Nehemiah 8:1-8

O Lord, your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Give us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, and strength to follow on the path you set before us; through Jesus Christ, Amen.

His greater glory...

1 "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. 2 "On the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 "While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4 "The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah [ MAT uh THIGH uh], Shema [SHEE mah], Anaiah [ uh NAY uh], Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah [MAY uh SEE uh] stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah [mal KIGH juh], Hashum [HAY shuhm], Hash-bad-da-nah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 "Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 "Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 "Jeshua, Bani [BAY nigh], Sherebiah [SHER uh BIGH uh], Jamin, Akkub , Shabbethai [SHAB ih thigh], Hodiah, Maaseiah [MAY uh SEE uh], Kelita [kih LIGH tuh], Azariah [az uh RIGH uh], Jozabad [JAHZ uh bad], Hanan [HAY nan], and Pelaiah [pih LAY yuh], who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. 8 "They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.” ()