Nehemiah 9:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

They stood up and read in the book of the law That is, the Levites stood up in a place built for them, and read the law as they did before, interpreting the sense of what they read. One fourth part of the day To wit, for three hours; for there were reckoned twelve hours in their day. Probably they began to read after the morning sacrifice, at which time divers religious people used to be present, and continued reading till the sixth hour, that is, till midday; and another fourth part Namely, from midday to the time of the evening sacrifice; they confessed Both God's mercies, as appears from the following prayer, and their own sins, as is expressed Nehemiah 9:2, this day being chiefly set apart for the work of confession and humiliation; and worshipped the Lord their God Partly by their acknowledgment and adoration of his wonderful mercy, in forgiving their sins, and saving them from the judgments which they had deserved, and for giving them his law, and the knowledge thereof; and partly, by imploring his further grace and mercy to them. The work of a fast-day is good work; and we should endeavour to make a day's work, a good day's work, of it.