Nehemiah 8:16 - Exposition

The flat roofs of Oriental houses, and the court round which they were commonly built, furnished convenient sites for the booths, and would be preferred by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The incomers from the country districts ( Nehemiah 8:15 ) would have to occupy the open places or "squares" of the city, and the temple courts, which would accommodate large numbers. On the street of the water gate see the comment on Nehemiah 8:1 . The street of the gate of Ephraim was probably a similar square, inside the great northern gateway.