The Nugget:
Nehemiah 8:3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
My Comment:
The ninth title in this series of titles the Bible gives itself is the book of the law. Ezra the scribe was requested by the people to bring the book of the law so they could hear it read to them. This turned out to be quite a Bible reading service, lasting from morning to midday. Notice the people listened attentively to the reading of this book. This ought to inspire us, too, to be eager to read the Bible for ourselves, or to listen attentively like they did when it is read to the congregation.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 473 for Nehemiah 8:3.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 532 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Nehemiah 8:3.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
Nehemiah 8:3. he read. T#1064. ver. *8. Dt 31:11-13. Je 36:6. Lk *4:16-20. Ac 13:15, 27. 15:21. gate. FS171S7B, Ge +14:7. morning. Heb. light. Ac *20:7, 11. *28:23. could understand. ver. *2. Is *28:9. Mt +*24:15n. ears. Mt 7:28, 29. Mk *12:37. Lk *8:18. 19:48. Ac 16:14. **17:11. 1 Th *2:13. He *2:1-3. Re 2:29. 3:22.
neh 8.3 and he read therein before the street that was before the water gate
from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those
that could understand: and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the
book of the law.
encouraging cross refs.
1.lk 4.16 and he came to nazareth, where he had been brought up: and,
as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
stood up for to read.
2. lk 4.17 and there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet esaia,
and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
3. lk 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the gospel to the poor,
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
4.lk 4.19 To preach the acceptable year of the lord.
5. acts 13.27 For they that dwell at jerusalem, and their rulers, because they
knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day,
they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
6. acts 15.21 For moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being
read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
7. acts 28.23 and when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into
his lodging: to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading
them concerning jesus, both out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
8. mt 7.28 and it came to pass, when jesus had ended these sayings, the people
were astonished at his doctrine:
9. mt 7.29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
10. lk 8.18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him it
shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that
which he seemeth to have.
11. acts 16.14 and a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unt the things which were spoken of Paul.
12 acts 17.11 These were noble than those in Thesslonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so.