Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Ezra 9:3

And when I heard this thing, I tore my garments and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down stunned.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Beard;   Dress;   Mantle;   Mourning;   Rending;   Thompson Chain Reference - Beard;   Clothing;   Dress;   Earnestness-Indifference;   Mantles;   Solicitude;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God;   Ammonites, the;   Beard, the;   Garments;   Hair, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Beard;   Mourning;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Nehemiah, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Beard;   Hair;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cloth, Clothing;   Ezra, Book of;   Guilt;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dress;   Ezra;   Fasting;   Genealogy;   Hair;   Prayer;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Astonied;   Beard;   Confession;   Garments;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Beard;   Hair;   Mantle,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Dead;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Captivity;   Esdras, the First Book of;   Hair;   Peel;   Proselyte;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abomination of Desolation;   Beard;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.
Hebrew Names Version
When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
King James Version
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
English Standard Version
As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.
New Century Version
When I heard this, I angrily tore my robe and coat, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock.
New English Translation
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated.
Amplified Bible
When I heard this, I tore my clothing and my robe [in grief], I pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled [at the shame of it].
New American Standard Bible
When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.
World English Bible
When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, and pluckt off the heare of mine head, and of my beard, and sate downe astonied.
Legacy Standard Bible
When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down in consternation.
Berean Standard Bible
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
Contemporary English Version
This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard. Then I just sat in shock
Complete Jewish Bible
When I heard this, I tore my robe and tunic, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock.
Darby Translation
And when I heard this thing, I rent my mantle and my garment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down overwhelmed.
Easy-to-Read Version
When I heard about this, I tore my robe and my coat to show I was upset. I pulled hair from my head and beard. I sat down, shocked and upset.
George Lamsa Translation
And when I heard this thing, I tore my garments and my mantle and pulled the hair of my head and of my beard and sat down speechless.
Good News Translation
When I heard this, I tore my clothes in despair, tore my hair and my beard, and sat down crushed with grief.
Lexham English Bible
When I heard this I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled the hair out from my head and beard, and I sat appalled.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan I herde this, I rente my clothes and my rayment, and plucte out the heer of my heade and of my beerd, and sat mournynge.
American Standard Version
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
Bible in Basic English
And hearing this, with signs of grief and pulling out the hair of my head and my chin, I took my seat on the earth deeply troubled.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, & pluckt of the heere of my head & of my beard, and sate mourning.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down appalled.
King James Version (1611)
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and pluckt off the haire of my head, and of my beard, and sate downe astonied.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garments, and trembled, and plucked some of the hairs of my head and of my beard, and sat down mourning.
English Revised Version
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne Y hadde herd this word, Y torente my mentil and coote, and Y pullide awei the heeris of myn heed and berd, and Y sat morenynge.
Update Bible Version
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
New King James Version
So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished.
New Living Translation
When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked.
New Life Bible
When I heard this, I tore my clothing and my coat, and pulled hair from my head and face, and sat down filled with much trouble and fear.
New Revised Standard
When I heard this, I tore my garment and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When I heard this thing, I rent my garment, and my robe, - and tore out of the hair of my head and my beard, and sat stunned.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when I had heard this word, I rent my mantle and my coat, and plucked off the hairs of my head and my beard, and I sat down mourning.
Revised Standard Version
When I heard this, I rent my garments and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled.
Young's Literal Translation
And at my hearing this word, I have rent my garment and my upper robe, and pluck out of the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sit astonished,
THE MESSAGE
When I heard all this, I ripped my clothes and my cape; I pulled hair from my head and out of my beard; I slumped to the ground, appalled.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.

Contextual Overview

1 And at the end of these things, the leaders came near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, as to theiridolatries, even the Canaanites, the Hittites,the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken from their daughters for themselves, and for their sons. So the holy seed have mixed themselves with the people of the lands. Yes, the hand of the leaders and the overseers has been foremost in this treachery. 3 And when I heard this thing, I tore my garments and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down stunned. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the Words of the God of Israel were gathered to me, because of the perfidy of the exiles. And I remained stunned until the evening offering.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

rent: Joshua 7:6, 2 Kings 18:37, 2 Kings 19:1, Job 1:20, Jeremiah 36:24

off: Leviticus 21:5, Nehemiah 13:25, Isaiah 15:2, Jeremiah 7:29, Jeremiah 48:37, Jeremiah 48:38, Ezekiel 7:18, Micah 1:16

sat: Nehemiah 1:4, Job 2:12, Job 2:13, Psalms 66:3, Psalms 143:4, Ezekiel 3:15, Daniel 4:19, Daniel 8:27

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:34 - General Exodus 33:4 - and no 1 Samuel 8:6 - prayed 2 Kings 22:19 - wept Nehemiah 13:8 - it grieved Psalms 119:53 - horror Isaiah 22:12 - to baldness Isaiah 36:22 - with their Joel 2:1 - let Acts 14:14 - they 2 Corinthians 12:21 - that I

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons. And He said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:3
Every creeping thing which is alive shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green plant.
Genesis 9:5
And surely the blood of your lives I will demand. At the hand of every animal I will demand it, and at the hand of man. I will demand the life of man at the hand of every man's brother.
Genesis 9:12
And God said, This is the sign of the covenant which I am about to make between Me and you, and every living soul which is with you, for everlasting generations:
Genesis 9:14
And it will be when I gather the clouds on the earth, then the bow shall be seen in the clouds.
Genesis 9:15
And I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you, and every living soul in all flesh. And the waters shall not again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 9:21
And he drank from the wine, and was drunk. And he uncovered himself inside his tent.
Genesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father. And he told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 9:25
And he said, Cursed be Canaan. He shall be a slave of slaves to his brothers.
Genesis 9:26
And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem; and may Canaan be his slave.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 him: which has frequently been done by mourners on sorrowful occasions in various nations, see Isaiah 15:2. So in the apocryphal "addition" to Esther,

"And laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of anguish and mourning: and instead of precious ointments, she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she humbled her body greatly, and all the places of her joy she filled with her torn hair.'' (Esther 14:2)

she is said to fill every place of joy with the tearing of her hair; and Lavinia in Virgil k; several passages from Homer l, and other writers, both Greek and Latin, are mentioned by Bochart m as instances of it:

and sat down astonished; quite amazed at the ingratitude of the people, that after such favours shown them, in returning them from captivity unto their own land, and settling them there, they should give into practices so contrary to the will of God.

k Aeneid. 12. prope finem. Vid. Ciceron. Tusc. Quaest. l. 3. l Vid. Iliad. 10. ver. 15. & Iliad. 22. ver. 77, 78, 406. & Iliad. 24. ver. 711. m Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 45. col. 481.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Plucking out the hair with the hands, so common among the Classical nations, is, comparatively speaking, rarely mentioned as practiced by Asiatics.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezra 9:3. I rent my garment and my mantle — The outer and inner garment, in sign of great grief. This significant act is frequently mentioned in the sacred writings, and was common among all ancient nations.

Plucked off the hairShaving the head and beard were signs of excessive grief; much more so the plucking off the hair, which must produce exquisite pain. All this testified his abhorrence, not merely of the act of having taken strange wives, but their having also joined them in their idolatrous abominations.


 
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