was read, they did understand. 9 Then Nehemiah (the same is the cupbearer) and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who were interpreting for all the people, said: “This day has been sanctified to the Lord our God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all of the people were weeping, as they were listening to the words of the law. 10 And he said to them: “Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves. For it is the holy day of the Lord. And do not be sad. For the joy of the Lord is also our strength.” 11 Then the Levites caused the people to be silent, saying: “Be quiet. For the day is holy. And do not be sorrowful.” 12 And so all the people went forth, so that they might eat and drink, and so that they might send portions, and so that they might make a great rejoicing. For they understood the words that he had taught to them. 13 And on the second day, the leaders of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, so that he might interpret for them the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law, which the Lord had instructed by the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel should live in tabernacles on the day of solemnity in the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim and send out a voice in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying: “Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches, and the branches of beautiful trees, myrtle branches, and palm branches, and the branches of thick trees,” so that they might make tabernacles, just as it was written. 16 And the people went forth and brought. And they made for themselves tabernacles, each one at his own dwelling, 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 Therefore, the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made tabernacles and lived in tabernacles. For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, even to that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing. 18 Now he read in the book of the law of God, throughout each day, from the first day even to the very last day. And they kept the solemnity for seven days. And on the eighth day, there was a gathering according to the ritual.
Nehemiah · Catholic Public Domain Version
Nehemiah 8 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
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
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