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1On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.[#9:1 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of that same month, the seventh month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 31, 445 b.c. ; also see notes on 1:1 and 8:2.]
2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.
3They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.[#9:3 Hebrew for a quarter of a day.]
4The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the Lord their God with loud voices.
5Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed:
38The people responded, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our leaders and Levites and priests.”[#9:38a Verse 9:38 is numbered 10:1 in Hebrew text.; #9:38b Or In spite of all this.]