Nehemiah 8:1

Good News Translation

By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the Lord had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel.

Hebrew Names Version
All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the Sofer to bring the book of the law of Moshe, which the LORD had commanded to Yisra'el.

King James Version
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

English Standard Version
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.

New Century Version
All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.

New English Translation
all the people gathered together in the plaza which was in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel.

Amplified Bible
Then all the people gathered together as one man at the open square in front of the Water Gate; and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

New American Standard Bible
And all the people gathered as one person at the public square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

World English Bible
All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And all the people assembled themselues together, in the streete that was before the watergate, and they spake vnto Ezra the Scribe, that hee would bring the booke of ye Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they said to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
At that time all the people gathered together at the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

Contemporary English Version
On the first day of the seventh month,the people came together in the open area in front of the Water Gate. Then they asked Ezra, who was a teacher of the Law of Moses, to read to them from this Law that the Lord had given his people. Ezra the priest came with the Law and stood before the crowd of men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.

Complete Jewish Bible
all the people gathered with one accord in the open space in front of the Water Gate and asked ‘Ezra the Torah-teacher to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, which Adonai had commanded Isra'el.

Darby Translation
all the people gathered together as one man to the open place that was before the water-gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel.

Easy-to-Read Version
So all the Israelites met together in the seventh month of the year. They were united and in complete agreement. They all met together in the open place in front of the Water Gate. All the people asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given to the Israelites.

George Lamsa Translation
THEN all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street which is before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded concerning Israel.

Lexham English Bible
All of the people gathered as one to the public square before the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that Yahweh had commanded Israel.

Literal Translation
And all the people gathered as one man into the plaza before the Water Gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan the seuenth moneth drue nye, and ye children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered them selues together as one man vpon the strete before the Watergate, and sayde vnto E?dras the scrybe, that he shulde fetch the boke of the lawe of Moses, which the LORDE commaunded Israel.

American Standard Version
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.

Bible in Basic English
And when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their towns. And all the people came together like one man into the wide place in front of the water-doorway; and they made a request to Ezra the scribe that he would put before them the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And all the people gathered them selues together as one man, in the streete that was before the water gate, and they saide vnto Esdras the scribe, that he should fetch the booke of the law of Moyses, which the Lorde commaunded to Israel.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

King James Version (1611)
And all the people gathered themselues together, as one man, into the street that was before the water gate, and they spake vnto Ezra the scribe, to bring the booke of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the seventh month arrived, and the children of Israel were settled in their cities; and all the people were gathered as one man to the broad place before the water-gate, and they told Esdras the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord commanded Israel.

English Revised Version
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the seuenthe monethe `was comun vndur Esdras and Neemye; sotheli the sones of Israel weren in her cytees. And al the puple was gaderid togydere as o man, to the street which is bifor the yate of watris. And thei seiden to Esdras, the scribe, that he schulde brynge the book of the lawe of Moises, which the Lord hadde comaundid to Israel.

Update Bible Version
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all the people assembled as one man in the street that [was] before the water-gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

New King James Version
Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel.

New Living Translation
all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.

New Life Bible
Then all the people gathered as one man at the open space in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the writer to bring the book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.

New Revised Standard
all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then all the people gathered themselves together as one man, into the broad way that was before the water-gate, - and they spake unto Ezra the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the seventh month came: and the children of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together as one man to the street which is before the water gate, and they spoke to Esdras the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.

Revised Standard Version
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
And all the people are gathered as one man unto the broad place that [is] before the water-gate, and they say to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that Jehovah commanded Israel.

THE MESSAGE
By the time the seventh month arrived, the People of Israel were settled in their towns. Then all the people gathered as one person in the town square in front of the Water Gate and asked the scholar Ezra to bring the Book of The Revelation of Moses that God had commanded for Israel.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

Contextual Overview

¹ By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the Lord had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law. ² So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered—men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand. 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3559, bc 445

all the people: Ezra 3:1-13

as one man: Judges 20:1, Judges 20:8

before: Nehemiah 8:16, Nehemiah 3:26, Nehemiah 12:37

Ezra: Nehemiah 8:4-9, Ezra 7:6, Ezra 7:11, Jeremiah 8:8, Jeremiah 8:9, Matthew 13:52, Matthew 23:2, Matthew 23:13, Matthew 23:34

bring: 2 Chronicles 34:15, Isaiah 8:20, Malachi 4:4

Reciprocal: Leviticus 8:3 - General Leviticus 9:5 - and all the congregation Deuteronomy 31:11 - shalt read Deuteronomy 33:10 - They shall teach 2 Kings 22:10 - Shaphan 2 Kings 23:2 - he read 1 Chronicles 24:6 - the scribe 2 Chronicles 32:6 - in the street Ezra 7:10 - and to teach Ezra 7:25 - teach ye Ezekiel 44:24 - in all Zephaniah 2:1 - gather together John 11:55 - before Acts 15:21 - sabbath

Cross-References

Genesis 8:7
and sent out a raven. It did not come back, but kept flying around until the water was completely gone.

Genesis 8:9
but since the water still covered all the land, the dove did not find a place to light. It flew back to the boat, and Noah reached out and took it in.

Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar to the Lord ; he took one of each kind of ritually clean animal and bird, and burned them whole as a sacrifice on the altar.

Genesis 8:22
As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night."

Genesis 19:29
But when God destroyed the cities of the valley where Lot was living, he kept Abraham in mind and allowed Lot to escape to safety.

Genesis 30:22
Then God remembered Rachel; he answered her prayer and made it possible for her to have children.

Exodus 2:24
who heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Exodus 14:21
Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided,

Numbers 22:32
The angel demanded, "Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey.

1 Samuel 1:19
The next morning Elkanah and his family got up early, and after worshiping the Lord , they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with his wife Hannah, and the Lord answered her prayer.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the watergate,.... A large and commodious street for such a company of people, which led to the water gate, of which see Nehemiah 3:26 hither the people gathered with great unanimity, zeal, and affection:

and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe; the same who is called Ezra the priest, and scribe of the law of God, and said to be a ready one, Ezra 7:6, who came to Jerusalem thirteen years before this time; but very probably returned to Babylon again, and was lately come from thence:

to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel; to observe what was commanded in it, and which he had ordered to be read, particularly every seventh year, at the feast of tabernacles,

Deuteronomy 31:10 which was now drawing near, though this was not the precise time of reading it; hence some have thought this year was the sabbatical year; see Nehemiah 5:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The street - Rather, “the square” or “court.” So in Nehemiah 8:16 (compare Ezra 10:9). The court seems to have been one between the eastern gate of the temple and the watergate in the city-wall. It would thus lie within the modern Haram area.

Ezra the scribe - This is the first mention of Ezra in the present book, and the first proof we have had that he was contemporary with Nehemiah. Probably he returned to the court of Artaxerxes soon after effecting the reforms which he relates in Ezra 10:0, and did not revisit Jerusalem until about the time when the walls were completed, or after an absence of more than ten years. It was natural for the people to request him to resume the work of exposition of the Law to which he had accustomed them on his former visit Ezra 7:10, Ezra 7:25.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VIII

Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites, read and interpret the laws

to the people, 1-7.

The manner in which they do this important work, 8.

The effect produced on the people's minds by hearing it, 9.

The people are exhorted to be glad, and are told that the joy

of the Lord is their strength, 10-12.

On the second day they assemble, and find that they should keep

the feast of tabernacles; which they accordingly religiously

solemnize for seven days; and Ezra reads to them from the book

of the law, 13-18.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII

Verse Nehemiah 8:1. The street that was before the water gate — The gate which led from the temple to the brook Kidron.