On October 31st, the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. Those of Israelite decent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read to them aloud. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. (vv. 1-3, NLT
Then the leaders of the Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Seherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for He lives from evelasting to everlasting! Then they prayed:
“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above, all blessings and praise!
You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels who worship You.
You are the Lord God, who chose Abraham and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. You have done what You promised, for You are always true to your word.” (vv 5-8, NLT)