Reformation Directory

2 Ezrá gathereth together the people, and readeth to them the Law. 12 They rejoyce in Israél for the knowledge of the worde of God. 15 They kepe the feast of Tabernacles or booths.

1.And all the people assembled them selves ^together, in the streat that was before the watergate, and they spake unto Ezrá the ^ascribe, that he wolde bring the boke of the Law of Mosés, which the Lord had commanded to Israél.

2.And Ezrá the Priest broght the Law before the Congregacion both of men and women, and of all that ^bcould hear and understand it, in the first day of the sevent moneth,

3.And he red therein in the streat that was before the watergate (from the morning until ^cthe midday) before men and women, and of them that understode it, and the eares of all the people hearkened unto the boke of the Law.

4.And Ezrá the scribe stode upon a pulpit of wood, which he had made for the preaching, & beside him stode Mattithiáh, & Shéma, & Ananiáh, and Urijáh, and Hilkiáh, and Maaseiáh on his right hand, & on his left hand Pedaiáh, and Mishaél, and Malchiáh, and Hashúm, and Hashbadána, Zechariáh, and Meshullám.

5.And Ezrá opened the boke before all the people: for he was ^dabove all the people: and when he opened it, all the people stode up.

6.And Ezrá praised the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed them selves, and worshipped the Lord with their faces toward the grounde.

7.Also Jeshúa, and Baní, and Sherebiáh, Jamín, Akkúb, Shabbethái, Hodijáh, Maaseiáh, Kelitá, Azariáh, Jozabád, Hanán, Pelaiáh, and the Levites caused the people to understand the Law, and the people stode in their place.

8.And they red in the boke of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense, & caused them to understand the reading.

9.Then Nehemiáh (which is Tirshátha) & Ezrá the Priest and scribe, and the Levites that instructed the people, said unto The feast of Tabernacles. Nehemi all the people, This daye is holy unto the Lord your God: mourne not, nether wepe: for all the people ^ewept, when they heard the wordes of the Law.

10.He said also unto them, Go, and eat of the fat, and drink the sweet, & send parte unto them, for whome none is ^fprepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: be ye not sory therefore: for the ^gjoy of the Lord is your strength.

11.And the Levites made silence throughout all the people, saying, Holde your peace: for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.

12.Then all the people went to eat and to drinke, and to send away parte, and to make great joye, because they had understand the wordes that they had taught them.

13.And on the seconde day the chief fathers of all the people, the Priests and the Levites were gathered unto Ezrá the scribe, that he also might instruct them in the wordes of the Law.

14.And they founde written in the Law, (that the Lord had commanded by Mosés) that the children of Israél shulde dwell in *booths in the feast of the sevent moneth,

15.And that thei shulde cause it to be declared & proclaimed in all their cities, and in Jerusalém, saying, Go forthe unto the mount, and bring olive branches, and pine branches, and branches of ^myrtus, and palme branches, and branches of thicke trees, to make booths, as it is written.

16.So the people went forthe & broght them and made them booths, everie one upon the ^hrofe of his house, and in their courts, & in the courts of the house of God, and in the strete by the watergate, and in the strete of the gate of Ephráim.

17.And all the Congregacion of them that were come againe out of the captivitie, made booths, and sate under the booths: for since the ⁱtime of Jeshúa the sonne of Nun unto this day, had not the children of Israél done so, and there was very great joye.

18.And he red in the boke of the Law of God everie day, from the first daye unto the last daye. And thei kept the feast seven dayes, and on the eight daye a solemne assemblie, according unto the maner.

Nehemiah 8

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