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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 9:13

And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass ,.... As famine, sword, pestilence, and captivity, for their idolatries and other heinous sins: seeing that our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve ; for they deserved eternal punishment, whereas it was temporal punishment that was inflicted, and this moderate, and now stopped; the sense is, according to Aben Ezra,"thou hast refrained from writing some of our sins in the book of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:14

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations ?.... That are guilty of abominable idolatries, and of all uncleanness: wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us ; it might be justly expected: so that there should be no remnant nor escaping ? any left or suffered to escape the wrath of but all consumed by it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 9:15

O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous ,.... And would appear to be so, should Israel be entirely cut off, and utterly consumed for their iniquities: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day ; that they remained yet escaped out of captivity, and escaped the wrath and vengeance of God, was not owing to any deserts of theirs, but to the grace and mercy of God, who had not stirred up all his wrath, as their sins deserved: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses ; to do with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:13

Hast punished us less than our iniquities - Great, numerous, and oppressive as our calamities have been, yet merely as temporal punishments, they have been much less than our provocations have deserved. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 9:15

Thou art righteous - Thou art merciful; this is one of the many meanings of the word צדק tsedek ; and to this meaning St. Paul refers, when he says, God declares his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, Romans 3:25 ; (note). See the note there. We remain yet escaped - Because of this righteousness or mercy. In our trespasses - We have no righteousness; we are clothed and covered with our trespasses. We cannot stand before thee ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:1-15

§ 2. REFORMATION OF RELIGION ACCOMPLISHED BY EZRA AT JERUSALEM . 1. The complaint made by the princes to Ezra concerning the mixed marriages ( Ezra 9:1 , Ezra 9:2 ); 2. Ezra's astonishment and horror ( Ezra 9:3 , Ezra 9:4 ); 3. His confession and prayer to God ( Ezra 9:5-15 ); 4. Repentance of the people, and covenant sworn to, on the recommendation of Shechaniah ( Ezra 10:1-5 ); 5. Ezra's fast ( Ezra 10:6 ); 6. Proclamation summoning... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:4-15

Sensibility. Ezra was a man not only of vigorous mind and strong will, with whom things soon took shape and form, but also of keen sensibility, into whose heart things cut deeply, and whose soul was stirred with strong emotion. Therefore he knew not only great joys, but great sorrows also. "Dearly bought the hidden treasure Finer feelings can bestow; Chords that vibrate deepest pleasure Thrill the deepest notes of woe." When he learnt how the children of Israel had gone astray in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:5-15

EZRA 'S CONFESSION AND PRAYER TO GOD ( Ezra 9:5-15 ). The most remarkable feature of Ezra's confession is the thoroughness with which he identifies himself with his erring countrymen, blushes for their transgressions, and is ashamed for their misconduct. All their sins he appears to consider as his sins, all their disobedience as his disobedience, all their perils as his perils. Another striking feature is his sense of the exceeding sinfulness of the particular sin of the time... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 9:5-15

A flood of tears. As we noticed before, and as is here noticed again, the approach of the evening sacrifice seems to have been the first thing which opened Ezra's lips. Speaking to him at last as he sat like a rock (comp. Psalms 105:41 ), it was answered immediately by a mingled outburst of confession and tears. Again by outward gesture expressing his sorrow, but not, as before, his indignation, he added now, by falling on his knees and spreading out his hands, the outward tokens of... read more

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