2 And 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.
3 And 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.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi´ah, and Shema, and Anai´ah, and Uri´jah, and Hilki´ah, and Ma-asei´ah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedai´ah, and Mish´a-el, and Malchi´ah, and Hashum, and Hashbada´na, Zechari´ah, and Meshul´lam.
5 And 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:
6 and 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.
7 Also Jesh´u-a, and Bani, and Sherebi´ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab´bethai, Hodi´jah, Ma-asei´ah, Keli´ta, Azari´ah, Joz´abad, Hanan, Pelai´ah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.