And allthe peoplegatheredas onemanat the squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGate,and they askedEzrathe scribeto bringthe bookof the lawof Moseswhichthe LORDhad givento Israel.
The kingwentup to the houseof the LORDand allthe menof Judahand allthe inhabitantsof Jerusalemwith him, and the priestsand the prophetsand allthe people,bothsmalland great;and he readin their hearingallthe wordsof the bookof the covenantwhich was foundin the houseof the LORD.
Hilkiahrespondedand saidto Shaphanthe scribe,"I have foundthe bookof the lawin the houseof the LORD."And Hilkiahgavethe bookto Shaphan.
The kingwentup to the houseof the LORDand allthe menof Judah,the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,the priests,the Levitesand allthe people,from the greatestto the least;and he readin their hearingallthe wordsof the bookof the covenantwhich was foundin the houseof the LORD.
Now afterthesethings,in the reignof Artaxerxeskingof Persia,[there went up] Ezrasonof Seraiah,sonof Azariah,sonof Hilkiah,
For Ezrahad sethis heartto studythe lawof the LORDand to practice[it], and to teach[His] statutesand ordinancesin Israel.
Now thisis the copyof the decreewhichKingArtaxerxesgaveto Ezrathe priest,the scribe,learnedin the wordsof the commandmentsof the LORDand His statutesto Israel:
ThisEzrawentup from Babylon,and he was a scribeskilledin the lawof Moses,whichthe LORDGodof Israelhad given;and the kinggrantedhim allhe requestedbecause the handof the LORDhis God[was] upon him.
These[served] in the daysof Joiakimthe sonof Jeshua,the sonof Jozadak,and in the daysof Nehemiahthe governorand of Ezrathe priest[and] scribe.
At the FountainGatethey wentdirectlyup the stepsof the cityof Davidby the stairwayof the wallabovethe houseof Davidto the WaterGateon the east.
The templeservantslivingin Ophel[made repairs] as faras the frontof the WaterGatetoward the eastand the projectingtower.
So the peoplewentout and brought[them] and madeboothsfor themselves, eachon his roof,and in their courtsand in the courtsof the houseof God,and in the squareat the WaterGateand in the squareat the Gateof Ephraim.
He readfrom it beforethe squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGatefrom earlymorninguntilmidday,in the presenceof menand women,those who could understand;and allthe peoplewere attentiveto the bookof the law.
To the lawand to the testimony!Ifthey do not speakaccording to thisword,it is becausethey havenodawn.
So they tookwhatMoseshad commandedto the frontof the tentof meeting,and the wholecongregationcamenearand stoodbeforethe LORD.
"Rememberthe lawof MosesMy servant,[even the] statutesand ordinanceswhichI commandedhim in Horebfor allIsrael.
And Jesus saidto them, "Thereforeeveryscribewho has become a discipleof the kingdomof heavenis likea head of a household,whobringsout of his treasurethings newand old."
"But woeto you, scribesand Pharisees,hypocrites,becauseyou shutoff the kingdomof heavenfrom people;for you do not enterin yourselves,nordo you allowthosewho are enteringto goin.
saying:"The scribesand the Phariseeshave seated themselvesin the chairof Moses;
"Therefore,behold,I am sendingyou prophetsand wise menand scribes;someof them you will killand crucify,and someof them you will scourgein your synagogues,and persecutefrom cityto city,
when allIsraelcomesto appearbeforethe LORDyour Godat the placewhichHe will choose,you shall readthislawin frontof allIsraelin their hearing.
Then allthe sonsof Israelfrom Danto Beersheba,including the landof Gilead,cameout, and the congregationassembledas onemanto the LORDat Mizpah.
Then allthe peoplearoseas oneman,saying,"Not oneof us will goto his tent,norwill anyof us returnto his house.
