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¹ And all the people gathered them selues together as one man, in the streete that was before the water gate, and they saide vnto Esdras the scribe, that he should fetch the booke of the law of Moyses, which the Lorde commaunded to Israel.² And Esdras the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men & women, and all that could vnderstand did hearken vnto it vpon the first day of the seuenth moneth.³ And he read therein in the streete that was before the water gate, from the morning vntill the noone day, before men and women that did hearken to it: and the eares of all the people were inclined vnto the booke of the law.⁴ And Esdras the scribe stoode vpon a pulpet of wood which they had made for the preaching, and beside him stoode Mathathia, Sema, & Anaiah, Uriah, Helkia, & Maaseiah, on his right hande: and on his left hand stoode Pedaia, Misael, & Melchia, & Hasum, Hasabadana, Zachari, and Mesullam.⁵ And Esdras opened the booke before all the people, (for he stoode aboue al the people:) and when he opened it, all the people stoode vp.⁶ And Esdras praysed the Lorde the great God: And all the people aunswered, Amen, Ame, lifting vp their handes, and bowed them selues and worshipped the Lord falling downe vpon their faces to the grounde.⁷ And Iesua, Bani, Serebiah, Iamin, Accub, Sebbethai, Hodaia, Maasia, Celita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, & the Leuites caused the people to geue heede vnto the law: and the people stoode in their place.⁸ And they read in the booke of the lawe of God distinctly, and gaue the sense, and caused them to vnderstand the reading.

⁹ And Nehemia which is Athirsatha, and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Leuites that caused the people to take heede, said vnto al the people, This day is holy vnto the Lorde your God, be not ye sory, and weepe not: For all the people wept when they heard the wordes of the lawe.¹⁰ And he saide vnto them: Go your way, and eate the fat, and drinke the sweete, and send part vnto them also that haue not prepared for them selues, for this day is holy vnto our Lorde: be not ye sory therefore, for the ioy of the Lorde is your strength.¹¹ And the Leuites stilled all the people, and saide: Holde your peace, for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.¹² And all the people went their way to eate, and to drinke, & to sende part vnto other, and to make great mirth, because they had vnderstand the wordes that were declared vnto them.

¹³ And on the next day were gathered together the chiefe fathers among all the people, and the priestes, and leuites, vnto Esdras the scribe, that they might vnderstand the wordes of the law.¹⁴ And they founde written in the lawe which the Lorde had commaunded by Moyses, that the children of Israel should dwell in boothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth:¹⁵ And that they should cause it to be declared and proclaymed in all their cities, and throughout Hierusalem, saying: Go foorth vnto the mount and fetch Olyue brauches, Pine braunches, Myrtel braunches, Palme braunches, & braunches of the thicke tree, to make boothes, as it is written.¹⁶ And so the people went foorth, and fet them and made them boothes, euery one vpon the roofe of his house, and in their courtes, and in the courtes of the house of God, and in the streete by the water gate, and in the streete of the port of Ephraim.¹⁷ And all the congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie, made boothes, & sat vnder the boothes: for since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun, vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so: And there was very great gladnesse.¹⁸ And euery day from the first day vnto the last, read Esdras in the booke of the lawe of God: And seuen dayes held they the feaste, and on the eyght day they gathered together, according vnto the maner.