Nehemiah 8:1

1 When the seventh month arrived, after the people of Isra'el had resettled in their towns, all the people gathered with one accord in the open space in front of the Water Gate and asked 'Ezra the Torah-teacher to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, which ADONAI had commanded Isra'el.

Nehemiah 8:1 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 8:1

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man
into the street that was before the watergate
A large and commodious street for such a company of people, which led to the water gate, of which see ( Nehemiah 3:26 ) hither the people gathered with great unanimity, zeal, and affection:

and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe;
the same who is called Ezra the priest, and scribe of the law of God, and said to be a ready one, ( Ezra 7:6 Ezra 7:11 Ezra 7:12 ) , who came to Jerusalem thirteen years before this time; but very probably returned to Babylon again, and was lately come from thence:

to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to
Israel;
to observe what was commanded in it, and which he had ordered to be read, particularly every seventh year, at the feast of tabernacles, ( Deuteronomy 31:10 Deuteronomy 31:11 ) which was now drawing near, though this was not the precise time of reading it; hence some have thought this year was the sabbatical year; see ( Nehemiah 5:11 ) .

Nehemiah 8:1 In-Context

1 When the seventh month arrived, after the people of Isra'el had resettled in their towns, all the people gathered with one accord in the open space in front of the Water Gate and asked 'Ezra the Torah-teacher to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, which ADONAI had commanded Isra'el.

2 'Ezra the cohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which consisted of men, women and all children old enough to understand. It was the first day of the seventh month.

3 Facing the open space in front of the Water Gate, he read from it to the men, the women and the children who could understand from early morning until noon; and all the people listened attentively to the scroll of the Torah.

4 'Ezra the Torah-teacher stood on a wood platform which they had made for the purpose; beside him on his right stood Mattityah, Shema, 'Anayah, Uriyah, Hilkiyah and Ma'aseiyah; while on his left were P'dayah, Misha'el, Malkiyah, Hashum, Hashbadanah, Z'kharyah and Meshulam.

5 'Ezra opened the scroll where all the people could see him, because he was higher than all the people; when he opened it, all the people rose to their feet.