Nehemiah 8:3

before the street R.V. before the broad place. The -broad place" was beforethe water-gate; Ezra read beforethe broad place. In each case the preposition seems to mean on the W. side, i.e. in front oflooking eastward. The Vulgate -in plateâ." The LXX. omits the reference to the locality in this verse.

from the morning R.V. from early morning. Marg. Heb. from the light. The process of reading -from morn till midday" is explained in the following verses (4 8). It was not consecutive reading for seven hours. Ezra had others standing by to relieve him: the reading was also interrupted by exposition.

before R.V. in the presence of. A different preposition from that used earlier in the verse.

attentive unto the book of the law Vulgate -erectæ ad librum."