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The Water Gate

A place in the Bible

A gate of Jerusalem with an open square in front of it.

What happened here

  1. The reading of the Law: all the people gathered in the square in front of the Water Gate. Ezra read the book of the Law from early morning until midday, and everyone listened.
  2. “Amen, amen!”: Ezra blessed the Lord, and all the people raised their hands and answered, “Amen.” They bowed down and worshiped God.
  3. A feast day: they read the Law so that it could be understood. Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to weep, because it was a day holy to the Lord.

Where it appears in the Bible

Nehemiah 8:1-3; Nehemiah 8:6; Nehemiah 8:8-10

What the Bible says

Nehemiah 8:1-3

1And the seventh month came: and the children of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together as one man to the street which is before the water gate, and they spoke to Esdras the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2Then Esdras the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those that could understand, in the first day of the seventh month. 3And he read it plainly in the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before the men, and the women, and all those that could understand: and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.

Nehemiah 8:6

And Esdras blessed the Lord the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, amen: lifting up their hands: and they bowed down, and adored God with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:8-10

8And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read. 9And Nehemias (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10And he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it is the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

Source: Nehemiah 8:1-10

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