Nehemiah 8:5

Neh 8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

Ver. 5. And Ezra opened the book] God’s Book; not Aristotle’s Ethics, as Melancthon saith he heard some Popish priests preaching upon texts thence taken. And Carolostadius was eight years a doctor before he first opened the Bible; and yet at the taking of his degree he had been pronounced Sufficientissimus Most adequate.

For he was above all the people] Both in place and office; as representing the person of God, and bearing his name unto his people.

All the people stood up] For reverence’ sake. So did Eglon, that fat king of Moab, when he heard of a message from God, Jdg 3:20. Balaam, being to utter his parable, bids Balak arise up and hear him. Our Saviour stood up to read his text, Luk 4:16. Constantine the Great and our King Edward VI would not hear a sermon but standing. The modern Jews show their reverence to their law by a like gesture; and their adoration is by bowing forward with their bodies; for kneeling they use none, neither stir they their bonnets in their synagogues, but remain still covered.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh 8:5-6. When he opened it, all the people stood up — Either in reverence to God’s word, or that they might hear his words more distinctly. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God — He blessed him as the great God, superior to all other powers whatsoever; and gave honour to him by praising his perfections, and praying for his favour. And all the people answered, Amen! Amen! — In token of their concurrence with him, both in the praises and prayers. With lifting up their hands — In token that their desire was toward God, and all their expectation from him. And they bowed their heads — In token of their reverence for him, and subjection to him. Thus must we adore and address ourselves to God, when we are going to read or hear his word, as those that see him in his word very great and very good.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:5 The people all rose to their feet out of respect for God’s word (Job 29:8). Apparently, they stood the whole time Ezra was reading.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To the intent that his voice might be the better heard.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

when he opened it, all the people stood up--This attitude they assumed either from respect to God's word, or, rather, because the reading was prefaced by a solemn prayer, which was concluded by a general expression of "Amen, Amen."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. All the people stood up] This was out of respect to the sacred word: in imitation of this, when the gospel for the day is read in our churches, all the people stand up.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. opened] i.e. unrolled, cf. Luk_4:17.

above all the people] i.e. raised above them in his pulpit.

all the people stood up] We need not conclude from these words that they stood during the whole time that the reading went on. Rather ‘they rose to their feet,’ signifying by this gesture their reverence for ‘the law’ that was to be read. After Ezra’s blessing and the response (Neh_8:6), they probably resumed their seats. ‘Standing’ was sometimes the posture of prayer denoting humility, cf. 1Sa_1:26; 1Ki_8:22; Luk_18:11; Luk_18:13. In later times it was the attitude adopted during the reading of ‘the Law’ in the service of the Synagogue.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people),.... So plainly seen by them, and what he did, and the more easily heard, for which purpose the pulpit was made for him to stand in:

and, when he opened it, all the people stood up; that they might the better hear the law read, as well as in honour and reverence of it; the Jews say (m), that from the times of Moses to Rabban Gamaliel, they learned the law only standing; but after his death a disease came into the world, and they learned it sitting; and now it is a canon with them, that it is not necessary to stand at the reading of the law (n).

(m) T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 21. 1. (n) Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. Orach Chayim, c. 146. sect. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Stood up - The attitude of attention and respect. Compare the existing practice of the Christian Church at the reading of the Gospel for the day.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Stood, out of respect, as we do while the gospel is read. See Numbers xxiii. 18. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Either in reverence to God’s word, of which see Num 11:32; Jdg 3:20; or that they might hear his words the more distinctly: or rather, because they observed that Ezra composed himself to prayer or thanksgiving; which is here generally declared, but doubtless was more particularly and largely expressed in that assembly, as appears by their answering

Amen, Amen, to his prayer.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Opened the book — That is, unrolled it, as a scroll.

He was above all the people — Because he occupied the elevated pulpit or platform mentioned in the previous verse.

The people stood up — Out of respect for the sacred book and the solemn service about to commence.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All the people stood up. The Jews commonly sat to hear and stood up to pray; but in hearing they occasionally stood up, to do greater honour to the person or the occasion. (see Jud_1:3:20) It is not to be supposed that they stood during the whole of the six hours that Ezra"s reading lasted.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

for he was above all the people Therefore, they all saw him.

and when he opened it, all the people stood And when he opened it to read, all the people stood silent.

stood Heb. עָמְדוּ, an expression of silence (they stood silent), like (Job 32:16): “...for they remained silent (עָמְדוּ); they no longer answered.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.