Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Ezra · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
WHen things were brought to this passe, and now by the comming of this great Priest, who was armed with so great authority, all seemed to be well with the Jews, behold, another occasion of sorrow is offered. The Vers. 1.Princes came unto him, and told him of the unlawfull marriages which many had made with the daughters of Idolaters, and that not onelyonly of the common sort, but even of the Priests and Levites, and they say, that they had not separated themselves from the people of the land, and from their abominations, that is, of the Canaanite, the Perizzite▪ &c. Thus the vulgar Latine, but Jnuius, according to the abominations of the Canaanite, &c. and so it is in Hebrew, the sense is the same, in not separating they did according to their abominations, and so separated not from them seeing, this very thing, the marrying with such wives was abominable, as being against the expresse charge given, Deut. 7. and the very high-way to Idolatry, in so much as that it may be thought, that these were not cleare here-from by reason of their wives. But because they are taxed here for nothing else but marrying strange wives, and yet are spoken of as being according to their abominations: Note, that it is not a small evill, but an heathenish abomination, Note. for any of the people of God to marry with such, he makes the member of Christ, the member of a spirituall harlot, which God abhorreth.
Touching these marriages, the Hebrews have a tradition, that some of their wives, wearied with the length of the journey, grew sick, and some were so worne out with travell and deformed, that they put them away and tooke others of these Nations which pleased them better, and this they say was the reason of Malachiah his invective against them, for sinning against the wives of their youth, and putting them away, Chap. 2. 14, 15, 16. for him they hold to be Ezra. But for so much as many of these wives had borne them children, as appeareth Chap. 10. and this could not be in foure moneths, which was the time of their journey. Lyra well rejecteth this tradition, as a vain imagination: and it is said, that the very Princes and Presidents had done so, and Chap. 10. 18. the Priests and Levites themselves.
Ezra hearing this was greatly grieved, and rent his garments, and pluckt the Vers. 3.haire of his beard, as men used to doe when they were much stricken with sorrow, to expresse their indignation at the vilenesse of the fact, and in way of humiliation to move the Lord to forgive, and to make others, beholding it, to be the more affected with the sin. And in this dejected manner, he sate untill the evening sacrifice, all they that trembled at this sin comming about him. Then the time of evening Prayer being come, when a Lamb used daily to be offered in sacrifice, according to the Law, Exod. 29. 39. He kneeled down and prayed, and confessed the sins of the people, so as if he himselfe had sinned together with them, because Vers. 6.he was a member of the same politike body, and in danger of Gods judgements together, unlesse they were by his humiliation averted. And first having confessed what they had done of old, both Princes, Priests and People, and how they had Vers. 7.been therefore delivered into the hands of their enemies, he in the next place acknowledging how merciemercy wrought against justice, or moderated justice so, that they were not all destroyed, but a remant were saved and brought out of captivity, Vers. 8.that they might have a naile or pin in the Lords house, alluding to the pin, unto which the main post of a Tent is fixed, meaning that they might be at some good and comfortable stay again) and that in this state they had been but a very little while through the favour of the Persian Kings, that they might build the Vers. 9, 10.waste places of the Lords house, and set them up some sence, the vulgar Latine, hope, the Septuagint a wall, and it is not unlikely, but that since the first returning of the Jews, they set up by stealth some kind of wall, although but like a sence about a vineyard. Having acknowledged this, I say, to the praise of God he confesseth further, that since this little time of comfort begun, that is, since the return in the dayes of Cyrus, they had provoked God anew by marrying strange wives of that land, which made him greatly ashamed. Lyra following the vulgat Latine, having for these words, And now when for a moment favour is done to Lyra.us by the Lord our God, and now for a little, a moment, our prayer hath been made unto the Lord, giveth a double exposition hereupon. 1 When we have not long, or much, but a little sought it. 2 So few being returned, of all that were carryed away, viz. onelyonly of two Tribes. But he hath plainly respect unto the time of their obtaining favour, which by this sin they took a course, might not continue Vers. 11, 12. 13. 14, 15.long, unlesse they presently departed from it. Lastly, Alleaging the streight charge given by God against it, he concludeth with praise to God, and shame to the people, seeing this sin could neither be denyed nor justified.