NOTE ON Chapter S 9 AND 10 The great severity which characterises Ezra's policy, as described in these two Chapter s, calls for special notice. The fact that he was so close a student of the law lends peculiar importance to his acts. His own words (Ezra 9:10-12) indicate his view. The Jews by contr... [ Continue Reading ]
Commencement of the Religious Reform Chap. Ezra 9:1-4. The Sin of the People 1. _Now when these_things _were done_ Cf. 2 Chronicles 31:1. A very indefinite note of time. We have two dates given by which we can conjecture the length of the interval that had occurred since the events narrated at the... [ Continue Reading ]
_they have taken_ i.e. -taken wives" as in Ezra 10:44; 2Ch 11:21; 2 Chronicles 13:21. _the holy seed_ i.e. the race set apart and consecrated to God, cf. Exodus 19:5-6. The term -the holy seed" is found also in Isaiah 6:13. _have mingled themselves_ The same phrase occurs in a passage which well i... [ Continue Reading ]
_I rent my garment and my mantle_ Ezra's conduct betrays his surprise, his grief, and his indignation. The rending of the clothes is frequently mentioned in Scripture as a sign of grief: Ezra here is described as rending the under-garment or tunic (the -begedh") and the long loose robe (the m-îl) in... [ Continue Reading ]
There are, collected unto Ezra those who believed in the word of God and dreaded the displeasure consequent upon such transgression. Perhaps the reference is especially to the threats contained in the Law. Cf. Deuteronomy 7:1-4. _every one that trembled at the words_&c. cf. Ezra 10:3, -those that tr... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezra's Confession 5. _And at the evening sacrifice_ R.V. AND AT THE EVENING OBLATION, i.e. at the time of its being offered. _I arose up from my heaviness_ R.V. I AROSE UP FROM MY HUMILIATION. Marg. _fasting_. The Hebrew word -Taanith" occurs only here in the O.T.: in later Hebrew it became the ac... [ Continue Reading ]
A brief exordium: expression of personal shame and national guilt. _I am ashamed and blush_ These words occur together frequently as in Jeremiah 31:19 -I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth". Isaiah 45:16; Psalms 35:4. Ezra's expression of shame and confusi... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezra's Prayer Ezra's prayer, as a confession of national sin, should be compared with the prayer of the Levites (Nehemiah 9:6-38), and more especially with the prayer of Daniel (Daniel 9:4-19). As in the confession of Daniel, the personality of the speaker is merged in that of the nation, The sin o... [ Continue Reading ]
The record of Israelite history, i.e. sin and its retribution. But for their sin, the Israelites would have had a far different history. _Since the days of our fathers_ The exact phrase hardly occurs elsewhere except Malachi 3:7 -From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinanc... [ Continue Reading ]
The period since the decree of Cyrus a divinely appointed respite of probation. _And now for a little space_ R.V. AND NOW FOR A LITTLE MOMENT. -For a little moment", as in Isaiah 26:20 -Hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast". Ezra means that as compared with the long p... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we_were _bondmen_ R.V. FOR WE ARE BONDMEN. Ezra explains his words -in our bondage". The bondage is not past. The Jews are still bondmen, in servitude to the king of Persia. _yet our God_, &c. The hand of God's mercy could be discerned in the events of past history. _extended mercy_ Cf. Ezra... [ Continue Reading ]
A sudden apostrophe. God's mercy has been great; but now, in spite of all, Israel has broken this command: what does she deserve? _And now … after this_ It has been very generally supposed that -after this" means -after this manifestation of Divine clemency". But it seems better to suppose that Ezr... [ Continue Reading ]
The Divine commands which Israel had violated had been conveyed to them expressly by the prophets. The people were without excuse. _commanded by thy servants the prophets_ Lit. -by the hand of". To command by -the hand of" occurs often, as in the Heb. of Nehemiah 8:14; Leviticus 8:36; Numbers 16:40;... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now therefore give not_, &c. This sentence reproduces the substance of Deuteronomy 7:3 -Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son". _nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever_ R.V. … OR THEIR PROSPER... [ Continue Reading ]
_great trespass_ R.V. GREAT GUILT. Cf. on Ezra 9:7. Not an isolated offence, but the condition of deep obligation for sin. _seeing that thou … hast_, &c. According to this rendering, Ezra asks as it were in grief and dismay, -After all that is past, shall we take advantage of God's mercy to sin yet... [ Continue Reading ]
Great as have been our punishments in the past, they have been less than we deserved. Now that we have sinned yet again, what do we deserve but extermination?... [ Continue Reading ]
_should we again_, &c. R.V. SHALL WE AGAIN. _break thy commandments_ The work rendered -break" is found with -commandment" in Numbers 15:31, and is especially frequently found with -covenant", e.g. Genesis 17:14; Deuteronomy 31:16; Judges 2:1; Isaiah 24:5; Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 17:16 in the sense... [ Continue Reading ]
The prayer ends in expression of complete surrender. There is no excuse to plead. The nation stands in its sin in the presence of the perfect God, and awaits the sentence of -righteousness". _O Lord God of Israel_ R.V. O LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL. See on Ezra 1:3. The prayer had begun -O _my_God" (Ez... [ Continue Reading ]