Nehemiah 8:3

3 So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 8:3

And he read therein
Some passages in it, here and there, which it was necessary the people should have knowledge of; for it can hardly be thought be began and read on just in the order in which it was: this he did

before the street;
at the top of it, at one end of it:

that was before the water gate;
which looked directly to that:

from the morning until midday;
from the rising of the sun to noon, so that he must read six hours; but very probably was relieved at times by the men with him, after mentioned:

before the men and the women, and those that could understand;
see ( Nehemiah 8:2 ) ,

and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law;
to the hearing of it read, and to the things contained in it; hence Maimonides ^F8 gathers, that as soon as the reader begins the reading of the law, it is not lawful to speak about anything, not even the constitutions of the law, but silently to attend to what is read.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Hilchot Tephillah, c. 12. sect. 9.

Nehemiah 8:3 In-Context

1 At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.

3 So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.