When Nehemiah was established in his new Government, Ezra being relieved from the public duties and affairs of the State, now employed himself in expounding the Scriptures to the people, from morn till noon; and that he might be properly heard and understood, he had a platform fixed in one of the widest streets in the City. Ezra, himself, was raised upon the middle of the platform, and on each side of him stood the Priests, who were assistants and interpreters; and as Ezra read the Law in the Hebrew, the Priests explained it to the people in the Chaldee language, which had become familiar to them in consequence of their long sojourn in the great City of Babylon. In this way it was, that all the people of the Holy City, as well as those who came from very distant parts, especially on the Festivals and Holy days, could thus have the Bible and the Law explained to them, and their duty fully recommended to them every day, or at least regularly every Sabbath. It must here be noticed, that all those Jews who had settled themselves in Alexandria and all the Grecian Provinces, had the Bible interpreted to them in the Greek language, after that the Bible had been translated into that language. From this circumstance it arose that those of the people who used the Greek language in the Synagogues, were called Hellenists, to distinguish them from those who continued the use of the Chaldee language. The last work which Ezra performed, was, the restoring to the people the sacred service of the Temple, according to the original and usual form before the captivity. He revised and amended the Jewish Liturgy, adding many new prayers and forms of Thanksgiving composed since the return from Babylon, on the blessings of Liberty and freedom from bondage. This pious and truly religious man composed also the service used at the dedication of the new Temple; and he carefully arranged all the Psalms and Hymns chanted on that occasion by the Priests and the Levites, in the house of God. Many of the prayers above noticed, are still extant among the Jewish Nation, of which we shall have to speak in a future Chapter. Ezra as a Priest, a Preacher of righteousness, and a skilful Scribe of the Law of God, unweariedly continued the reformation he had begun. He spent almost the whole of his time in preparing correct editions of the Holy Scripture--as during the captivity at Babylon, many copies had been lost, and many of them had been destroyed by the enemy--those which remained were chiefly in the hands of private individuals. Ezra, therefore, carefully examined these copies, and corrected those errors which may have been made, probably through the carelessness of the various transcribers.