Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary
Ezra 9:9
We were bondmen - Rather, “we are bondmen” (compare the marginal reference). The Israelites, though returned from the captivity, were still “bondmen.” The Persian monarch was their absolute lord and master.
We were bondmen - Rather, “we are bondmen” (compare the marginal reference). The Israelites, though returned from the captivity, were still “bondmen.” The Persian monarch was their absolute lord and master.
CHAPTER 9 _ 1. Ezra's astonishment and grief (Ezra 9:1)_ 2. Ezra's confession and prayer (Ezra 9:5) Ezra 9:1. When all these things had been done (that are related in chapter 8:33-36) Ezra was confr...
EZRA'S CONFESSION. Ezra 9:5. at the evening Oblation: therefore in the presence of the assembled worshippers. Ezra 9:7. from the days of our fathers: _i.e._ from the times of the patriarchs onwards....
WE WERE. Or, supply the Ellipsis "we [are]". BONDMEN. The subjects of the Persians (Nehemiah 9:36). MERCY. lovingkindness, or grace. KINGS OF PERSIA. See App-57. TO REPAIR THE DESOLATIONS. Compare...
_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. T...
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...
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....
2. Ezra's prayer is set down for us. TEXT, EZRA 9:6-15 6 and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to Thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our...
_FOR WE WERE BONDMEN; YET OUR GOD HATH NOT FORSAKEN US IN OUR BONDAGE, BUT HATH EXTENDED MERCY UNTO US IN THE SIGHT OF THE KINGS OF PERSIA, TO GIVE US A REVIVING, TO SET UP THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD, AND T...
9:9 wall (b-50) Or 'enclosing fence.' see Ezekiel 13:5 ....
EZRA'S INDIGNATION AT INTERMARRIAGES WITH THE HEATHEN 1. The Canaanites, etc.] In the Law it was only with the various Canaanite nations that marriage was altogether forbidden (Exodus 34:12; Deuterono...
WE _were_ BONDMEN] RV 'we are bondmen': i.e. subjects of the Persians: cp. Nehemiah 9:36. A WALL] i.e. protection (RM 'a fence')....
THE *JEWS RETURN TO JERUSALEM EZRA _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 9 V1 After these things had happened, the leaders came to me. They said, ‘The *people of Israel have not kept themselves separate from th...
(5-15) Ezra’s prayer of confession and deprecation. (5) AND AT THE EVENING SACRIFICE I AROSE UP. — Until the afternoon Ezra had sat silent and in grief before the Temple, and in presence of the people...
כִּֽי ־עֲבָדִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וּ בְ עַבְדֻתֵ֔נוּ...
FOREIGN MARRIAGES Ezra 9:1 The successful issue of Ezra's undertaking was speedily followed by a bitter disappointment on the part of its leader, the experience of which urged him to make a drastic...
A LEADER'S SORROWS FOR HIS PEOPLE'S SINS Ezra 9:1 The mingling of the holy seed with heathen peoples was always the curse of Israel, and it has been the temptation of God's children in every age. Do...
On Ezra's arrival at Jerusalem complaint was made to him of the failure and sin of the people. What an appalling story it was, that during these sixty years, even though there had been no return to he...
Fence. Hebrew gader, "the name which the Carthaginians" gave to Cadiz, "as it signifies a fence," or an inclosure. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxii.) (Calmet) --- Some Latin manuscripts read spem, "hop...
Reader! what sweet and gracious signs of sorrow, and of real communion with God. The blushing, and dropping countenance, under the conscious sense of the divine presence, are among the truest tokens o...
THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 9 AND 10. Alas! as soon as he can look into these things, he finds the law already broken, evil already come in. The people of Israel had not kept themselves...
FOR WE WERE BONDMEN,.... To the Chaldeans when in Babylon, which was more than the Jews in the times of Christ would own, John 8:33, YET OUR GOD HATH NOT FORSAKEN US IN OUR BONDAGE; had not left them...
For we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and...
_For we were bondmen_ In greater bondage than that in which we now are. _Our God hath extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia_ Hath given us to find favour in their eyes. _To give us...
1 Ezra mourneth for the affinitie of the people with strangers. 5 He prayeth vnto God with confession of sinnes. 1 NOWE when these things were done, the Princes came to me, saying, The people of Isr...
For we were bondmen, held captive by the enemies; YET OUR GOD HATH NOT FORSAKEN US IN OUR BONDAGE, BUT HATH EXTENDED MERCY UNTO US IN THE SIGHT OF THE KINGS OF PERSIA, TO GIVE US A REVIVING, restoring...
Ezra's Confession of the People's Sin...
HUMBLED BECAUSE OF MIXED MARRIAGES (vv. 1-4) If Ezra expected to engage in the pleasant work of the priesthood, it must have been a keen disappointment to find soon after his arrival that there was...
TO REPAIR: _ Heb._ to set up...
5-15 The sacrifice, especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the blessed Lamb of God, who in the evening of the world, was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Ezra's address is a pen...
WE WERE BONDMEN, i.e. in greater bondage than that in which we now are. HATH EXTENDED MERCY UNTO US IN THE SIGHT OF THE KINGS OF PERSIA, i.e. hath given us to find favour in their eyes. TO GIVE US A R...
Ezra 9:9 slaves H5650 God H430 forsake H5800 (H8804) bondage H5659 extended H5186 (H8686) mercy H2617 sight...
EZRA'S ADMISSION OF ISRAEL'S GUILT BEFORE YHWH ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE (EZRA 9:5). When the time of the evening sacrifice came, no doubt feeling that this act of atonement and dedication on the behalf...
EZRA DEALS WITH THE PROBLEM OF RETURNEES WHO HAVE BEEN LED ASTRAY INTO IDOLATRY HAVING TAKEN FOREIGN WIVES (EZRA 9:1 TO EZRA 10:44). It is important here to recognise that what was in question was not...
CONTENTS: The remnant loses its separated position. Ezra's prayer and confession. CHARACTERS: God, Ezra. CONCLUSION: Let this be the comfort of true penitents, that though their sins have piled up t...
Ezra 9:2. _The holy seed have mingled with the people._ The distinction of the Jews from the heathen was not by nature, but by grace. Their nobility lay in adherence to the covenant of God, and so the...
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 9:1 Ezra Discovers and Confronts the Problem of Intermarriage. Ezra discovers that the Jewish community has mixed with idolatrous non-Jewish groups in religion and in marriage. He le...
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 9:9 WE ARE SLAVES. The exiles remain under the authority of PERSIA (see Nehemiah 9:36). Even so, God has shown the...
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] We now come to the social and religious reformation effected by Ezra amongst the Jews who had previously returned to their own land (chaps. 9 and 10). And in this chap...
§ 2. REFORMATION OF RELIGION ACCOMPLISHED BY EZRA AT JERUSALEM. EXPOSITION IN the interval between Zerubbabel's rule and the coming of Ezra from Babylon with a special commission appointing him gover...
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to...
Daniel 9:25; Ezekiel 11:16; Ezra 1:1; Ezra 1:7; Ezra 6:1;...
A wall — The favour of the kings of Persia whose edicts were their security against all those enemies wherewith they were encompassed: and the gracious providence of God, which had planted them in the...