Ezra 9:2

9:1-4 Many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most careful rulers. Some of the people disobeyed the express command of God, which forbade all marriages with the heathen, De 7. Disbelief of God's all-sufficiency, is at the bottom of the sorry shifts we make to help ourselves. They exposed themselves and their children to the peril of idolatry, that had ruined their church and nation. Carnal professors may make light of such connexions, and try to explain away the exhortations to be separate; but those who are best acquainted with the word of God, will treat the subject in another manner. They must forebode the worst from such unions. The evils excused, and even pleaded for; by many professors, astonish and cause regret in the true believer. All who profess to be God's people, ought to strengthen those that appear and act against vice and profaneness.

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 others, and devoted them to his service and worship: have mingled themselves with the people of those lands; before mentioned, by marrying with them: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass; they were the first that went into it, were ringleaders of it, who should by their authority and example have restrained others; or they were in this first trespass (i); which was the first gross and capital one the people fell into after their return from the captivity. (i) "in praevaricatione ista prima", Pagninus, Montanus.

Ezra 9:2 . So that the holy seed, &c. — They are called a holy seed, because of the covenant which God had made with them, whereby they were constituted a peculiar people, separated from all other nations. Have mingled themselves with the people of those lands — Since their return, as may be gathered from Ezra 9:8-14 . Yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass — Who ought to have restrained the people from it by their authority and example; and who, by acting otherwise, have made the sin more general, and have involved themselves and the nation in the guilt of it. The case, certainly, was much the more dangerous, because the great men of the nation were the principal offenders; for through this the people would be freed from all fear of punishment, and therefore would the more readily imitate their bad example. It is probable the princes, who informed Ezra of this enormous practice, had endeavoured to reform it, but could not, because they were opposed by men as great as themselves.

Verse 2. - The holy seed. Compare Isaiah 6:13 . The "seed of Israel," however much it polluted itself by transgressions, was still "holy" by profession, by call, by obligation, by prophetic announcement. They were "a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" ( Exodus 19:6 ); bound to be "separated from all the people that were on the face of the earth" ( Exodus 33:16 ), and to keep themselves a "peculiar people." When they mingled themselves with the people of the lands, they not only broke a positive command ( Deuteronomy 7:3 ), but did their best to frustrate God's entire purpose in respect of them, and to render all that he had done for them of no effect. The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in the trespass. "Princes and rulers" are here opposed to people of the middle and lower ranks. The upper classes, whether clerical or lay, had been the chief offenders (see Ezra 10:18 ); and compare the similar defection of Jews of the upper classes in Nehemiah's time ( Nehemiah 6:17, 18 ; Nehemiah 13:4, 28 ). EZRA'S ASTONISHMENT AND HORROR ( Ezra 9:3, 4 ). In Babylonia, whence Ezra had come, the inclination to intermarry with the heathen had not, it would seem, shown itself. Exiles in a foreign land naturally cling to each other under their adverse circumstances, and, moreover, being despised by those among whom they sojourn, are not readily accepted by them into social fellowship, much less into affinity and alliance. Thus the thing was to Ezra a new thing.

His familiarity with the Law, and, perhaps we may add, his insight into the grounds upon which the Law upon this point was founded, caused him to view the matter as one of the gravest kind, and to feel shocked and horror-struck at what was told him respecting it. He showed his feelings with the usual openness and abandon of an Oriental: first rending both his outer and his inner garments, then tearing his hair and his beard, and finally" sitting down astonied," motionless and speechless, until the time of the evening sacrifice. Such a manifestation of horror and amazement was well calculated to impress and affect the sympathetic and ardent people over whom Providence had placed him. Ezra 9:2

This they had done, either, 1. In the land of their captivity, into which these people were carried as well as others, as appears from Jeremiah 25:9 , &c. Or rather, 2. Since their return, as may be gathered from Ezra 9:8,9,10,14 . The princes and rulers; who should have restrained the people from this sin by their authority and example; and, by doing otherwise, made the sin more general, and involved themselves and the nation in the guilt of it.

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the {b} princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. (b) That is, the governors are the chief beginners of it.

CHAPTER 9 Ezr 9:1-4. Ezra Mourns for the Affinity of the People with Strangers. 1, 2. Now when these things were done—The first days after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem were occupied in executing the different trusts committed to him. The nature and design of the office with which the royal authority had invested him was publicly made known to his own people by the formal delivery of the contribution and the sacred vessels brought from Babylon to the priests to be deposited in the temple. Then his credentials were privately presented to the provincial governors; and by this prudent, orderly proceeding he put himself in the best position to avail himself of all the advantages guaranteed him by the king. On a superficial view everything contributed to gratify his patriotic feelings in the apparently flourishing state of the church and country. But a further acquaintance discovered the existence of great corruptions, which demanded immediate correction.

One was particularly brought under his notice as being the source and origin of all others; namely, a serious abuse that was practised respecting the law of marriage. the princes came to me, saying—The information they lodged with Ezra was to the effect that numbers of the people, in violation of the divine law (De 7:2, 3), had contracted marriages with Gentile women, and that the guilt of the disorderly practice, far from being confined to the lower classes, was shared in by several of the priests and Levites, as well as of the leading men in the country. This great irregularity would inevitably bring many evils in its train; it would encourage and increase idolatry, as well as break down the barriers of distinction which, for important purposes, God had raised between the Israelites and all other people. Ezra foresaw these dangerous consequences, but was overwhelmed with a sense of the difficulty of correcting the evil, when matrimonial alliances had been formed, families had been reared, affections engaged, and important interests established.

2 . they have taken ] i.e. ‘taken wives’ as in Ezra 10:44 ; 2 Chronicles 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 illustrates our verse. Psalm 106:34-35 . ‘They did not destroy the peoples (‘ammîm) as the Lord commanded them; but mingled themselves with the nations (haggoyyim) and learned their works’. with the people of those lands ] R.V. with the peoples of the lands , as in Ezra 9:1 . the hand of the princes and rulers ] marg. ‘princes and deputies ’. compare the same phrase Nehemiah 5:7 . The word rendered ‘rulers’ (marg. ‘deputies’) ‘segânîm’ is of Assyrian origin. It occurs in Isaiah 41:25 , and preceded by ‘pekhah’ in Jeremiah 51:23 ; Jeremiah 51:28 ; Jeremiah 51:57 ; Ezekiel 23:6 ; Ezekiel 23:12 ; Ezekiel 23:23 as ‘governors and deputies’; in Nehemiah 4:14 ; Nehemiah 4:19 ; Nehemiah 5:7 ; Nehemiah 7:5 ; Nehemiah 12:40 ; Nehemiah 13:11 as ‘rulers’ (marg. ‘deputies’). ‘The princes’ seem to have been the chief authorities. A ruler or deputy (sagan) held under the governor a post of subordinate responsibility. chief in this trespass ] R.V. marg. first . This is probably more correct; the chiefs and rulers had set the example of wrong-doing, ‘Trespass’ Ezra 9:4 , Ezra 10:6 . Compare the use of this word with reference to national sin, Joshua 7:1 ; Joshua 22:16 .

Information given of the intermingling of Israel with the heathen nations of the land by marriage ( Ezra 9:1-4 ), and Ezra's prayer and confession ( Ezra 9:5-15 ). - Ezra 9:1 , Ezra 9:2 . "When this was done, the princes came to me, and said, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, do not separate themselves from the people of the lands, according to their abominations, (even) of the Canaanites; ... for they have taken (wives) of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of the lands." What now follows is placed in close chronological sequence with what precedes by the formula אלּה וּככלּות, at the time of the completion of these things; comp. 2 Chronicles 31:1 ; 2 Chronicles 29:29 ; 2 Chronicles 7:1 . אלּה are the things related Ezra 8:33-36 . Of these the delivery of the gifts took place on the fourth day after Ezra's arrival at Jerusalem, i.e., on the fourth or fifth day of the first month (comp. Ezra 8:32 , etc., with Ezra 7:9 ). The sacrifices ( Ezra 8:35 ) would undoubtedly be offered immediately; and the royal orders would be transmitted to the satraps and governors ( Ezra 8:36 ) very soon after. As soon, then, as Ezra received intelligence concerning the illegal marriages, he took the matter in hand, so that all related ( Ezra 9:3-10 ) occurred on one day.