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Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

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

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

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:6

And said, O my God ,.... Here begins the prayer of Ezra, and that with faith in God as covenant God, even when he was about to make confession of sin, and repentance for it; that prayer is right which is put up in faith, and that repentance genuine which is accompanied with faith, and flows from it: I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God ; a true sight and sense of sin causes shame and blushing, and never more than when a man is sensible of his covenant interest in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:7

Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day ,.... The sins they were guilty of had been long continued in, which was an aggravation of them: and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands ; the ten tribes and their king into the hand of the king of Assyria, the kings of Judah, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, into the hands of the king of Babylon, with the priests and people: to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:8

And now, for a little space, grace hath been showed from the Lord our God ,.... It was but a small time since the Lord first began to show favour to them, so that they soon after began to revolt from him; which argued the strange propensity of their minds to that which is evil, and from which they could not be restrained by the recent goodness of God unto them: to leave us a remnant to escape ; out of captivity, from whence a small number were graciously and safely returned to their own... read more

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