Nehemiah 8:1-4

The people had finished the work on the walls of Jerusalem in the 6th month of the year (Nehemiah 6:15). The people had worked hard for 52 days. But Nehemiah had not finished his work. His next task would take much more than 52 days. Nehemiah had to make the people into a proper nation of God’s people again. They needed to learn again about God’s commands. And the people wanted to hear God’s law and to understand it.

So on the first day of the 7th month they asked Ezra the priest to read God’s law to them. They even built a high wooden platform for Ezra. He stood on the platform while he read the law. Ezra read the law to all the men and women. The children who were old enough to understand were also present. He read for about 5 or 6 hours and the people listened.

Ezra had 13 companions with him on the high platform. Perhaps they also read the law so that Ezra did not have to read for the whole time.

v5 Ezra opened the book. Everyone could see him because he was standing on the platform above the people. And when he opened the book, everyone stood up. v6 Ezra praised the *Lord, the great God. All the people raised their hands and they replied, ‘Yes, we agree, we agree!’ Then they turned their faces to the ground and they *worshipped the *Lord.