Nehemiah 8:4

_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 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._ Ezra ... upon a pulpit of wood - not made in the form known to us, but only a raised scaffold or platform, broad enough to allow fourteen persons to stand with ease upon it. Ezra was present and took an active part in this festal anniversary; but his duty was special and very laborious, as he continued reading aloud from morning until mid-day, but his labour was lightened by the aid of the other priests present. Their presence was of use, partly to show their cordial agreement with Ezra's declaration of divine truth, and partly to take their share with him in the important duty...

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 ther...

Verse Nehemiah 8:4. _STOOD UPON A PULPIT OF WOOD_] מגדל _migdal_, a _tower_, a _platform_, raised up for the purpose, to elevate him sufficiently for the people both to see and hear him; for it is said, Nehemiah 8:5, that _he was above all the people_. This is the first intimation we have of a _pulpit_, or _structure_ of this kind. But we must not suppose that it was any thing similar to those _tubs_ or _barrels_ ridiculously set up in churches and chapels, in which a preacher is nearly as much confined, during the time of his preaching, as if he was in the _stocks_....

The 13 persons mentioned were probably the chief priests of the course (shift) which was at the time performing the temple service....

PART II. ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF RELIGION AMONG THE JEWS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF NEHEMIAH. EXPOSITION RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF THE PEOPLE BY EZRA, AND CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (Nehemiah 8:1.). It can scarcely be imagined that Ezra had been present in Jerusalem during the exciting scenes which have been enacted in the first part of this Book, an

II. THE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The reading of the law before the water gate (Nehemiah 8:1)_ 2. A day of joy and not of mourning (Nehemiah 8:9) 3. The keeping of the feast of tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:13) Nehemiah 8:1. This interesting chapter gives the record of a gracious revival through the reading of the law. All the people gathered themselves together as one man in the street that was before the water gate, the place which suggests the cleansing and refreshing power of the Word. And as a united people they had but one desire, to hear the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded, to I

PART IV (Nehemiah 7:73_ b_ - Nehemiah 10:39). EZRA AND THE LAW. Nehemiah 7:73 b - Nehemiah 8:12. The Reading of the Law. Nehemiah 7:73 b. These words are repeated by mistake from Ezra 3:1. NEHEMIAH 8:1. _Cf._ Ezra 7:6. It is clear that we have here only part of the ori

EZRA THE SCRIBE STOOD ON. PULPIT OF WOOD. This lofty pulpit enabled him to be seen and to see all. Beside him were thirteen assistants who are named, all probably priests, who had duties connected with the temple service. Only. few of the names mentioned occur elsewhere, as Hilkiah, Nehemiah 12:7. Malchiah, 10:3; Meshullam, 10:7; Pediah, 3:25; Urijah 3:4....

PULPIT. high platform. Eng. "pulpit" from Latin. _pulpitum,_. stage of. theatre. BESIDE HIM. Thirteen priests with him: fourteen in all. AND. Some codices, with five early printed editions, omit this "and"....

Nehemiah 7:73; Nehemiah 7:73. The Reading of the Law This verse begins a new section in the work. The style alters. The use of the first pers. sing. is resumed in Nehemiah 12:31. The Compiler has recourse to other material for this narrative. The thread of Nehemiah's Memoir, which was broken off at Nehemiah 7:5, is therefore not resumed. _and when the seventh month came_ R.V. AND WHEN THE SEVENTH MONTH WAS COME. The R.V. gives the right division of the verse. The second clause introduces a new section. Very similar words occur in Ezra 3:1 aft