Matthew Poole and continuators on Nehemiah 8:7

7 Also Jeshua, and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethar, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites caused the people to understand the law : and the people stood in their place .

As well the words, which being Hebrew, now needed to be translated into the Chaldee or Syriack language, which was now, and henceforth the common language of that people, who together with their religion, had also in a great part lost their language; as also the sense and meaning of them: they expounded the mind and will of God in what they read, and applied it to the peoples present condition, as they saw fit, as the manner of the Prophets generally was. And hence the people were so deeply affected with [illegible: 1 word].

i. e. In their several places and stations into which the company seems to have been distributed for conveniency of hearing; it not being likely that so vast a Congregation could distinctly hear one mans voice. Or, by their stations, i. e. by the several stations of the Levites, & persons last named; who seem to have had several scaffolds, by comparing this with ch. 9. 4. upon which they stood, as Ezra did upon his pulpit, v. 4.