and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people [stood] in their place. 008:008 They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. 008:009 Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Yahweh your God; don't mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 008:010 Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Don't be grieved; for the joy of Yahweh is your strength. 008:011 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved. 008:012 All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 008:013 On the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers' [houses] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. 008:014 They found written in the law, how that Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 008:015 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. 008:016 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. 008:017 All the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 008:018 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance. 009:001 Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth on them. 009:002 The seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 009:003 They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law