The noun "greetings" can be expressed with the verb "greet." These greetings showed that the people respected the scribes. Alternate translation: "to have people greet them respectfully in the marketplaces" or "people to greet them respectfully in the marketplaces" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
You may want to make explicit that the scribes will sit in these places. Alternate translation "to sit in the chief seats ... to have people seat them in the chief places" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])