This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he {was} a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto {the place} over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. {dwelt...: or, which dwelt in Ophel, repaired unto} {Ophel: or, tower}

And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe {which is} instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man {that is} an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure {things} new and old.

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel {were} in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Now this {is} the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, {even} a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

So the people went forth, and brought {them}, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, {with} the statutes and judgments.

Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, {and} Meshullam. {pulpit...: Heb. tower of wood}

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, {it is} because {there is} no light in them. {no...: Heb. no morning}

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and {some} of them ye shall kill and crucify; and {some} of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute {them} from city to city:

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in {yourselves}, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

How do ye say, We {are} wise, and the law of the LORD {is} with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he {it}; the pen of the scribes {is} in vain. {in vain made...: or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood}

And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any {of us} go to his tent, neither will we any {of us} turn into his house.

Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto {the place} over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. {dwelt...: or, which dwelt in Ophel, repaired unto} {Ophel: or, tower}

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; {not...: or, not desirous}

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do {it}, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, {spake...: Heb. he spoke to their heart}

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. {great...: Heb. from great even to small}

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that {is} in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that {are} beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know {them} not.

And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; {and} they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

And they brought {that} which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.

They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. {They shall teach: or, Let them teach} {they shall put: or, let them put} {before...: Heb. at thy nose}

And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. {both...: Heb. from small even unto great}

And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, {one} of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and {before} the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and {one} taken for Ithamar. {principal...: Heb. house of the father}

And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

So the people went forth, and brought {them}, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.