Ezra 9

1

Now when these things were done, the princes came near to me, saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 1. Abominations, or sins, ( Menochius.) marrying with infidels, contrary to the law. Exodus 34:15. Deuteronomy 7:3. D.—Malachy (2:11) reprehends this conduct, and threatens both rulers and people who tolerate it, with God’s indignation. Worthington.

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2

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. First. Or “was in this first transgression,” incurred by those who returned with Zorobabel; or “was concerned in this very heinous transgression;” in transgressione hac prima. Calmet.—Prot. “hath been chief.” 3 Esd. “and the leaders and grandees partook in this illegal affair, from its commencement.” Septuagint “and the hand of the chiefs was in this transgress, in the beginning.” This would greatly increase the difficulty of reformation. Some of the princes were however ready to undertake the work, and had preserved themselves from the two general contagion. Bible.—All marriages with the Moabites, and so forth were prohibited, if the women remained infidels. Exodus 34. Tirinus.

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3

When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled the hair out of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 3. Coat, (tunicam) or inner garment. Bible.—Mourning. Hebrew “astonished.” Syr. Mont. Calmet. Prot.—Septuagint “alone.” 3 Esd. “pensive and in grief.” Bible.—Arab. “not uttering a word.” See Job 1:20 and 2:8. This was the ordinary posture of people in sorrow. Isaiah 3:26. Calmet.

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4

Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel were assembled to me because of the trespass of the exiles; and I sat confounded until the evening offering.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 4. To me, in the court of the temple. Calmet. 10:1. Menochius.—Sacrifice, which was offered last of all, about sun-set. Exodus 29:38. The Jews commonly protract their fasts till the stars appear. Leo, p. 3, art. 8.

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5

At the evening offering I rose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God;

6

and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.

7

Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 7. At this day. Notwithstanding the favourable decrees of Cyrus, and so forth the greatest part of the people continued in captivity, being dispersed, some into Egypt, others into distant countries, beyond the Euphrates. Calmet.

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8

Now for a little moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our bondage.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 8. As a. Prot. “for a little space, grace hath been shewed from the Lord,” ( Bible.) and yet we are again irritating Him! Calmet.—A pin, or nail, here signifies a small settlement or holding; which Esdras begs for, to preserve even a part of the people, who, by their great iniquity, had incurred the anger of God. Challoner.—Allusion is made to the pins which fasten down a tent, (Isaiah 33:20 and 54:2) or hinder a ship from being carried from the shore, (Tigur. Menochius.) on which utensils are hung up, (Tournemine) referring to the magistrates, who were now of the same country. Tirinus. Isaiah 22:21. Delrio, adag. 218.—Septuagint “a support.” Hebrew yathed, denotes also a walking-stick, nail, and so forth Menochius.—Eyes, fill us with joy, in perfect security.—Little life, free us from danger. Calmet.—Esdras is afraid to ask for the impunity of all, but only begs that a small part may be spared, like a nail or post from a house, which may serve to rebuild it. Worthington.

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9

For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 9. Fence. Hebrew gader, “the name which the Carthaginians” gave to Cadiz, “as it signifies a fence,” or an inclosure. Pliny xxii. Calmet.—Some Latin MSS. read spem, “hope.” Lyran.—The Tig. version understands the wall of Jerusalem, built in a hurry. Menochius.—But this was not perfected, ( Bible.) if begun, till the time of Nehemias. 2 Ezra 1:3. Calmet.—God gave his protection to the people, ( Bible. Delrio, adag. 219.) by the king of Persia. Tirinus.

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10

“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,

11

which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 11. Mouth, like a vessel brim-full. Menochius.—Prot. “from one end ot the other.” Bible.

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12

Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 12. Peace. Alliance, ( Menochius.) or advantage. See Psalms 121:8. Moses had thus proscribed the Moabites, and so forth as he had done the people of Chanaan still more severely. The Israelites were to execute God’s decrees. Deuteronomy 23:6. Calmet.—The obstinate idolaters were to be exterminated.

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13

“After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Saved us. Prot. “hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this.” Septuagint “hast made our transgressions light,” ( Bible.) not weighing them with rigid severity. Calmet.

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14

shall we again break your commandments, and join ourselves with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape?

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 14. That. Hebrew “should we again break, &c … Wouldst thou not be angry?” and so forth

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15

LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 15. To be saved from our iniquities, which are still upon us. Bible.—We confess that, if we should be treated according to our deserts, we could expect no redress. But we trust in thy mercies, which have hitherto supported and brought us back from slavery. Calmet.

EXPLANATION

“Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

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