The Recovery of the Book of the Law

¹⁴ When they brought out the silver that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses.^(A)

⁷ Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah,^(A) who were Levites,^[a](B) explained the law^(C) to the people as they stood in their places. ⁸ They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. ⁹ Nehemiah the governor,^(D) Ezra the priest and scribe,^(E) and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day^(F) is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”^(G) For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

Festival of Shelters Observed

¹³ On the second day, the family heads of all the people, along with the priests and Levites,^(A) assembled before the scribe Ezra^(B) to study the words of the law. ¹⁴ They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.^(C)

¹⁸ Ezra^[a] read out of the book of the law of God^(A) every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.^(B)