3. There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively.
4. Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5. As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him. As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up.
6. Ezra said, “Praise the Lord, the great God!”All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, “Amen! Amen!” They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground.
7. Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah.
8. They gave an oral translation of God's Law and explained it so that the people could understand it.
9. When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry. So Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, and the Levites who were explaining the Law told all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God, so you are not to mourn or cry.
10. Now go home and have a feast. Share your food and wine with those who haven't enough. Today is holy to our Lord, so don't be sad. The joy that the Lord gives you will make you strong.”
11. The Levites went about calming the people and telling them not to be sad on such a holy day.
12. So all the people went home and ate and drank joyfully and shared what they had with others, because they understood what had been read to them.
13. The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law.