Neh 8:9-15 | ESV | STEP | And Nehemiah , who was the governor , and Ezra the priest and scribe , and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people , This day is holy to the Lord your God ; do not mourn or weep . For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law .

Nehemiah 8:9-15

This Day Is Holy

9 And Nehemiah, who was ^athe governor, and Ezra ^bthe priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ^c“This day is holy to the Lord your God; ^ddo not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and ^esend portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because ^fthey had understood the words that were declared to them.

Feast of Booths Celebrated

13 On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. 14 And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses ^gthat the people of Israel should dwell in booths ^{▼▼Or temporary shelters} during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim it and ⁱpublish it in all their towns and ^jin Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring ^kbranches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.”