Ezra 9:2

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sorts,.... Some that were widowers not only took wives to themselves of the above nations, either when they were of Babylon, where

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

This they had done, either, 1. In the land of their captivity, into which these people were carried as well as others, as appears from , &c. Or rather, 2. Since their return, as may be gathered from ,9,10,14. The princes and rulers; who should have restrained the people from this sin by their authority and example; and, by doing otherwise, made the sin more general, and involved themselves and the nation in the guilt of it.

Ezra 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.Ver. 2. For they have taken of their daughters] Taken them for wives: which was flatly forbidden, Deuteronomy 7:3, and a reason given, Ezra 9:4, from the evil effect of such unblest marriages. This abuse Malachi complaineth of, Malachi 2:11; Malachi 2:13, whom some make to be the same man with Ezra. For themselves, and for their sons] Whom they herein helped to a cold armful (as Lycephron calleth a bad wife, ψυχρονπαραγκαλισμα), or rather to an unnatural heat, worse than that of a quartan ague, as said Simonides; as bad as that of an evil spirit, said another heathen. So that the holy seed] i.e. The children of Israel, who were all federally holy at least, Deuteronomy 7:6, as are also all the children of Christian parents, 1 Corinthians 7:14. Hath been chief in this trespass] Which they think audaciously to bear out with their big looks, to obtrude and justify to the world this most malapert misdemeanour, because it is facinus maioris abollae, the fact of a great one (Juvenal).

IX.(1) Now when these things were done.—The remainder of the book is occupied with the execution of Ezra’s function as a moral reformer. One chief disorder is mentioned, that of the mixed marriages (Ezra 9:2), which the new lawgiver evidently regarded as fatal to the purity of the Divine service, and to the design of God in separating for a season this peculiar people. (1-4) The report of the abuse of mixed marriages is formally brought before Ezra. (1) The princes—Heads of tribes, native rulers of Jerusalem, as distinguished from the satraps and governors. Zerubbabel’s office had no successor; and the term princes expressed rather their eminence than their authority, which had been powerless to check the abuses they complain of. Doing according to their abominations.—Rather, as it regards their abominations. They are not charged with abandonment to idolatry, but with that peculiar laxity which appears in the sequel. The Ammonites.—It is remarkable that all the ancient proscribed races are mentioned, and not the specific nations by the names of which the Samaritans were known, as if to make the case as hateful as possible. At the same time, many of these races still lingered in the neighbourhood of Judæa.(2) The holy seed.—The “holy nation” or “peculiar people” of Exodus 19:6 is called the “holy seed” by Isaiah (Ezra 6:13), with reference to its being preserved and kept holy amidst judgments; and here the same term is used with reference to its desecration by being made common among the nations. The princes and rulers.—The upper classes, whether priests and Levites or laymen. This trespass.—There is no question as to the unlawfulness of these intermarriages, nor any palliation on account of necessity. The rulers report it, and Ezra receives the report as evidence that the whole purpose of God with regard to the people was, at the very outset of their new economy, in course of being defeated by the guilt of the heads of Israel. Their delinquency as such is admitted on all hands.(3) I rent my garment and my mantle.—The actions of Ezra betoken his horror and grief. But both the rending of the outer and inner garment and the plucking the hair were symbolical acts, teaching their lesson to the people who witnessed, and, as we see, were deeply impressed.(4) Trembled.—In fear of the Divine judgments. Transgression of those that had been carried away.—The usual name of the people at this time. During their captivity, however, they had not been thus guilty. It was the aggravation of their guilt that they committed the trespass now.

Verse 2. Hath been chief in this trespass.] They who are the first men have been the most capital offenders; so VIRGIL, AEn. ix. 783: - Unus homo, vestris, o cives, undique septus Aggeribus, tantas strages impune per urbem Ediderit? Juvenum primos tot miserit orco? "Shall one, and he enclosed within your walls, One rash imprisoned warrior, vanquish all? Calm you look on, and see the furious foe Plunge crowds of heroes to the shades below!" PITT. The first of the Trojan youth were the chief, the most illustrious; so we say the first men of the kingdom for the nobles, &c.

2. they have taken] i.e. ‘taken wives’ as in Ezra 10:44; 2 Chronicles 11:21; 2 Chronicles 13:21. the holy seed] i.e. the race set apart and consecrated to God, cf. Exodus 19:5-6. The term ‘the holy seed’ is found also in Isaiah 6:13. have mingled themselves] The same phrase occurs in a passage which well illustrates our verse. Psalms 106:34-35. ‘They did not destroy the peoples (‘ammîm) as the Lord commanded them; but mingled themselves with the nations (haggoyyim) and learned their works’. with the people of those lands] R.V. with the peoples of the lands, as in Ezra 9:1. the hand of the princes and rulers] marg. ‘princes and deputies’. compare the same phrase Nehemiah 5:7. The word rendered ‘rulers’ (marg. ‘deputies’) ‘segânîm’ is of Assyrian origin. It occurs in Isaiah 41:25, and preceded by ‘pekhah’ in Jeremiah 51:23; Jeremiah 51:28; Jeremiah 51:57; Ezekiel 23:6; Ezekiel 23:12; Ezekiel 23:23 as ‘governors and deputies’; in Nehemiah 4:14; Nehemiah 4:19; Nehemiah 5:7; Nehemiah 7:5; Nehemiah 12:40; Nehemiah 13:11 as ‘rulers’ (marg. ‘deputies’). ‘The princes’ seem to have been the chief authorities. A ruler or deputy (sagan) held under the governor a post of subordinate responsibility. chief in this trespass] R.V. marg. first. This is probably more correct; the chiefs and rulers had set the example of wrong-doing, ‘Trespass’ Ezra 9:4, Ezra 10:6. Compare the use of this word with reference to national sin, Joshua 7:1; Joshua 22:16.

2. Holy seed — Jehovah’s chosen people. See marginal references. Princes and rulers… chief in this trespass — This was the most alarming fact of all.