Ezra 9

Ezra 9 is the ninth chapter of the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible,Template:Sfn or the book of Ezra-Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible, which treats the book of Ezra and book of Nehemiah as one book.Template:Sfn Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles, but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from the 5th century BCE (the so-called "Chronicler") is the final author of these books.Template:Sfn The section comprising chapters 7 to 10 mainly describes the activities of Ezra the scribe and the priest.Template:Sfn This chapter and the next deal with the problem of intermarriage, starting with the introduction of the crisis, then Ezra's public mourning and prayer of shame.Template:Sfn J. Gordon McConville suggests that this chapter is central to the Book of Ezra because it draws a sharp contrast between what the people of God ought to be and what they actually are.Template:Sfn

Text

This chapter is divided into 15 verses. The original text of this chapter is in Hebrew language.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis (1008).Template:SfnTemplate:Efn

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: $𝔊$^S; 4th century; only Ezra 9:9 to end), Codex Vaticanus (B; $𝔊$^B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $𝔊$^A; 5th century).Template:Sfn

An ancient Greek book called 1 Esdras (Greek: Template:Lang) containing some parts of 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah is included in most editions of the Septuagint and is placed before the single book of Ezra–Nehemiah (which is titled in Greek: Template:Lang). 1 Esdras 8:68-90 is an equivalent of Ezra 9 (Repentance from mixed marriages).

The report (9:1–2)

Some Jewish leaders in Jerusalem reported to Ezra about 'the misconduct of various leaders and members of the community'.Template:Sfn

Verse 2

"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."

• "The peoples of those lands": are associated with Template:Strong-number ("abominations"), which is "the most common cultic term for idolatrous practices", and also denoting the "objectionable actions and behavior".Template:Sfn Verse 1 lists the origins of the mixed marriage partners as Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.

The response (9:3–5)

Hearing the report, Ezra responded with a "public act of contrition" in his function as "the official representative of the community".Template:Sfn

Verse 3

And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

• "Rent my garment and my mantle": Here Ezra is rending (tearing) his 'under-garment' or 'tunic' (Hebrew Template:Lang) and the 'long loose robe' (Hebrew: Template:Lang) that he was wearing. The act of rending one's clothes is frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as a sign of grief, such as:
• Reuben rent his 'clothes' (plural of Template:Lang) on not finding Joseph (Template:Bibleverse)
• Jacob rent his 'garments' (plural of Template:Lang) on seeing Joseph's blood-stained coat (Template:Bibleverse)
• Joseph's brethren rent their clothers (plural of Template:Lang) when the cup was found in Benjamin's sack (Template:Bibleverse)
• Joshua rent his 'clothes' (plural of Template:Lang) after the repulse at Ai (Template:Bibleverse)
• Jephthah rent his 'clothes' (plural of Template:Lang) on meeting his daughter (Template:Bibleverse)
• the messenger from the field of Ziklag came with his clothes (plural of Template:Lang) rent (Template:Bibleverse, cf. Template:Bibleverse)
• Job rent his mantle (Template:Lang) on hearing of his children's death (Template:Bibleverse)
• Job's friends rent their mantle (‘Template:Lang’) when they came to visit him (Template:Bibleverse).

The action also denoted 'horror' on receiving shocking intelligence or hearing shocking words, such as:

• Hezekiah and his ministers rent their clothes (plural of Template:Lang) after Rabshakeh's speech (Template:Bibleverse; Template:Bibleverse)
• Mordecai rent his clothes (plural of Template:Lang) on hearing of Haman's determination (Template:Bibleverse)
• See also Template:Bibleverse; Template:Bibleverse; Template:Bibleverse.

In the New Testament is also recorded:

• the High-priest rent his garments on hearing the testimony of Jesus (Template:Bibleverse).

The prayer (9:6–15)

Being a leader of the community, Ezra offered a "public prayer of confession" which is "sincere, personal, emotional and forthright".Template:Sfn The Jerusalem Bible describes the prayer of Ezra as "also a sermon".

See also

• Ammonites
• Amorites
• Canaanites
• Egyptians
• Hittites
• Jebusites
• Jerusalem
• Moabites
• Perizzites
• Related Bible parts:Ezra 8, Ezra 10, Nehemiah 8

Sources

• Template:Cite book
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Further reading

• Blenkinsopp, Joseph, "Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary" (Eerdmans, 1988)
• Blenkinsopp, Joseph, "Judaism, the first phase" (Eerdmans, 2009)
• Coggins, R.J., "The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah" (Cambridge University Press, 1976)
• Ecker, Ronald L., "Ezra and Nehemiah", Ecker's Biblical Web Pages, 2007.
• Grabbe, L.L., "Ezra-Nehemiah" (Routledge, 1998)
• Pakkala, Juha, "Ezra the scribe: the development of Ezra 7–10 and Nehemiah 8" (Walter de Gryter, 2004)*Grabbe, L.L., "A history of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Volume 1" (T&T Clark, 2004)
• Throntveit, Mark A. (1992) "Ezra-Nehemiah". John Knox Press

External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Ezra - Chapter 9 (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • Book of Ezra Chapter 9. Bible Gateway