Ezra 9

Before we proceed, we may remark here, the great importance of consistence in reliae They who recommend to others to trust in God, should eseemepinny careful not to exhibit timidity or distrust them- - he treasures they carried, at a moderate computation, amounted to more than a million of dollars; and all this was entrusted to the priests, with this striking and emphatic charge: “Ye are holy unto the Lord, the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a free-will-offering to the Lord.” Thus the consideration of the sacredness of their character and of their gb is here united with a consideration of the pious and benevolent object they were called on to promote; all urging them to the most, scrupulous care, the most exact integrity in discharging the duty in which they were engaged.

Integrity always ranks among the first and highest of the moral virtues, and a suspicion of any deficiency in this respect can be made up by no other virtue. And when we connect damning; and he that makes a trade of his religion, trades to certain and eternal loss. Chap. [X. Ver. 1—15. Ezra, on arriving at Jerusalem, st informed that many of those who first returned had married heathen wives, contrary to the law.—lt was one of the primary and most indispensable of the Mosaic laws, that no Israelite should marry a Pagan, and especially a Canaanite, ((Deuteronomy 7:1-4).) lest they should thereby be drawn into idolatry; and it is reasonable to believe that this vas the great snare which led the Israciites so deeply and so frequently into that crime.

The men were ensnared, not only by female beauty, but probably by the accomplishments wuic females acquired in their idol worship; for, among other uations, as well as among the Greeks, a great part of their worship bore the form of amusement and hilarity, which was never checked, as was the worship of the Jews, by an awful sense of the divine purity: “ Be ye holy; for l am the Lord your God.” ((Leviticus 20)Ts) i Ezra was deeply affected with this information, especially when he heard that “ the princes and rulers had been chief in 1 1Sa.12.18, CHA PLE (Romans 10)

Notes on the verses

Athousand drams—Or Persian darics. See note on chup. ii. 69, — Fine copper. —(The Syriac renders, nechosho korinthyo tovo, ** good Corinthian brass;” so called trom the brass found afier the burning of Corinth by Lu cus Mummius, which was. as is generally. aipposed, brass, copper. silver. and gold melted together, Sir J. Chardin, however, in « MS. note, ered by Harmer, mentioned a factitious metal used. in the Bast, and highly esteemed there, which might probably be of an or gin as ancient as Ezra, He says, Sr } uve heard some Dutch gentlemen speak of a metal in the island of Sumatra. and among the Macassars. much more esteemed than gold. which royal personages alone are privileged to wear. Tt ig a mixture, if | remeniber right.

ot gold and steel, or copper and steel.” He afterwards added, “ calmbae is ihe name of this metal, which is composed of gold and copper.” |—Bag- Ver. 31. Delivered us from the hand of the enemy.—|Ezra and his ¢ompany had now entered upon a journey of several hundred miles through the desert, which they were soarly four months in completing, encumbered witb families and possessions, and carrying large treasures with them, which would invite the attempts of the Arabian herdes, and others that infested that neighbourhood; yet. having declared to the king, “* that the hand of God was upon all them for good that seek him, and that his power and wrath were against all them that forsook Him.” (ver. 22.) he determined to travel without a guard, except that of the Almighty, being ashamed to ask any other, after his former avowed confidence in Him!

Having, therefore, humbled themselves before the Lord, and besought his guidance and protection, he was entreated of them, their enemies were restrained or disabled, and they arrived unmolested at Je- 1 Shechaniah encourageth Ezra to refor a the strange marriages. assembleth the people. 9 The people, at the exhortation of Ezra, repent, and promise amendment. 15 The care to perform it. {8 The names of them which nad muuried strange wives. OW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before *the house of God, there assembled unfo him out of Israel a very great this trespass.” He rent his garments, tore his hair, and ‘ sat own astonied,” that is, astonished i and confounded: and “every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel”

came and sat down with him to the time of the evening sacrifice. Then the venerable priest arose i from his heaviness, and falling upon his knees, off offered up the excellent prayer and confession now before us. In which it is observable, that though personally innocent in this that he = was an Israelite anc sid ince himself; yet considering In penitent. confession i; and in that confession he mingles an acknowledgment of the divine zoodness in returning them to then own land. “Th ou our Gud hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this!” Chap. IX. Ver. 8. A vail—’ A ds constant and sure abode.” ‘The eastern builders fix large nails or pegs in the walls in building.

See (Isaiah 22:23). Ver. 13. Hast punished us.—See Margin: i. e. our punishment has been kept down, and not risen so high as our iniquities.