Ezra reads the Law

1 In the seventh month, all the people gathered as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Yahweh had given to Israel.

2 Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all the children who could understand what was being read. It was the first day of the seventh month.

3 Ezra read the book before all of them from early morning until midday in the square facing the Water Gate; and all who heard were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra, the teacher of the Law, stood on a wooden platform built for that occasion and to his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hasbadda nah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it, all the people stood.

6 Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, ��Amen! Amen!�� And they bowed their heads to the ground.

7 The Levites Joshua, Bani and the rest of their brothers explained the Law to the people who were standing.

8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, clarifying and interpreting the meaning, so that everyone might understand what they were hearing.

9 Then Ezra, the teacher of the Law, said to the people, ��This day is dedicated to Yahweh, your God, so do not be sad or weep.�� He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, ��Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared.
This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of Yahweh is our strength.��

11 The Levites also calmed the people down, saying, ��Do not weep. This day is a festival day. Do not be sad.��

12 And the people went their way to eat, drink and share, and they had a great feast, because they had understood the words that had been proclaimed to them.

13 On the second day, the heads of the families, the priests and the Levites came together to Ezra, the teacher of the Law, in order to learn the Law.

14 There they read that Yahweh had commanded the children of Israel that they should dwell in huts during the feast of the seventh month.

15 Then they proclaimed in all the cities and in Jerusalem: ��Go to the mountains and bring branches of olive, pine, myrtle, palm and of any leafy tree to build huts according to what is commanded.��

16 The people went out and brought branches and built huts for themselves on the roofs of their houses, or in their yards, or in the courtyards of the House of Yah weh, or in the square at the Water Gate or in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.

17 The whole assembly of those who had returned from exile built huts and dwelt in them, a thing the Israelites had not done since the days of Joshua, son of Nun. And there was great rejoicing.

18 They read the Book of the Law of God daily, from the first day to the last day of the feast. The feast lasted for seven days as prescribed and there was a solemn assembly on the eighth day.

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Comments Nehemiah, Chapter 8

• 8.1 This first public reading of the Law marks a very important date of sacred history. Until that time, the people of Israel lived their faith through praying and taking part in the Temple ceremonies. Decisions and preaching came to them through priests and prophets. They did not feel the need to read a Bible.

Several books of our Bible were already in existence but they were kept in the Temple or the kings�� palace: they were not within reach of the people nor were they the foundation of their faith. Now, however, new demands are made and they no longer have prophets as before. Ezra understands that in the future, the Jewish community will grow through the reading, medi ta tion on and interpretation of the sacred book. Ezra himself tries to gather and complete the sacred books, and a new age begins wherein the Bible will be everyone��s book and the basis of their faith.

This religious and cultural transition is similar in the Church in recent years. People went to church; they prayed and they were taught, but the Bible was foreign to them. However, now the Christian faith can only become strong through the word of God read and heard in the community. Indeed we are behind time: this renewal should have started four centuries ago when Protestantism began.

The assembly gathered by Ezra will serve as the model for the religious life of the Jewish community. The solemn worship in the Jeru salem Temple is not suppressed, but, from that time on, in every city the Jews will have a synagogue, that is, a meeting place where they will gather on the Sabbath to hear God��s word and to sing psalms.