⁶ All the multitude sat in the open square before the temple, shivering because of the bad weather that prevailed.^(A)

8 ¹ all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.^(A)

³ He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Worship Begins Again

⁴⁶ When the seventh month came and the Israelites were all in their own homes, they gathered with a single purpose in the square before the first gate toward the east.^(A)