Ezra læser op af Toraen
1Da den syvende måned kom, og de hjemvendte havde slået sig ned i deres byer, drog de alle som én op til Jerusalem og samledes på den åbne plads inden for Vandporten. De bad nu den skriftlærde præst Ezra hente bogen med Toraen, som Herren havde givet Israels folk.
2-5Ezra hentede bogrullen og stillede sig op på en platform af træ, der var lavet specielt til anledningen. Det var den første dag i den syvende måned. Han stod foran Vandporten med Mattitja, Shema, Anaja, Urija, Hilkija og Ma’aseja på sin højre side. På sin venstre side havde han Pedaja, Mishael, Malkija, Hashum, Hashbaddana, Zekarja og Meshullam. Forsamlingen bestod af både mænd og kvinder og de børn, der var gamle nok til at forstå bogens indhold. Alle fulgte ham med øjnene, og da han åbnede bogrullen, rejste hele forsamlingen sig op. Ezra læste op af bogen hele formiddagen, og folk lyttede opmærksomt. 6Da han åbnede bogen, lovpriste han Herren, den Almægtige, og folket svarede „Amen!” mens de løftede hænderne mod himlen. Derefter lagde de sig på knæ med ansigtet mod jorden i tilbedelse til Herren.
7-8Mens Ezra læste op af bogen med Guds instrukser, stod levitterne Jeshua, Bani, Sherebja, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbetaj, Hodija, Ma’aseja, Kelita, Azarja, Jozabad, Hanan og Pelaja og forklarede betydningen af det, der blev læst, så alle kunne forstå det. 9Da folket blev klar over Toraens indhold, begyndte de at græde. Men Nehemias og Ezra og de levitter, der havde forklaret teksten, sagde: „Denne dag er indviet til Herren. Derfor skal I ikke græde, men glæde jer.” 10Nehemias fortsatte: „I skal fejre dagen med et festmåltid, fede retter og vin mend honning i, og dele med dem, der intet har. Vær ikke sørgmodige, for glæden fra Herren giver jer styrke!”
11Også levitterne gjorde, hvad de kunne, for at berolige folket. „Græd ikke!” sagde de. „I dag er en festdag for Herren, hvor vi bør glæde os og ikke sørge!”
12Så brød folket op for at holde fest med glæde, for de havde forstået det budskab, der var blevet forklaret for dem. De spiste og drak og delte med hinanden.
Løvhyttefesten
13Næste dag kom slægtsoverhovederne, præsterne og levitterne til Ezra for at blive undervist mere indgående i Toraen. 14Da blev de klar over, at Herren gennem Moses havde befalet, at Israels folk skulle bo i løvhytter under den ugelange høstfest i den syvende måned. 15Man sendte derfor følgende besked til alle landets byer og til folk i Jerusalem: „Gå ud på højene og hent grene fra oliventræer, myrter, palmer og andre træer med blade, så I kan bygge løvhytter, som der står skrevet.”
16Folk blev derfor sendt ud for at hente grene, og de byggede hytter på hustagene, i gårdhaverne, i tempelgården, på pladsen ved Vandporten og ved Efraimporten. 17Alle de hjemvendte byggede hytter og boede i dem i de syv dage, højtiden varede. Løvhyttefesten var ikke blevet fejret siden Josvas tid, og alle var begejstrede og glade. 18På hver af de syv dage læste Ezra et stykke op fra bogen, hvorefter man den ottende dag afsluttede højtiden med den særlige ceremoni, som Toraen foreskriver.
1And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.8.2 that…: Heb. that understood in hearing 3And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.8.3 from…: Heb. from the light 4And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.8.4 pulpit…: Heb. tower of wood 5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:8.5 sight: Heb. eyes 6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9¶ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.8.9 the Tirshatha: or, the governor 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. 11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12And 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 unto them.
13¶ And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.8.13 to understand…: or, that they might instruct in the words of the law 14And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:8.14 by: Heb. by the hand of 15And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16¶ So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 18Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.8.18 a solemn…: Heb. a restraint
