Ezra 9:11

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; Numbers 36:13; Judges 3:4, &c.: cf. -to speak by the hand of", 2 Kings 17:23; 2 Kings 21:10; 2 Kings 24:2.

saying The prophetic word is contained in this and the following verse. There is no passage in the prophets resembling the words here given. It is generally supposed that Ezra is citing from Deuteronomy 7:1-3, and that the expression -thy servants the prophets" alludes to Moses. But it must be remembered that -the law of Moses" in these books is always directly referred to, e.g. Ezra 3:2; Ezra 6:18; Ezra 7:6; Nehemiah 8:1; Nehemiah 8:14; Neh 13:1; 2 Chronicles 23:18; 2 Chronicles 25:4; 2Ch 30:16; 2 Chronicles 35:12. It is better then to regard the passage as a perfectly general statement by Ezra of prophetical teaching upon the subject of intermarriage with foreign nations. Such a statement would naturally reecho the Deuteronomic law, and even repeat words and phrases which, by oral as well as by written tradition, would be familiar. We are forcibly reminded how much of the teaching of the prophets has never come down to us. On the other hand it is no less instructive to observe that the prophetical teaching seems naturally to embody itself in a form, which recalls the language of the Deuteronomic legislation, e.g. -The land unto which ye go to possess it", cf. Deuteronomy 7:1 -Then the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it".

The land… is an unclean land This expression (lit. land of unclean ness) is not found in the Pentateuch with reference to the promised land.

with the filthiness of the people of the land R.V. through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands. The same word -uncleanness" (niddah) is used here as in the phrase an -unclean land". It occurs in 2 Chronicles 29:5 -carry forth the filthinessout of the holy place". Cf. Lamentations 1:17. It is a strong word to denote anything that would convey defilement.

with their abominations R.V. through their abominations. Added by way of explanation. On the word see note on Ezra 9:1. The -abominations" are described as acts of impurity because these were the accompaniment of the local worship. Cf. Leviticus 18:27 -All these abominations (Ezra 9:6-15) have the men of the land done … and the land is defiled".

from one end to another Lit. -from mouth to mouth". Cf. almost the same expression in 2 Kings 10:21; 2 Kings 21:16. It means -from one extremity to another"; perhaps the metaphor has been taken from a drinking vessel.

with their uncleanness R.V. with their filthiness. The same word in the Hebrew as that rendered -filthiness" in chap. Ezra 6:21. It denotes -impurity", -defilement" generally. Cf. Zechariah 13:2 -I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land". See, for the special application, the whole passage Leviticus 18:24-30.