1. On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people of Israel went without eating, and they dressed in sackcloth and threw dust on their heads to show their sorrow.
2. They refused to let foreigners join them, as they met to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
3. For three hours they stood and listened to the Law of the Lord their God, and then for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshipped the Lord.
4. Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the special platform for the Levites and prayed aloud to the Lord their God.
5. Then the Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said:“Stand and shout praisesto your Lord,the eternal God!Praise his wonderful name,though he is greaterthan words can express.”
6. You alone are the Lord,Creator of the heavensand all the stars,Creator of the earthand those who live on it,Creator of the oceanand all its creatures.You are the source of life,praised by the starsthat fill the heavens.
7. You are the Lord our God,the one who chose Abram—you brought him from Urin Babyloniaand named him Abraham.