---
title: "Nehemiah 8 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/nehemiah/8/
description: "Esdras readeth the law before the people. Nehemias comforteth them. They… Nehemiah 8 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8 is chapter 8 of 13 in the Book of Nehemiah. Here are all 18 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Esdras readeth the law before the people. Nehemias comforteth them. They celebrate the feast of tabernacles.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Nehemiah 8 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And the seventh month had arrived. Now the sons of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together, like one man, in the street which is before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe, so that he would bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had instructed to Israel.
2. Therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those who were able to understand, on the first day of the seventh month.
3. And he read it openly in the street which was before the water gate, from morning even until midday, in the sight of the men and women, and those who understood. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.
4. Then Ezra the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made for speaking. And standing beside him were Mattithiah, and Shemaiah, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And on the left were Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5. And Ezra opened the book before all the people. For he stood out above all the people. And when he had opened it, all the people stood up.
6. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing the ground.
7. Then Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, caused the people to be silent in order to hear the law. And the people were standing on their feet.
8. And they read from the book of the law of God, distinctly and plainly, so as to be understood. And when it was read, they did understand.
9. Then Nehemiah (the same is the cupbearer) and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who were interpreting for all the people, said: “This day has been sanctified to the Lord our God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all of the people were weeping, as they were listening to the words of the law.
10. And he said to them: “Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves. For it is the holy day of the Lord. And do not be sad. For the joy of the Lord is also our strength.”
11. Then the Levites caused the people to be silent, saying: “Be quiet. For the day is holy. And do not be sorrowful.”
12. And so all the people went forth, so that they might eat and drink, and so that they might send portions, and so that they might make a great rejoicing. For they understood the words that he had taught to them.
13. And on the second day, the leaders of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, so that he might interpret for them the words of the law.
14. And they found written in the law, which the Lord had instructed by the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel should live in tabernacles on the day of solemnity in the seventh month,
15. and that they should proclaim and send out a voice in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying: “Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches, and the branches of beautiful trees, myrtle branches, and palm branches, and the branches of thick trees,” so that they might make tabernacles, just as it was written.
16. And the people went forth and brought. And they made for themselves tabernacles, each one at his own dwelling, 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.
17. Therefore, the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made tabernacles and lived in tabernacles. For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, even to that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing.
18. Now he read in the book of the law of God, throughout each day, from the first day even to the very last day. And they kept the solemnity for seven days. And on the eighth day, there was a gathering according to the ritual.

## Nehemiah 8 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Et venerat mensis septimus: filii autem Israël erant in civitatibus suis. Congregatusque est omnis populus quasi vir unus ad plateam quæ est ante portam aquarum: et dixerunt Esdræ scribæ ut afferret librum legis Moysi, quam præceperat Dominus Israëli.
2. Attulit ergo Esdras sacerdos legem coram multitudine virorum et mulierum, cunctisque qui poterant intelligere, in die prima mensis septimi.
3. Et legit in eo aperte in platea quæ erat ante portam aquarum, de mane usque ad mediam diem, in conspectu virorum et mulierum, et sapientium: et aures omnis populi erant erectæ ad librum.
4. Stetit autem Esdras scriba super gradum ligneum, quem fecerat ad loquendum: et steterunt juxta eum Mathathias, et Semeia, et Ania, et Uria, et Helcia, et Maasia, ad dexteram ejus: et ad sinistram, Phadaia, Misaël, et Melchia, et Hasum, et Hasbadana, Zacharia, et Mosollam.
5. Et aperuit Esdras librum coram omni populo: super universum quippe populum eminebat: et cum aperuisset eum, stetit omnis populus.
6. Et benedixit Esdras Domino Deo magno: et respondit omnis populus: Amen, amen, elevans manus suas: et incurvati sunt, et adoraverunt Deum proni in terram.
7. Porro Josue, et Bani, et Serebia, Jamin, Accub, Septhai, Odia, Maasia, Celita, Azarias, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaia, Levitæ, silentium faciebant in populo ad audiendam legem: populus autem stabat in gradu suo.
8. Et legerunt in libro legis Dei distincte, et aperte ad intelligendum: et intellexerunt cum legeretur.
9. Dixit autem Nehemias (ipse est Athersatha) et Esdras sacerdos et scriba, et Levitæ interpretantes universo populo: Dies sanctificatus est Domino Deo nostro: nolite lugere, et nolite flere. Flebat enim omnis populus cum audiret verba legis.
10. Et dixit eis: Ite, comedite pinguia, et bibite mulsum, et mittite partes his qui non præparaverunt sibi, quia sanctus dies Domini est: et nolite contristari: gaudium etenim Domini est fortitudo nostra.
11. Levitæ autem silentium faciebant in omni populo, dicentes: Tacete, quia dies sanctus est, et nolite dolere.
12. Abiit itaque omnis populus ut comederet, et biberet, et mitteret partes, et faceret lætitiam magnam: quia intellexerant verba quæ docuerat eos.
13. Et in die secundo congregati sunt principes familiarum universi populi, sacerdotes et Levitæ, ad Esdram scribam, ut interpretaretur eis verba legis.
14. Et invenerunt scriptum in lege præcepisse Dominum in manu Moysi ut habitent filii Israël in tabernaculis in die solemni, mense septimo:
15. et ut prædicent, et divulgent vocem in universis urbibus suis, et in Jerusalem, dicentes: Egredimini in montem, et afferte frondes olivæ, et frondes ligni pulcherrimi, frondes myrti, et ramos palmarum, et frondes ligni nemorosi, ut fiant tabernacula, sicut scriptum est.
16. Et egressus est populus, et attulerunt. Feceruntque sibi tabernacula unusquisque in domate suo: et in atriis suis, et in atriis domus Dei, et in platea portæ aquarum, et in platea portæ Ephraim.
17. Fecit ergo universa ecclesia eorum qui redierant de captivitate, tabernacula, et habitaverunt in tabernaculis: non enim fecerant a diebus Josue filii Nun taliter filii Israël usque ad diem illum. Et fuit lætitia magna nimis.
18. Legit autem in libro legis Dei per dies singulos, a die primo usque ad diem novissimum. Et fecerunt solemnitatem septem diebus, et in die octavo collectam juxta ritum.

## The saints

- “Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life; wherefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits.” — St. Philip Neri, Maxims, 16th c. (On this theme: verse 10)

## Read at Mass (US)

- Thu, Sep 30, 2027 (computed): St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church — First Reading, Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
- Sun, Jan 23, 2028 (computed): Third Sunday in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).