Bible Commentaries
Ezra 9

Verses 1-4

Ezra 9:1-4 . Report is Made to Ezra of the Marriages of Jews with the Heathen.— Ezra’ s zeal in this matter resulted in his going beyond the requirements of the Law ( cf. Deuteronomy 23:7).

Ezra 9:1 . the Canaanites . . . Amorites: with the Gentiles here enumerated cf. Deuteronomy 7:1.

Ezra 9:2 . holy seed: cf. Isaiah 61:3.

Verses 5-15

Ezra 9:5-15 . 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.

Ezra 9:8 . a nail in his holy place: lit. ‘ a tent-peg in, etc.” ; the rendering in the Greek Ezra is to be preferred, viz.: “ a root and a name in the place of thy sanctuary.”— in our bondage: the expression is a strong one; the Jews, though dependents of the Persian king, were not in servitude in the sense that their fathers had been in Egypt.

Ezra 9:9 . a wall: lit. “ a fence” ; cf. Isaiah 5:5; the word is used of a fence round vineyards; it is used metaphorically for “ protection,” and does not, of course, refer to the wall of the city, which was in ruins (see Nehemiah 2:11-17).

Ezra 9:11 . by thy servants the prophets saying . . .: cf. Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Deuteronomy 23:7. Ezra regards the teaching of the Law as identical with that of the prophets, and vice versa, and is thus the first to enunciate a principle which is often insisted upon in later Jewish literature.