John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose , etc.] Or to speak out of, as the Syriac and Arabic versions; this, in the Hebrew text, is called a “tower” f47 , partly because of its height, and partly because in the form of one; and also for its largeness, considering the use it was for; for it was so large as to hold fourteen men, as appears by what follows: a pulpit of wood was made for the king in the court, to read the law from f48 ; though, according to Jacob Leo, it was a throne like an high tower, (See Gill on “ 2 Kings 11:14”), the pulpits, in the Jewish synagogues, made after the same manner, as Aben Ezra observes, are called by the same name: and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah; and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam ; in all thirteen; there were six on his right, and seven on his left, who stood here, not merely in honour to him, and as approvers and supporters of the truth of what he read, but to relieve him when weary.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of religion, a acceptably performed in one place as in another. Masters of familie should bring their families with them to the public worship of God Women and children have souls to save, and are therefore to acquain themselves with the word of God, and to attend on the means of grace Little ones, as they come to reason, must be trained up in religion Ministers when they go to the pulpit, should take their Bibles with them; Ezra did so. Thence they must fetch their knowledge; according to that rule they must speak, and must show that they do so. Reading the Scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of God, whereby he is honoured, and his church edified. Those who hear the word, shoul understand it, else it is to them but an empty sound of words. It is therefore required of teachers that they explain the word, and give the sense of it. Reading is good, and preaching is good, but expoundin makes reading the better understood, and preaching the more convincing It has pleased God in almost every age of the church to raise up, no only those who have preached the gospel, but also those who have give their views of Divine truth in writing; and though many who have attempted to explain Scripture, have darkened counsel by words withou knowledge, yet the labours of others are of excellent use. All that we hear must, however, be brought to the test of Scripture. They hear readily, and minded every word. The word of God demands attention. I through carelessness we let much slip in hearing, there is danger tha through forgetfulness we shall let all slip after hearing.
Original Hebrew ויעמד5975 עזרא5830 הספר5608 על5921 מגדל4026 עץ6086 אשׁר834 עשׂו6213 לדבר1697 ויעמד5975 אצלו681 מתתיה4993 ושׁמע8087 ועניה6043 ואוריה223 וחלקיה2518 ומעשׂיה4641 על5921 ימינו3225 ומשׂמאלו8040 פדיה6305 ומישׁאל4332 ומלכיה4441 וחשׁם2828 וחשׁבדנה2806 זכריה2148 משׁלם׃4918
