John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:5
And at the evening sacrifice I rose up from my heaviness ,.... The signs and tokens of it, particularly sitting on the ground; or "from my fasting" F14 מתעניתי "jejunio meo", Michaelis; so Jarchi. , having eaten nothing that day, it being early in the morning when he was told the above case: and having rent my garment and my mantle ; which he had done before, and still kept them on him in the same case: fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God ; in the... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 9:5-15
What the meditations of Ezra's heart were, while for some hours he sat down astonished, we may guess by the words of his mouth when at length he spoke with his tongue; and a most pathetic address he here makes to Heaven upon this occasion. Observe, I. The time when he made this address?at the evening sacrifice, Ezra 9:5. Then (it is likely) devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, to grace the solemnity of the sacrifice and to offer up their own prayers to God in concurrence... read more