| Nehemiah 8:8
| And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read.
| Understood, by those who were near enough, and were skilled in Hebrew, (Haydock) though many began to forget that language; (chap. 13:24.) and for their benefit, an explanation was given in Chaldean, (ver. 9.; Calmet) or Syriac, the vulgar tongue after the captivity. Pure Hebrew was still retained in the public liturgy. (Tirinus) --- Thus the Catholic Church retains the use of the language first use in the conversion of the respective people, whether Greek, Latin, etc., while she takes care to explain to the people what is necessary, in their own language. Any change might be attended with more serious inconveniences than benefit. Our Saviour never blamed this practice, which subsisted among the Jews in his time, no more than that which obliged the people to keep without, while the priest offered incense, etc., Luke 1:10, 21. --- And plainly. Protestants, "and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading," as much as they were able, though many would, no doubt, still find difficulties, as we do at present. (Haydock)
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