And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
All the people gathered themselves together as one man. Having completed the insertion of the long parenthetical register (Nehemiah 7:6-73), Nehemiah resumes his narrative in this chapter. The occasion was the celebration of the feast of the seventh month (Nehemiah 7:73). The beginning of every month was ushered in as a sacred festival; but this, the commencement of the seventh month (Tisri), had been formerly kept with distinguished honour as "the feast of trumpets," which extended over two days. It was the first day of the seventh ecclesiastical year, and the new year's day of the civil year, on which account it was held as "a great day." The place where the general concourse of people was held was 'at the watergate,' on the south rampart. Through that gate the Nethinims or Gibeonites brought water into the temple, and there was a spacious area in front of it.
They spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses. He had come to Jerusalem twelve or thirteen years previous to Nehemiah; and either remained there, or had returned to Babylon in obedience to the royal order, and for the discharge of important duties. He had returned along with Nehemiah, but in a subordinate capacity. From the time of Nehemiah's appointment to the dignity of Tirshatha, Ezra had retired into private life; and, although cordially and zealously cooperating with the former patriot in his important measures of reform, the pious priest had devoted his time and attention principally toward producing a complete edition of the canonical Scriptures. The public reading of the Scriptures was required by the law to be made every seventh year, but during the long period of the captivity this excellent practice, with many others, had fallen into neglect, until revived on this occasion; and it indicates a greatly improved tone of religious feeling that there was a strong and general desire among the returned exiles in Jerusalem to hear the word of God read to them.