1 Now when Ezra H5830 had prayed, H6419 and when he had confessed, H3034 weeping H1058 and casting himself down H5307 before H6440 the house H1004 of God, H430 there assembled H6908 unto him out of Israel H3478 a very H3966 great H7227 congregation H6951 of men H582 and women H802 and children: H3206 for the people H5971 wept H1058 very H7235 sore. H1059
And whiles I was speaking, H1696 and praying, H6419 and confessing H3034 my sin H2403 and the sin H2403 of my people H5971 Israel, H3478 and presenting H5307 my supplication H8467 before H6440 the LORD H3068 my God H430 for the holy H6944 mountain H2022 of my God; H430
Rivers H6388 of waters H4325 run down H3381 mine eyes, H5869 because they keep H8104 not thy law. H8451
If, when evil H7451 cometh H935 upon us, as the sword, H2719 judgment, H8196 or pestilence, H1698 or famine, H7458 we stand H5975 before H6440 this house, H1004 and in thy presence, H6440 (for thy name H8034 is in this house,) H1004 and cry H2199 unto thee in our affliction, H6869 then thou wilt hear H8085 and help. H3467
If G1437 we say G2036 that G3754 we have G2192 no G3756 sin, G266 we deceive G4105 ourselves, G1438 and G2532 the truth G225 is G2076 not G3756 in G1722 us. G2254 If G1437 we confess G3670 our G2257 sins, G266 he is G2076 faithful G4103 and G2532 just G1342 to G2443 forgive G863 us G2254 our sins, G266 and G2532 to cleanse G2511 us G2248 from G575 all G3956 unrighteousness. G93 If G1437 we say G2036 that G3754 we have G264 not G3756 sinned, G264 we make G4160 him G846 a liar, G5583 and G2532 his G846 word G3056 is G2076 not G3756 in G1722 us. G2254
And hearken H8085 thou to the supplication H8467 of thy servant, H5650 and of thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 when they shall pray H6419 toward this place: H4725 and hear H8085 thou in heaven H8064 thy dwelling H3427 place: H4725 and when thou hearest, H8085 forgive. H5545
But if ye will not hear H8085 it, my soul H5315 shall weep H1058 in secret places H4565 for H6440 your pride; H1466 and mine eye H5869 shall weep H1830 sore, H1830 and run down H3381 with tears, H1832 because the LORD'S H3068 flock H5739 is carried away captive. H7617
And I will pour H8210 upon the house H1004 of David, H1732 and upon the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 the spirit H7307 of grace H2580 and of supplications: H8469 and they shall look H5027 upon me whom they have pierced, H1856 and they shall mourn H4553 for him, as one mourneth H5594 for his only H3173 son, and shall be in bitterness H4843 for him, as one that is in bitterness H4843 for his firstborn. H1060
Gather H622 the people, H5971 sanctify H6942 the congregation, H6951 assemble H6908 the elders, H2205 gather H622 the children, H5768 and those that suck H3243 the breasts: H7699 let the bridegroom H2860 go forth H3318 of his chamber, H2315 and the bride H3618 out of her closet. H2646 Let the priests, H3548 the ministers H8334 of the LORD, H3068 weep H1058 between the porch H197 and the altar, H4196 and let them say, H559 Spare H2347 thy people, H5971 O LORD, H3068 and give H5414 not thine heritage H5159 to reproach, H2781 that the heathen H1471 should rule over H4910 them: wherefore should they say H559 among the people, H5971 Where is their God? H430 Then will the LORD H3068 be jealous H7065 for his land, H776 and pity H2550 his people. H5971
Take H3947 with you words, H1697 and turn H7725 to the LORD: H3068 say H559 unto him, Take away H5375 all iniquity, H5771 and receive H3947 us graciously: H2896 so will we render H7999 the calves H6499 of our lips. H8193
And I set H5414 my face H6440 unto the Lord H136 God, H430 to seek H1245 by prayer H8605 and supplications, H8469 with fasting, H6685 and sackcloth, H8242 and ashes: H665 And I prayed H6419 unto the LORD H3068 my God, H430 and made my confession, H3034 and said, H559 O H577 Lord, H136 the great H1419 and dreadful H3372 God, H410 keeping H8104 the covenant H1285 and mercy H2617 to them that love H157 him, and to them that keep H8104 his commandments; H4687
Oh that H5414 my head H7218 were waters, H4325 and mine eyes H5869 a fountain H4726 of tears, H1832 that I might weep H1058 day H3119 and night H3915 for the slain H2491 of the daughter H1323 of my people! H5971
I acknowledged H3045 my sin H2403 unto thee, and mine iniquity H5771 have I not hid. H3680 I said, H559 I will confess H3034 my transgressions H6588 unto the LORD; H3068 and thou forgavest H5375 the iniquity H5771 of my sin. H2403 Selah. H5542
And the rest H7605 of the people, H5971 the priests, H3548 the Levites, H3881 the porters, H7778 the singers, H7891 the Nethinims, H5411 and all they that had separated H914 themselves from the people H5971 of the lands H776 unto the law H8451 of God, H430 their wives, H802 their sons, H1121 and their daughters, H1323 every one having knowledge, H3045 and having understanding; H995
And Nehemiah, H5166 which is the Tirshatha, H8660 and Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 the scribe, H5608 and the Levites H3881 that taught H995 the people, H5971 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 This day H3117 is holy H6918 unto the LORD H3068 your God; H430 mourn H56 not, nor weep. H1058 For all the people H5971 wept, H1058 when they heard H8085 the words H1697 of the law. H8451
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, I have heard H8085 thy prayer H8605 and thy supplication, H8467 that thou hast made H2603 before H6440 me: I have hallowed H6942 this house, H1004 which thou hast built, H1129 to put H7760 my name H8034 there for H5704 ever; H5769 and mine eyes H5869 and mine heart H3820 shall be there perpetually. H3117
Gather H6950 the people H5971 together, H6950 men, H582 and women, H802 and children, H2945 and thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates, H8179 that they may hear, H8085 and that they may learn, H3925 and fear H3372 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and observe H8104 to do H6213 all the words H1697 of this law: H8451
If they shall confess H3034 their iniquity, H5771 and the iniquity H5771 of their fathers, H1 with their trespass H4604 which they trespassed H4603 against me, and that also they have walked H1980 contrary H7147 unto me; And that I also have walked H3212 contrary H7147 unto them, and have brought H935 them into the land H776 of their enemies; H341 if then H176 their uncircumcised H6189 hearts H3824 be humbled, H3665 and they then accept H7521 of the punishment of their iniquity: H5771
And it came to pass, when the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 spake H1696 these words H1697 unto all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that the people H5971 lifted up H5375 their voice, H6963 and wept. H1058 And they called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Bochim: H1066 and they sacrificed H2076 there unto the LORD. H3068
And G1161 when G3753 we G2248 had G1096 accomplished G1822 those days, G2250 we departed G1831 and went our way; G4198 and they all G3956 brought G4311 us G2248 on our way, G4311 with G4862 wives G1135 and G2532 children, G5043 till G2193 we were out of G1854 the city: G4172 and G2532 we kneeled down G5087 G1119 on G1909 the shore, G123 and prayed. G4336
And G2532 Cornelius G2883 said, G5346 Four G5067 days G2250 ago G575 I was G2252 fasting G3522 until G3360 this G5026 hour; G5610 and G2532 at the ninth G1766 hour G5610 I prayed G4336 in G1722 my G3450 house, G3624 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a man G435 stood G2476 before G1799 me G3450 in G1722 bright G2986 clothing, G2066
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 10
Commentary on Ezra 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ezr 10:1-17. Ezra Reforms the Strange Marriages.
1. Now when Ezra had prayed—As this prayer was uttered in public, while there was a general concourse of the people at the time of the evening sacrifice and as it was accompanied with all the demonstrations of poignant sorrow and anguish, it is not surprising that the spectacle of a man so respected, a priest so holy, a governor so dignified as Ezra, appearing distressed and filled with fear at the sad state of things, should produce a deep sensation; and the report of his passionate grief and expressions in the court of the temple having rapidly spread through the city, a great multitude flocked to the spot.
2-4. Shechaniah … answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed—This was one of the leading men, who was not himself a delinquent in the matter, for his name does not occur in the following list. He spoke in the general name of the people, and his conduct evinced a tender conscience, as well as no small fortitude in making such a proposal; for as his father and five paternal uncles (Ezr 10:26) were involved in the guilt of unlawful marriages, he showed, by the measure he recommended, that he deemed it better to obey God than to please his nearest relatives.
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing—This hope, however, depended on timely measures of reformation, and therefore, instead of surrendering themselves to despair or despondency, he counselled them to amend their error without delay, relying on God's mercy for the past. Though the proposal may seem harsh and cruel, yet in the peculiar circumstances of the Jews it was just as well as necessary; and he urged the duty of seeing it executed on Ezra, as the only person competent to carry it into effect, being possessed of skill and address for so delicate and difficult a work, and invested by God, and under Him by the Persian king (Ezr 7:23-28), with the requisite authority to enforce it.
5-8. Then Ezra … went into the chamber of Johanan—At a private council of the princes and elders held there, under the presidency of Ezra, it was resolved to enter into a general covenant to put away their foreign wives and children; that a proclamation should be made for all who had returned from Babylon to repair within three days to Jerusalem, under pain of excommunication and confiscation of their property.
9-11. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin—The returned captives belonged chiefly to these tribes; but other Israelites are also included under these names, as they all were then occupying the territory formerly assigned to those two tribes.
It was the ninth month—that is, between the end of December and the beginning of January, which is the coldest and most rainy season of the year in Palestine.
all the people sat in the street—that is, the court.
10-17. Ezra the priest stood up, and said—Having fully represented the enormity of their sin and urged them to dissolve their unlawful connections, he was gratified by receiving a prompt acknowledgment of the justice of his reproof and a promise of compliance with his recommendation. But as the weather was ungenial and the defaulters were too numerous to be passed in review at one time, it was resolved that a commission should be appointed to examine into the whole matter. These commissioners, assisted by the judges and elders of the respective cities, made a minute investigation into every case, and after three months' labor completely removed all traces of the abuse. Doubtless, an adequate provision was made for the repudiated wives and children, according to the means and circumstances of the husbands.
Ezr 10:18-44. Those That Had Taken Strange Wives.
18. among the sons of the priests—From the names of so many men of rank appearing in the following list, some idea may be formed of the great and complicated difficulties attending the reformatory work.
19. they gave their hands—that is, came under a solemn engagement, which was usually ratified by pledging the right hand (Pr 6:1; Eze 17:18). The delinquents of the priestly order bound themselves to do like the common Israelites (Ezr 10:25), and sought to expiate their sin by sacrificing a ram as a trespass offering.