1. Then on the 24th day of that same month, the Israelites gathered together for a day of fasting. They wore sackcloth and put ashes on their heads to show they were sad and upset.
2. Those people who were true Israelites separated themselves from foreigners. The Israelites stood and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
3. They stood there for about three hours, and the people read the Book of the Law of the Lord their God. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and bowed down to worship the Lord their God.
4. Then these Levites stood on the stairs: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani. They called out to the Lord their God with loud voices.
5. Then these Levites spoke again: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said, “Stand up and praise the Lord your God! God has always lived and will live forever. “People should praise your glorious name. May your name be lifted above all blessing and praise.
6. You are God. Lord, only you are God. You made the sky and the highest heavens and everything in them. You made the earth and everything on it. You made the seas and everything in them. You give life to everything. All the heavenly angels bow down and worship you.
7. You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram. You led him from Ur in Babylonia. You changed his name to Abraham.
8. You saw he was true and loyal to you, and you made an agreement with him. You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. But you promised to give that land to Abraham’s descendants. And you kept your promise because you are good.
9. You saw our ancestors suffering in Egypt and heard them call for help by the Red Sea.
10. You showed the miracles to Pharaoh. You did amazing things to his officials and his people. You knew that the Egyptians thought they were better than our ancestors. But you proved how great you are, and they remember that even today.
11. You split the Red Sea in front of them, and they walked through on dry land. The Egyptian soldiers were chasing them, but you threw that enemy into the sea. And they sank like a rock into the sea.
12. With the tall cloud, you led them by day, and at night you used the column of fire. That is the way you lit their path and showed them where to go.
13. Then you came down to Mount Sinai. You spoke to them from heaven. You gave them good laws. You gave them true teachings. You gave them laws and commands that were very good.