Ezra 9:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezra 9:3

Plucking out the hair with the hands, so common among the Classical nations, is, comparatively speaking, rarely mentioned as practiced by Asiatics. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezra 9:3

Ezra 9:3. When I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, &c. Both my inner and my upper garment. This was a token, not only of his very great grief and sorrow, but of his sense of God’s displeasure at their conduct. For the Jews were wont to rend their clothes, when they apprehended God to be highly offended. And plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard This was still a higher sign of exceeding great grief. For, in ordinary sorrow, they only neglected their hair, and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:1-15

9:1-10:44 THE PROBLEM OF MIXED MARRIAGESEzra’s grief (9:1-15)One of the first problems that Ezra dealt with was that of mixed marriages. Israelite men had married non-Israelite wives and had families by them. The practice was widespread and involved even the leaders of the community. If allowed to continue, it could destroy Israel’s religion and even Israel’s identity as a distinct race (9:1-2).When told of the matter, Ezra was overcome with grief and shame. He turned to God to confess the sin... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezra 9:3

rent my garment, &c. These were signs of inward mourning. See Ezra 9:5 . Jos 7:6 . 1 Samuel 4:12 . 2 Samuel 1:2 ; 2Sa 13:31 . 2 Kings 18:37 . Job 1:20 . Matthew 26:65 . astonied: i.e. causing astonishment in such as saw me. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ezra 9:3

THE ASTONISHMENT AND HORROR OF EZRA"And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening sacrifice."Ezra's reaction to the bad news was extreme. There is hardly anything more painful than pulling out the hairs of one's beard. Similar... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ezra 9:3

3. when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, c.—the outer and inner garment, which was a token not only of great grief, but of dread at the same time of the divine wrath plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard—which was a still more significant sign of overpowering grief. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ezra 9:1-4

The news of apostasy 9:1-4The Mosaic Law strictly forbade intermarriage with the native Canaanites (Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-5). Furthermore, intermarriage with other non-Israelites had resulted in tragic consequences in Israel’s earlier history (cf. 1 Kings 11:1-8)."Thus the action in Ezra 10 is not directed against inter-Israelite marriages between the returnees and the ’peoples of the land’ but specifically against Israel’s old wilderness and early conquest enemies, namely, the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:1-15

Ezra’s Indignation at Intermarriages with the Heathen1. The Canaanites, etc.] In the Law it was only with the various Canaanite nations that marriage was altogether forbidden (Exodus 34:12-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-3). David was descended from a union between an Israelite and a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4; Ruth 4:17), and Solomon had married an Egyptian princess without reproach (1 Kings 3:1). But the principle which excluded alliances with certain nations was doubtless felt to be applicable to others also,... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ezra 9:1-4

IX.(1) Now when these things were done.—The remainder of the book is occupied with the execution of Ezra’s function as a moral reformer. One chief disorder is mentioned, that of the mixed marriages (Ezra 9:2), which the new lawgiver evidently regarded as fatal to the purity of the Divine service, and to the design of God in separating for a season this peculiar people.(1-4) The report of the abuse of mixed marriages is formally brought before Ezra.(1) The princes—Heads of tribes, native rulers... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:1-15

FOREIGN MARRIAGESEzra 9:1-15The successful issue of Ezra’s undertaking was speedily followed by a bitter disappointment on the part of its leader, the experience of which urged him to make a drastic reformation that rent many a happy home asunder and filled Jerusalem with the grief of broken hearts.During the obscure period that followed the dedication of the temple-a period of which we have no historical remains-the rigorous exclusiveness which had marked the conduct of the returned exiles... read more

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