Ezra 9:2 - Forerunner Commentary

Ezra 9:2

Intermarriage with Pagans

1 When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not ^aseparated themselves from the peoples of the lands, ^bwith respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2 For they have ^ataken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the ^bholy seed is ^cmixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this¹ trespass.”

3 So when I heard this thing, ^aI tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down ^bastonished.

4 Then everyone who ^atrembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the ^bevening sacrifice.

5 At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and ^aspread out my hands to the Lord my God.

6 And I said: “O my God, I am too ^aashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for ^bour iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has ^cgrown up to the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers to this day ^awe have been very guilty, and for our iniquities ^bwe, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the ^csword, to captivity, to plunder, and to ^dhumiliation, as it is this day.

8 And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may ^aenlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.

Verse Comparison: Ezra 9:2

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

Amplified® Bible
For they have taken as wives some of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, the officials and chief men have been foremost in this wicked act {and} direct violation [of God's will].

Contemporary English Version
Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God's holy people are mixed with foreigners.

Darby English Version
for they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and have mingled the holy seed with the peoples of the lands; and the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this unfaithfulness.

Good News Bible
Jewish men were marrying foreign women, and so God's holy people had become contaminated. The leaders and officials were the chief offenders.

King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
"For they have taken some of their daughters {as wives} for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness."

New International Version
They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."

New King James Version
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.”

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have contributed foremost in this unfaithfulness."

Revised Standard Version
For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons; so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost."

Young's Literal Translation
for they have taken of their daughters to them, and to their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the heads and of the seconds have been first in this trespass.'

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Intermarriage with Pagans

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning