Nehemiah 8:5

8:1-8 Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of religion, as acceptably performed in one place as in another. Masters of families should bring their families with them to the public worship of God. Women and children have souls to save, and are therefore to acquaint themselves with the word of God, and to attend on the means of grace. Little ones, as they come to reason, must be trained up in religion. Ministers when they go to the pulpit, should take their Bibles with them; Ezra did so. Thence they must fetch their knowledge; according to that rule they must speak, and must show that they do so. Reading the Scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of God, whereby he is honoured, and his church edified. Those who hear the word, should understand it, else it is to them but an empty sound of words. It is therefore required of teachers that they explain the word, and give the sense of it. Reading is good, and preaching is good, but expounding makes reading the better understood, and preaching the more convincing. It has pleased God in almost every age of the church to raise up, not only those who have preached the gospel, but also those who have given their views of Divine truth in writing; and though many who have attempted to explain Scripture, have darkened counsel by words without knowledge, yet the labours of others are of excellent use.

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people),.... So plainly seen by them, and what he did, and the more easily heard, for which purpose the pulpit was made for him to stand in: and, when he opened it, all the people stood up; that they might the better hear the law read, as well as in honour and reverence of it; the Jews say (m), that from the times of Moses to Rabban Gamaliel, they learned the law only standing; but after his death a disease came into the world, and they learned it sitting; and now it is a canon with them, that it is not necessary to stand at the reading of the law (n). (m) T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 21. 1.((n) Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. Orach Chayim, c. 146. sect. 4.

Nehemiah 8:5-6 . When he opened it, all the people stood up — Either in reverence to God’s word, or that they might hear his words more distinctly. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God — He blessed him as the great God, superior to all other powers whatsoever; and gave honour to him by praising his perfections, and praying for his favour. And all the people answered, Amen! Amen! — In token of their concurrence with him, both in the praises and prayers. With lifting up their hands — In token that their desire was toward God, and all their expectation from him. And they bowed their heads — In token of their reverence for him, and subjection to him. Thus must we adore and address ourselves to God, when we are going to read or hear his word, as those that see him in his word very great and very good.

Verse 5. - All the people stood up . The Jews commonly sat to hear and stood up to pray; but in hearing they occasionally stood up, to do greater honour to the person or the occasion (see Judges 3:20 ). It is not to be supposed that they stood during the whole of the six hours that Ezra's reading lasted. Nehemiah 8:5

Either in reverence to God’s word, of which see Numbers 11:32 Judges 3:20 ; or that they might hear his words the more distinctly: or rather, because they observed that Ezra composed himself to prayer or thanksgiving; which is here generally declared, but doubtless was more particularly and largely expressed in that assembly, as appears by their answering Amen, Amen, to his prayer.

5 . opened ] i.e. unrolled, cf. Luke 4:17 . above all the people ] i.e. raised above them in his pulpit. all the people stood up ] We need not conclude from these words that they stood during the whole time that the reading went on. Rather ‘they rose to their feet,’ signifying by this gesture their reverence for ‘the law’ that was to be read. After Ezra’s blessing and the response ( Nehemiah 8:6 ), they probably resumed their seats. ‘Standing’ was sometimes the posture of prayer denoting humility, cf. 1 Samuel 1:26 ; 1 Kings 8:22 ; Luke 18:11 ; Luke 18:13 . In later times it was the attitude adopted during the reading of ‘the Law’ in the service of the Synagogue.

Ezra, standing on the raised platform, was above the assembled people (he was כּל־העם מעל). When he opened the book, it was "in the sight of all the people," so that all could see his action; and "all the people stood up" (עמדוּ). It cannot be shown from the O.T. that it had been from the days of Moses a custom with the Israelites to stand at the reading of the law, as the Rabbis assert; comp. Vitringa, de Synag. vet. p. 167.

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: and Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance.