And he read therein before the street that [was] before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people [were attentive] unto the book of the law.
Ver. 3. And he read therein] As a scribe, he wrote the law; and as a priest, he read and expounded it. This was Christ's own custom, Luke 4:16, and the Jews', Acts 13:15; Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21, and is still to this day; one lesson is ever read out of the law in their public meetings; and another out of the prophets correspondent to the former in argument. The Holy Scripture is called Mikre, the reading of Nehemiah 8:9, because it ought to be read to all; and the word, as if all the use of our ears were to hear this word.
From the morning until midday] This was a great while; five or six hours together they spent in holy duties, whereas the most amongst us think long of an hour; they sit as it were in the stocks whiles they are hearing the word read or preached, and come out of the church when the tedious sermon runneth somewhat beyond the glass, like prisoners out of a jail.
And the ears of the people were attentive to the book] Heb. Were to the book of the law; which phrase importeth both their attention and affection to what they heard delivered. They drew up the ears of their souls to the ears of their bodies; and so one sound pierced both. See the like Luke 19:48, they hung upon Christ's holy lips, as loth to lose any part of that precious language. The Jews at this day, though they give very great outward respect to their Torah, or book of the law (carrying it about their synagogue at the end of service in procession, and the like), yet for any show of attention or elevation of spirit I could never discern (saith one that had been much amongst them), but they are as reverend in their synagogues as grammar boys are at school when their master is absent.