Neemias 8:4

4 O escriba Esdras estava numa plataforma elevada, de madeira, construída para a ocasião. Ao seu lado, à direita, estavam Matitias, Sema, Anaías, Urias, Hilquias e Maaseias; e à esquerda estavam Pedaías, Misael, Malquias, Hasum, Hasbadana, Zacarias e Mesulão.

Neemias 8:4 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 8:4

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had
made for the purpose
Or to speak out of, as the Syriac and Arabic versions; this, in the Hebrew text, is called a "tower" ^F9, partly because of its height, and partly because in the form of one; and also for its largeness, considering the use it was for; for it was so large as to hold fourteen men, as appears by what follows: a pulpit of wood was made for the king in the court, to read the law from ^F11; though, according to Jacob Leo, it was a throne like an high tower, (See Gill on 2 Kings 11:14), the pulpits, in the Jewish synagogues, made after the same manner, as Aben Ezra observes, are called by the same ^F12 name:

and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah; and Urijah, and
Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand,
Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana,
Zechariah, and Meshullam;
in all thirteen; there were six on his right, and seven on his left, who stood here, not merely in honour to him, and as approvers and supporters of the truth of what he read, but to relieve him when weary.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (Ue ldgm le) "super turrem ligni", Montanus; so Dionysius is said, "concionari ex turri alta", Ciceron. Tuscul. Quaest. l. 5.
F11 Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 141. sect. 7.
F12 Misn. Sotah, c. 7. sect. 8.

Neemias 8:4 In-Context

2 Assim, no primeiro dia do sétimo mês, o sacerdote Esdras trouxe a Lei diante da assembleia, que era constituída de homens e mulheres e de todos os que podiam entender.

3 Ele a leu em alta voz desde o raiar da manhã até o meio-dia, de frente para a praça, em frente da porta das Águas, na presença dos homens, mulheres e de outros que podiam entender. E todo o povo ouvia com atenção a leitura do Livro da Lei.

4 O escriba Esdras estava numa plataforma elevada, de madeira, construída para a ocasião. Ao seu lado, à direita, estavam Matitias, Sema, Anaías, Urias, Hilquias e Maaseias; e à esquerda estavam Pedaías, Misael, Malquias, Hasum, Hasbadana, Zacarias e Mesulão.

5 Esdras abriu o Livro diante de todo o povo, e este podia vê-lo, pois ele estava num lugar mais alto. E, quando abriu o Livro, o povo todo se levantou.

6 Esdras louvou o SENHOR, o grande Deus, e todo o povo ergueu as mãos e respondeu: “Amém! Amém!” Então eles adoraram o SENHOR, prostrados com o rosto em terra.