Nehemiah

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.

1All the people came together in the open square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses. Ezra was a scribe, a man who studied and copied God's law. The LORD had given this law to Israel.

2And 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.

2It was the first day of the seventh month. Ezra the priest brought the law out to the crowd. Men and women were there, and everyone old enough to understand.

3And 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.

3He read it out loud from early morning until noon. He faced the square by the Water Gate. The men, the women, and all who could understand were there. Everyone listened closely to the Book of the Law.

4And 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.

4Ezra stood on a tall wooden platform built just for this. On his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. On his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5And 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:

5Ezra opened the book where everyone could see it. He was standing up higher than the crowd. When he opened it, all the people stood up.

6And 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.

6Ezra praised the LORD, the great God. All the people lifted up their hands and said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down low and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7Also 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.

7Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah helped too. These men were Levites, workers who helped at God's house. They taught the people the law while the people stood in their places.

8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

8So they read from the Book of the Law of God clearly. They explained what it meant. They helped the people understand what was being read.

9And 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.

9Nehemiah was the governor, the leader in charge of the land. He and Ezra the priest and the teaching Levites spoke to everyone. They said, "This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad and do not cry." They said this because all the people were crying as they heard the law.

NoteThe KJV calls Nehemiah "the Tirshatha." That is an old Persian word for governor.

10Then 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.

10Then Nehemiah said, "Go home. Eat good food and drink something sweet. Send some food to people who have nothing ready. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad. The joy of the LORD is your strength."

Note"Eat the fat, and drink the sweet" means eat rich, good food and drink sweet drinks. It is an invitation to a feast, not a rule about fat.

11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

11So the Levites calmed all the people down. They said, "Be quiet now. This day is holy. Do not be sad."

12And 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.

12So all the people went off to eat and drink. They sent food to others, and they were very glad. They were glad because now they understood the words they had heard.

Note"Great mirth" in the KJV means great joy, not joking or laughing at someone.

13And 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.

13On the second day, the leaders of all the families came together. The priests and the Levites came too. They met with Ezra the scribe to study 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:

14In the law that the LORD gave through Moses, they found something written. The people of Israel were to live in booths during the feast in the seventh month. Booths are small huts made of branches.

15And 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.

15They were to send this news through all their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out to the hills. Bring back branches from olive trees, wild olive trees, myrtle trees, and palm trees. Bring other leafy branches too. Use them to make booths, just as the law says."

16So 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.

16So the people went out and brought back branches. They made booths on their own flat roofs and in their yards. They made them in the courtyard of God's house too. They made them in the square by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim.

17And 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 the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

17Everyone who had come back from being held in another land made booths. They lived in them. Israel had not kept this feast this way since the days of Joshua son of Nun. And they were filled with great gladness.

NoteThe KJV spells the name "Jeshua the son of Nun." This is the same man other books call Joshua.

18Also 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.

18Every day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast for seven days. On the eighth day they held a special meeting, just as the law said to do.