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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Nehemiah 8 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/nehemiah/8.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/nehemiah/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Nehemiah 8</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../nehemiah/7.htm" title="Nehemiah 7">◄</a> Nehemiah 8 <a href="../nehemiah/9.htm" title="Nehemiah 9">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/nehemiah/8.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="noindent"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>All the people gathered as a united body<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:1 Lit. as one man">a</a></span> into the plaza in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Law before the assembled people. Both men and women were in attendance, as well as<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:2 The Heb. lacks were in attendance, as well as">b</a></span> all<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:2 Lit. women and everyone">c</a></span> who could understand what they were hearing.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Ezra<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:3 Lit. He">d</a></span> read from it, facing the plaza in front of the Water Gate, from early in the morning until mid-day in the presence of the men and women, as well as all who could understand. All the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden rostrum erected for that purpose. Beside him to his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maasseiah. Beside him to his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people. Because he was visible<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:5 The Heb. lacks visible">e</a></span> above all the people there, as he opened it, all the people stood up. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with uplifted hands, all the people responded, “Amen! Amen!” They bowed down and worshipped the LORD prostrate on the ground.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>They read from the Book of the Law of God, distinctly communicating its meaning, so they could understand the reading.</p> <p class="heading">A Declaration to Rejoice</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Because all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Law, Nehemiah the governor,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:9 Lit. Tirshatha; i.e. a Persian title ">f</a></span> Ezra the priest and scribe, and the descendants of Levi who taught the people told everyone, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>He also told them, “Go eat the best food, drink the best wine,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:10 Or drink sweet drinks">g</a></span> and give something to those who have nothing, since this day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be sorrowful, because the joy of the LORD is your strength.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The descendants of Levi also calmed all the people by saying, “Be still, for the day is holy. Don’t be sorrowful!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>So all the people went to eat, to drink, to send something to those who had nothing,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:12 The Heb. lacks to those who had nothing">h</a></span> and to celebrate with great joy, because they understood the words that were being declared to them.</p> <p class="heading">The Festival of Tents is Reinstituted</p><p class="cross_ref">(<a href="http://isv.scripturetext.com/leviticus/23.htm">Leviticus 23:33-43</a>)</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>The next day, the heads of the families of all the people were gathered together, along with the priests and the descendants of Levi, to meet with<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:13 The Heb. lacks meet with">i</a></span> Ezra the scribe in order to understand the words of the Law. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>They found written in the Law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelis were to live in tents<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:14 i.e. booth-like structures covered with branches; cf. Lev 23:34,40,42">j</a></span> during the festival scheduled for the seventh month. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>So they circulated a proclamation throughout their towns and in Jerusalem. It said, “Go out to the hill country and bring back olive branches, wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of mature trees, in order to set up tents, as has been written.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then the people went out and found branches to make tents for themselves on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, and in the courts of God’s Temple, in the plaza near the Water Gate, and in the plaza near the Gate of Ephraim. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>The entire assembly of those who had returned from exile erected tents and lived in them. Indeed, from the days of Nun’s son Joshua until that day the Israelis had not done so. Joy was everywhere,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:17 Lit. was very abundant">k</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/8-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>and Ezra<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="8:18 Lit. he">l</a></span> continued to read from the Book of the Law of God day by day, from the first day through the last. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly according to regulation.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 8:1 Lit. <i>as one man</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 8:2 The Heb. lacks <i>were in attendance, as well as</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 8:2 Lit. <i>women and everyone</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 8:3 Lit. <i>He</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 8:5 The Heb. lacks <i>visible</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 8:9 Lit. <i>Tirshatha</i>; i.e. a Persian title <br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 8:10 Or <i>drink sweet drinks</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 8:12 The Heb. lacks <i>to those who had nothing</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 8:13 The Heb. lacks <i>meet with</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 8:14 i.e. booth-like structures covered with branches; cf. Lev 23:34,40,42<br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 8:17 Lit. <i>was very abundant</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 8:18 Lit. <i>he</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../nehemiah/7.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Nehemiah 7"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 7" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../nehemiah/9.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Nehemiah 9"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 9" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/nehemiah/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>