1. On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the Israelites gathered together while fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.
2. Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all who were of foreign extraction, then stood forward and confessed their sins and the guilty deeds of their ancestors.
3. When they had taken their places, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God, for a fourth of the day, and during another fourth they made their confession and bowed down before the Lord their God.
4. Standing on the platform of the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, who cried out to the Lord their God, with a loud voice.
5. The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said,“Arise, bless the Lord, your God,from eternity to eternity!”“And may they bless your glorious name,which is exalted above all blessing and praise.”
6. “You are the Lord, you alone;You made the heavens,the highest heavens and all their host,The earth and all that is upon it,the seas and all that is in them.To all of them you give life,the heavenly hosts bow down before you.
7. You are the Lord Godwho chose Abram,Who brought him from Ur of the Chaldees,who named him Abraham.
8. You found his heart faithful in your sight,you made the covenant with himTo give the land of the Canaanites,Hittites, Amorites,Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashitesto him and his descendants.You fulfilled your promises,for you are just.
9. You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt,you heard their cry by the Red Sea;
10. You worked signs and wonders against Pharaoh,against all his servants and the people of his land,Because you knew of their insolence toward them;thus you made for yourself a name even to this day.
11. The sea you divided before them,on dry ground they passed through the midst of the sea;Their pursuers you hurled into the depths,like a stone into the mighty waters.
12. With a column of cloud you led them by day,and by night with a column of fire,To light the way of their journey,the way in which they must travel.