Like Ezra 2.70, this verse forms a frame with the introduction to the list at verse 6 above. The same groups of people are cited here as in Ezra 2.70, except that here they are not divided into two areas of settlement as in Ezra. Revised Standard Version and others like Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translate fairly literally from the Hebrew, while Good News Translation seeks to make explicit what may not be apparent from the Hebrew text. That is, it understands some of the people to mean “ordinary people.” Bible en français courant has “lay people.” 1 Esdras 9.37 has “the men of Israel settled in Jerusalem and in the country … when the sons of Israel were in their settlements,” and is followed by Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible here. This seems to be an attempt to distinguish between some of the people and all Israel. The Hebrew text is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (B rating) and should be followed by translators. All Israel may be understood as the sum total of the groups that had been cited as in Good News Translation, or it might refer to “the rest of the Israelites” (New International Version).
Lived in their towns: Most versions translate this way without referring to the towns where their ancestors had lived as Good News Translation has done in Ezra 2.70. Bible en français courant and others translate “settled in their own towns.” MT has a paragraph break at the beginning of this verse with the next break occurring at Neh 8.4. However, many commentators and translators take the second half of this verse to be part of a new episode. In the middle of this verse the occurrence of the Hebrew connective conjunction with a temporal clause signals the beginning of a major section (see the comments on Neh 7.73b). This Handbook therefore begins a new section at verse 73b, connecting it to the beginning of chapter 8 as in Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and Revised English Bible. In some versions it is restructured as part of verse 1 of chapter 8 as in Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. However, it is recommended that the chapter number be placed in a position that reflects MT, that is, in relation to the first verse of chapter 8. This is done by New Revised Standard Version, which has a new section heading before verse 73b, followed by the chapter number with verse 1 (also New International Version, Revised English Bible).
And when the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their towns: In the Hebrew text, this new part of Nehemiah is marked by the connective conjunction and a temporal clause, as in the case of each new part in Ezra-Nehemiah (see Ezra 1.1). This introduction to the next event is similar to Ezra 3.1, where virtually the same text occurs. See the comments there. Note that the children of Israel renders the same Hebrew phrase as “the sons of Israel” in Ezra 3.1.
All the people gathered as one man: See the comments at Ezra 3.1.
The gathering was in the square before the Water Gate (see the comments at Ezra 10.9 and Neh 3.26). This square was on the east side of the city of Jerusalem opposite the east gate of the Temple (1 Esdras 9.38).
They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses: Good News Translation expresses this in terms of a request instead of a command. It is an indirect quotation in form; that is, the exact words of the people are not recorded. Some literary traditions may prefer a direct quotation; for example, “Ezra, bring the book….” For Ezra the scribe, see the comments at Ezra 7.6. The people asked him to bring out the book of the law of Moses (see Ezra 3.2). The law of Moses refers to the Torah, but it is not known exactly how much of the Torah was contained in the book that was read at this event. Perhaps it was only one book of the Torah that had been compiled and edited during the exile in Babylonia (see also Ezra 7.6). The Hebrew word for book is literally “writing.” It would have been a scroll in this situation. See Ezra 6.1 for an illustration of a scroll.
Which the LORD had given to Israel: For LORD (YHWH in Hebrew), see “Translating Ezra and Nehemiah,” pages 18-19. The Hebrew verb that is rendered had given means “appoint” or “prescribe” (so New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Compare this with Ezra 7.6, where the Hebrew verb for “give” is used without indicating precisely who the recipient was. Here it is specified that the LORD had “commanded” (so New International Version) the Law to Israel through Moses. Mandinka says “which Yahweh commanded Israel to keep [it].”
Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .