Ezra 10:1

1. There assembled… a very great congregation It seems that Ezra’s prayer and his agonizing attitude had brought the most of them together. His position before the house of God, in the fore-court of the temple, at the time when many would naturally be resorting there for the worship of the evening sacrifice, (Ezra 9:4-5,) and his attitude of kneeling down and spreading out his bands towards heaven, would soon attract a multitude around him, and his touching prayer would naturally make them weep.

For the people wept very sore Or, as the margin, wept a great weeping. And this helped further to call a large assembly to the spot.