Ezra 9:5-15

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. fasting. The Hebrew word -Taanith" occurs only here in the O.T.: in later Hebrew it became the accepted for religious fasting. This passage favours the original application to general humiliation rather than to abstinence from food. So the LXX. ταπείωσις.

and having rent my garment and my mantle R.V. even with my garment and my mantle rent; and. There is no need to render as the A.V. and most commentators, as if Ezra for a second time rent his clothes. He calls attention to the fact that in the presence of the assembled people he stood before them with these evident signs of his grief and dismay, and thus by a mute appeal united them with him in his act of prayer.

fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands We find in Scripture both kneeling and standing as the postures of prayer. For kneeling compare 1 Kings 8:54, Solomon … kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven. Daniel 6:10 -And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day." Psalms 95:6 -Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker". Cf. Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5. For standing cf. 1 Samuel 1:26; 1Ki 8:22; 1 Chronicles 23:30; Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:11.

The attitude of spreading out the hands expressed the desire to receive and to embrace the Divine gift, the hands open and the palms turned upwards as if to accept. Cf. Exodus 9:29; 1 Kings 8:22; Isaiah 1:15 -And when ye spread forth your hands". 2Ma 3:20 -All holding their hands toward heaven made supplication".

the Lord my God Cf. Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:9; Ezra 7:14; Ezra 7:19-20; Ezra 7:25-26 and especially 28.