Nehemiah 8:3
New International Version
He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

New Living Translation
He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

English Standard Version
And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

New King James Version
Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

New American Standard Bible
And he read from it before the public square which was in front of the Water Gate, from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

NASB 1995
He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

NASB 1977
And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Amplified Bible
Then he read from it, in front of the open square which was in front of the Water Gate, from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and women, those who could understand; and all the people listened carefully to the Book of the Law.

Christian Standard Bible
While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he read the scroll in the street of the Water Gate from dawn and unto midday before the men and the women and before those who listened, and the ears of the people were inclined and they listened to the commandments of the Torah.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he read in it from the time of sun-rise to the middle of the day, before the men and the women; and they understood it, and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Contemporary English Version
From early morning till noon, he read the Law of Moses to them, and they listened carefully.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he read it plainly in the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before the men, and the women, and all those that could understand: and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
From daybreak until noon, he read from it in the courtyard in front of Water Gate to the men, women, and [children] who could understand it. All the people listened to the Book of Moses' Teachings.

Good News Translation
There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively.

International Standard Version
Ezra read from it, facing the plaza in front of the Water Gate, from early in the morning until mid-day in the presence of the men and women, as well as all who could understand. All the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
and he reads in it before the broad place that [is] before the Water Gate, from the light until the middle of the day, in front of the men, and the women, and those intelligent, and the ears of all the people [are] toward the Scroll of the Law.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
In the square in front of the Water Gate, Ezra read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

NET Bible
So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon before the men and women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the law.

New Revised Standard Version
He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

New Heart English Bible
And he read in it before the square that was before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the scroll of the law.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

World English Bible
He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Young's Literal Translation
and he readeth in it before the broad place that is before the water-gate, from the light till the middle of the day, over-against the men, and the women, and those intelligent, and the ears of all the people are unto the book of the law.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ezra Reads the Law
2On 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. 3So 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. 4Ezra 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.…

Cross References
Nehemiah 8:1
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.

Nehemiah 8:4
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.

Nehemiah 8:5
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.


Treasury of Scripture

And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

he read

Luke 4:16-20
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read…

Acts 13:15,27
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on…

Acts 15:21
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

morning.

Acts 20:7,11
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight…

Acts 28:23
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

ears

Matthew 7:28,29
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: …

Mark 12:37
David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

Luke 8:18
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

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Attentive Book Broad Early Ears Front Gate Law Midday Mid-Day Morning Presence Read Square Street Therein Understand Water Water-Gate Women
Nehemiah 8
1. The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9. They comfort the people
13. The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16. They keep the feast of tabernacles














(3) From the morning.--From daylight. The Book of the Law must have been a comprehensive one. Out of it Ezra and his companions read hour after hour, selecting appropriate passages.

And the ears of all the people . . . unto the book.--A general statement; the detail now follows.

Verse 3. - From the morning until midday. Or, "from daylight." He began as soon as it was light enough, and read on (he and his assistants - ver. 7) till noon, that is, for six hours or more. The reading appears to have been varied by occasional exposition (vers. 7, 8). The ears of all the people were attentive. Though there is no word in the Hebrew for "attentive," yet the meaning is quite correctly given: "the ears of all the people were to the book" Ñ fixed on that, and on nothing else.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So [Ezra] read
וַיִּקְרָא־ (way·yiq·rā-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

it aloud
בוֹ֩ (ḇōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

daybreak
הָאוֹר֙ (hā·’ō·wr)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

noon
מַחֲצִ֣ית (ma·ḥă·ṣîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4276: A halving, the middle

as he faced
לִפְנֵ֨י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the square
הָרְח֜וֹב (hā·rə·ḥō·wḇ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7339: A broad open place, plaza

before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the Water
הַמַּ֗יִם (ham·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

Gate,
שַֽׁעַר־ (ša·‘ar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

in front of
נֶ֛גֶד (ne·ḡeḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before

the men
הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

and women
וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים (wə·han·nā·šîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

and those who could understand.
וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים (wə·ham·mə·ḇî·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

And all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

listened attentively to
וְאָזְנֵ֥י (wə·’ā·zə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - fdc
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

the Book
סֵ֥פֶר (sê·p̄er)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

of the Law.
הַתּוֹרָֽה׃ (hat·tō·w·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law


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OT History: Nehemiah 8:3 He read therein before the broad place (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 8:2
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