Nehemiah 8:3-5

Expanded Bible

³ At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah] out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could ·listen and understand [understand what they heard; ^Cpresumably older children]. All the people listened ·carefully [attentively; eagerly] to the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah].

⁴ Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] stood on a high ·wooden platform [dais; ^Ltower of wood; 2 Chr. 6:13] that had been built just for this ·time [occasion; purpose]. On his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. And on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵ Ezra opened the ·book [scroll] ·in full view [^Lto the eyes] of everyone, because he was above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up [^Ca sign of respect; Judg. 3:20; Job 29:8; Ezek. 2:1].