Ezra 10:9

“Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin, etc.] And such of the ten tribes that returned and dwelt among them: gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days; the time fixed: which they were the more careful to observe, since it was enjoined by the authority of princes and elders, and the punishment in case of disobedience very severe: it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; the month Chisleu, which answers to part of November and part of December, so that the twentieth day must be in the beginning of December; this was almost five months after Ezra came to Jerusalem: and all the people sat in the street of the house of God: the street which led to the temple,…”

“Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin--The returned captives belonged chiefly to these tribes; but other Israelites are also included under these names, as they all were then occupying the territory formerly assigned to those two tribes. It was the ninth month--that is, between the end of December and the beginning of January, which is the coldest and most rainy season of the year in Palestine. all the people sat in the street--that is, the court.”

“It was the ninth month - Or, our December, a time when rain fails heavily in Palestine: four months, therefore, after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem (compare Ezra 7:9). The street - Rather, “the court,” the “broad,” “spacious, place” (compare the 2 Chronicles 29:4 note). return to 'Top of Page'”

“Of Judah - Not only of these two tribes, as appears from the following catalogue, where there are priests and Levites; but all the Israelites, Ezr 10:25, who are thus described, because the greatest part of them were of these tribes, though others were mixed with them: and because they all now dwelt in that land, which formerly was appropriated to those tribes. The street - In that street of the city, which was next the temple, and within the view of it, that so they might be as in God's presence, whereby they might be awed to a more faithful and vigorous prosecution of their work. And this place they might chuse rather than the court of the people, because they thought it might be polluted…”

“10:9 on December 19 . . . it was raining: The cold and wet weather made an outdoor meeting uncomfortable.”

“the ninth month: That is, some time in December, which is the coldest and most rainy time of the year in Palestine. Dr. Russel, in his account of the weather at Aleppo, which very much resembles that in Judea, says, that the natives reckon the severity of the winter, which they call marbania, to last but forty days, beginning from the 12th of December, and ending the 20th of January, and that this computation comes in fact very near the truth, and that the air during this time is excessively piercing, even to those that are just come from a cold climate. Ezr 7:8, Ezr 7:9; Est 2:16 trembling: Sa1 12:17, Sa1 12:18; Jer 10:10, Jer 10:13 great rain: Heb. showers Ezra 10:10”

“After three days all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem. This took place on the twentieth day of the ninth month. On this statement of time, see the remark in Ezr 9:1. The assembled multitude sat there on the open space of the house of God, i.e., probably the open space (הרחוב) in front of the water-gate, Neh 8:1, Neh 8:3, Neh 8:16, at the eastern or south-eastern side, before the temple court; see remarks on Neh 8:1. "Trembling" because of this matter, the seriousness of which they might perceive from the heavy penalty attached to their non-appearance within three days, and "because of the rain." The ninth month, corresponding with our December, is in the cold rainy time…”