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.