This ceremony reflects the form of Israelite worship that had developed in exile. Almost the same elements that characterized the synagogue services begun then appear here. The people assembled, there was a request for the reading of the Torah, someone opened the scroll, and the people stood. Then someone (Ezra) offered praise, the people responded, and they received instruction (a sermon). Finally the law was read, an oral explanation and exhortation followed, and the people departed for a fellowship meal.63
The "first day of the seventh month"(v. 2) was the day on which the Israelites were to observe the Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24). The priests blew trumpets to assemble the people, to announce God's working among them, and to signal preparation for the Day of Atonement. This day followed on the tenth of the month (Lev. 23:27).
This time the people gathered at an appropriate place near the Water Gate (v. 1). This gate was on the east side of the city of David, and it was near the Gihon Spring.
Nehemiah did not mention Ezra earlier in this book. However now we learn that he was still active in Jerusalem as a contemporary and fellow leader of the restoration community along with Nehemiah. As the most important scribe in Israel at this time, as well as a priest, he led the people by reading the covenant to them (v. 3).
Scholars have suggested that "the book of the Law of Moses"(v. 1) refers to the legal material in the Pentateuch, or the "priestly code"(i.e., Leviticus), or the Deuteronomic laws, or the entire Pentateuch (i.e., the Torah). There is no way to solve this mystery now. We do know, however, that the book was a scroll since codices (books as we know them) did not become popular until the early Christian centuries.
Even though Ezra apparently read for several hours the people remained attentive. This attitude along with their standing on their feet because they respected the Law shows the commitment of these obedient Jews to Yahweh and His Word (vv. 3, 5). Evidently a wooden podium accommodated Israel's leaders who stood on this raised platform with Ezra (v. 4). Lifting up the hands toward heaven, normally with palms upward, was a common way in which the Jews expressed their desire to receive a blessing from God. Bowing with faces to the ground, a posture Muslims still observe, reflected their sense of humility before God. This is how slaves bowed before their masters in the ancient world (v. 6).
Not only did the leaders read the Word of God, they also translated it from the Hebrew language into Aramaic, the common language of the Persian Empire. Some of the Jews present did not know Hebrew (13:24) having grown up in Babylon and elsewhere away from Jews who maintained fluency in the Hebrew language.
The written translation of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic, with comments added, was the Targum (lit. translation). The Apostle Paul referred to himself as a Hebrew (Phil. 3:5). He meant that he was a Jew who could read the Jewish Bible in the original Hebrew language, not just in Aramaic.
Not only did Ezra and his associates translate the Law, they also explained what it meant and how it applied to the people. This is Bible exposition, what the founders of Dallas Seminary established this school to teach people to do!
