When the seventh month was come. The seventh month was Tisri, and corresponded nearly to our October. It was the most sacred month of the Jewish year, commencing with a blowing of trumpets and a holy convocation on the first day (Le 23:24), which was followed on the tenth day by the solemn day of atonement (ibid.
verse 27; comp. Le 16:29-34), and on the fifteenth day by the feast of tabernacles or "ingathering," one of the three great annual festivals, which lasted to the twenty-second day. Zerubbabel and Joshua determined to risk a disturbance rather than defer the restoration of the altar beyond the commencement of this sacred month.
The people gathered themselves together. The people were bound to attend the feast of tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-16); but something more than this seems to be intended. The restoration of the altar and the re-establishment of the daily sacrifice having been announced, there was a general influx of the country Israelites into Jerusalem to witness the proceedings.
As one man. Very emphatic (comp. 20:1, 20:8; 2 Samuel 19:14).