Esdras 9:1-4 NVI

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 9:1-4

Ezra, like Barnabas when he came to Jerusalem and saw the grace of God to his brethren there, no doubt was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Acts 11:23. He saw nothing amiss (many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most vigilant rulers); but here is a damp upon his joys: information is brought him that many of the people, yea, and some of the rulers, had married wives out of heathen families, and joined themselves in affinity with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:1

Now when these things were done ,.... When the captives with Ezra had refreshed themselves, and weighed the money and vessels they brought, and put them into the hands of proper persons, and offered sacrifices, and delivered the king's commissions to his lieutenants and governors, and shown his own: the princes came to me ; some of the nobles of Israel, the most religious of them, who were concerned at the corruptions that were among them, though not a sufficient number to reform them: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:2

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sorts ,.... Some that were widowers not only took wives to themselves of the above nations, either when they were of Babylon, where many of these nations also were, or rather since their return; but they took for their sons also; yea, some that had wives took Heathenish ones to them, see Malachi 2:13 , so that the holy seed ; such as the Lord had separated from other nations, chosen them to be an holy people above all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:3

And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle ,.... Both inward and outward garments, that which was close to his body, and that which was thrown loose over it; and this he did in token of sorrow and mourning, as if something very dreadful and distressing, see Job 1:20 and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard ; did not shave them, and so transgressed not the law in Leviticus 19:27 but plucked off the hair of them, to show his extreme sorrow for what was told... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:4

There were assembled unto me everyone that trembled at the words of the God of Israel ,.... That had a reverence for the word of God, and the things contained in it; feared to break the laws of God, and trembled at his judgments, which they might apprehend would come upon transgressors, see Isaiah 46:2 , because of the transgression of those that had been carried away ; into Babylon, and were now returned, and which was an aggravation of their transgression: and I sat astonished... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:1

The people of Israel - These were they who had returned at first with Zerubbabel, and were settled in the land of Judea and whom Ezra found on his arrival to be little better than the Canaanitish nations from whom God had commanded them ever to keep separate. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:2

Hath been chief in this trespass - They who are the first men have been the most capital offenders; so Virgil, Aen. ix. 783: - Unus homo, vestris, o cives, undique septus Aggeribus, tantas strages impune per urbem Ediderit? Juvenum primos tot miserit orco read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:3

I rent my garment and my mantle - The outer and inner garment, in sign of great grief. This significant act is frequently mentioned in the sacred writings, and was common among all ancient nations. Plucked off the hair - Shaving the head and beard were signs of excessive grief; much more so the plucking off the hair, which must produce exquisite pain. All this testified his abhorrence, not merely of the act of having taken strange wives, but their having also joined... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:4

Those that had been carried away - Those that had returned long before with Zerubbabel; see Ezra 9:1 . Until the evening sacrifice - The morning sacrifice was the first of all the offerings of the day, the evening sacrifice the last. As the latter was offered between the two evenings, i.e., between sunset and the end of twilight, so the former was offered between break of day and sunrise. Ezra sat astonied - confounded in his mind, distressed in his soul, and scarcely... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:1

When these things were done. It must have been some considerable time afterwards. Ezra reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month ( Ezra 7:9 ), rested three days ( Ezra 8:32 ), and on the fourth day of the same month made over the vessels to the temple authorities. It was not till the seventeenth day of the ninth month that, on Ezra's motion, the matter of the mixed marriages was taken in hand ( Ezra 10:8 , Ezra 10:9 ). Yet we cannot suppose that action was long delayed... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 9:1-4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:1

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