Ezra 9:1-15

The *Jews return to Jerusalem

Ezra

Robert Bryce

Chapter 9

v1 After these things had happened, the leaders came to me. They said, ‘The *people of Israel have not kept themselves separate from the people from the nations round us. These people belong to the nations called the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites. The *people of Israel are doing the evil things that these other people do. Even the priests and the *Levites are doing these things. v2 The *people of Israel and their sons have married some of the daughters of these other people. So the holy people have mixed themselves with the people from other nations. And the leaders and the officials are especially guilty. They have led the people to do this evil thing.’

Verses 1-2 Not long after Ezra arrived in Judah, some of the leaders came to see him. They had bad news for Ezra. The *Jews had not obeyed God’s law. In fact, the leaders of the *Jews had led the people in this *sin. Even the priests and the *Levites had not obeyed God’s law.

God’s law said that the *Jews must keep themselves separate from the nations round them. The people in these nations did evil things and they *worshipped false gods. God knew that the *Jews would imitate their evil behaviour. So he ordered the *Jews not to allow these people to join them (Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:2-6; Deuteronomy 18:9-13).

Some *Jewish men had married women from these other nations. God had ordered the *Jews not to marry these foreigners. Some of these *Jewish men had probably married foreign women for a commercial reason. They wanted to make friends with the people from other nations. Then they could trade with them and they could make more money.

Such things still happen today, of course. People often *sin because of their desire for money. Paul warned Timothy about this matter (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Christians should aim to be content with whatever God provides for them. The person who cares too much about wealth will damage his relationship with God.

The nations called Hittites, Jebusites and Canaanites were among the original inhabitants of the country called Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1). Because of the terrible *sins of these people, God gave their land to the *Israelites. This happened at the time of Joshua.

The nations called Ammonites and Moabites were *descendants of Moab and Benammi. Moab and Benammi were the sons of Lot. They were born after Lot’s daughters made him *sin (Genesis 19:30-38). The Ammonites and Moabites were always the enemies of the *Jews. And the Moabites persuaded the *Jews to serve false gods at the time of Moses (Numbers 25:1-5).

(Ruth was from Moab but she became an *ancestor of Jesus. God even allowed Moabites to join his special people the *Jews if they really *worshipped him. See Ruth 1:16; Ruth 1:22; Matthew 1:1-16.)

God made King Solomon to be very wise. But even Solomon was not wise when he married foreign women. And they led him to *worship other false gods (1 Kings 11:1-13).

The *prophet Malachi lived at about the same time as Ezra. God spoke to the people by Malachi about this matter too. The men of Malachi’s time also married foreign women. So Malachi said that they were not obeying God (Malachi 2:10-16).

God wanted the *Jews to become a strong nation. But they could not become a strong nation if they were not separate from the other nations. And they could not be loyal to God if they did not obey his laws.

v3 When I heard this I tore my clothes and my coat. I pulled hair from my head and my beard and I sat down. This news was a terrible shock for me. v4 Then everyone who wanted to obey the words of the God of Israel gathered round me. They were afraid. The people who had returned from the *exile were not loyal to God. So I felt great shock as I continued to sit there until the evening *sacrifice.

Verses 3-4 Ezra felt great shock because of this bad news and he was very sad. He tore his clothes and he pulled out his hair. These things showed how very sad he was. The *Jews used to behave in such a manner when they were sad about someone’s death. At other times, *Jewish men took care of their hair, and they had long beards. If they lost their hair, they would feel ashamed. So Ezra’s behaviour shows how much this news had upset him.

Some of the people did want to obey God. They knew that this *sin would make God very angry. So they were ashamed too and they sat with Ezra.

Ezra sat down until the time when the priests would burn the evening *sacrifice.

v5 Then at the evening *sacrifice I got up. I had not eaten and I had torn my clothes and my coat. Then I knelt down and I spread out my hands to the *LORD my God.

Verse 5 Then Ezra started to pray. He went down on his knees and he spread out his hands. He wanted to show God that he felt very humble and ashamed. He did not eat food. Often people did not eat food when they were very sad. Then they would have more time to pray.

v6 And I prayed, ‘Oh, my God, I am ashamed and my face is red with shame. So I cannot look towards you, my God, because our *sins are vast. They seem higher than our heads. And the evil things that we have done are many. They seem to rise up to the heavens. v7 From the time of our *ancestors until now, our *sins have been enormous. Foreign kings have defeated us and our kings and priests because of our *sins. People have attacked us with swords and they have taken us into *exile. They have taken our property and they have made us ashamed. It is the same today.’

Verses 6-7 Ezra did obey God. His job was to teach God’s law to the people (Ezra 7:10). He had not done the wrong things that some of the *Jews had done. But he prayed to God as if he too had done the wrong things.

Ezra confessed to God that the people had done wrong things all through their history. He knew that God had punished the people in the past because of their *sins. God had allowed other nations to defeat the *Jews because the *Jews had not obeyed God. Now, in Ezra’s time, the people still did not obey God’s laws.

v8 ‘But now, for a very short time, the *LORD our God has shown his kindness to us. He has allowed some of our people to return from *exile. He has given us security in his holy place. So he comforts us. His light makes our eyes bright. And he gives us a little freedom from those who make us slaves. v9 Although we are slaves, God has not left us to be slaves. The kings of Persia have seen that God has shown his kindness to us. God has given us a new opportunity to build the house of our God again and to repair it. He has protected us in Judah and in Jerusalem.’

Verses 8-9 Although the *Jews had done wrong things all through their history, God loved them. He punished them many times and he sent foreign armies to defeat them. But then he was kind to them and he allowed them to be free again. Now, in Ezra’s time, God had done that again. God had allowed some of the people to return to Judah from *exile. He had helped them to build the *temple in Jerusalem again. He had even made the kings of Persia to be kind to them. Ezra knew that God had allowed all these things to happen.

v10-11 ‘But we have not obeyed your laws which you ordered by your servants the *prophets. So now, our God, there is nothing more that we can say. At that time you said, “You are entering a country in order to possess it. The people in this country have spoiled it because of the evil things that they have done. Their wicked acts are like dirt that has filled the country from one end to the other end. v12 So, do not allow your daughters to marry their sons. And do not take their daughters as wives for your sons. Do not ever help them to have peace or wealth. Then you will be strong and you will eat the good things in the country. You will be able to leave the country to your *descendants permanently.” ’

Verses 10-12 Although God had been kind to his people once again, they still did not obey his laws. God had given to their *ancestors the good country called Israel. God had been angry with the people who had lived in the country. These other people had done very wicked things, so God told the *Jews to be separate from them. God told the *Jews not to marry people from these other nations. If the *Jews obeyed God then he would help them (the *Jews). He would let them be content and successful in the country. Their *descendants would always live there.

But the *Jews during Ezra’s time did not obey God. They did the same things that their *ancestors had done. Ezra knew that they had no proper excuse for their actions.

v13 ‘All these things have happened to us because of our evil acts and because we have not obeyed you. But, our God, you have punished us less than our *sins deserved. And you have rescued us from *exile. v14 We must not neglect your commands again. We must not marry the people who do such evil things. We do not want you to be so angry with us that you would end our nation. Then nobody would remain. Nobody would escape. v15 Oh, *LORD, God of Israel, you are completely good and fair. You have allowed us to escape from *exile and we are here today. We are responsible to you for our *sins. And, because of our *sins, we are ashamed. None of us has the right to stand in front of you.’

Verses 13-15 Ezra knew that God had punished those *ancestors. They had not obeyed God, so many bad things happened to them. But Ezra also knew that God had still been kind to them. God had punished them less than their *sins deserved.

Ezra realised that the people’s *sin was very severe. Again the people had neglected God’s law. Again they were guilty. So Ezra asked God to show his kindness, as he had done so many times before. The people deserved nothing from God apart from punishment and death. But God is completely good and fair. He does not desire the death of his people. He wants them to turn to him with a humble and sincere attitude. He wants them to trust him. He wants to forgive.

And this is still the situation, even today. We deserve nothing from God. We have *sinned and we cannot become right by our own efforts. But God sent Jesus, his son, to rescue us from our *sin. And God will forgive us if we humbly confess our *sins to him. We can only have a right relationship with God because of his great kindness.

Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.

'people of Israel ~ another name for the people who are Jews.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
Levites ~ the people from one of the 12 families of the Israelites; they acted as assistants to the priests in the temple.
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much.
Jewish ~ something that has a relationship to the Jews.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
ancestors ~ parents, grandparents and previous members of the same family.
prophet ~ someone who tells God’s messages; a person whom God sends to speak for him; someone who declares God’s words.
exile ~ a period when people cannot live in their own country. This period may be for many years.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins; or to thank him for something. The Jews offered these to God, often an animal or bird, when they asked God to forgive their sins. Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice for our sins.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.
LORD ~ a name for God. It means that he is always God.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites, especially those Israelites who were from Judah. (Judah was the southern part of the country called Israel.)
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much.
Israelites ~ descendants of Jacob who was also called Israel. Sometimes the word ‘Israelites’ means all of Jacob’s descendants. But sometimes it only means those descendants who were from the northern part of the country called Israel.
descendant ~ a later member of a family, town, or nation.