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John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Nehemiah 8 Ezra being desired to bring forth the book of the law, read it to the people and others, expounded it to them, Ne 8:1 and Nehemiah exhorted the people to express joy and gladness on this occasion, which they did, Ne 8:9 and observing the feast of tabernacles was in the law commanded to be observed, they kept it very strictly and joyfully, Ne 8:13.
John Gill
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the watergate,.... A large and commodious street for such a company of people, which led to the water gate, of which see Ne 3:26 hither the people gathered with great unanimity, zeal, and affection: and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe; the same who is called Ezra the priest, and scribe of the law of God,...
Matthew Henry
Ezra came up out of Babylon thirteen years before Nehemiah came, yet we have here a piece of good work which he did, that might have been done before, but was not done till Nehemiah came, who, though he was not such a scholar nor such a divine as Ezra, nor such a scribe in the law of his God, yet was a man of a more lively active spirit. His zeal set Ezra's learning on work, and then great things...