Ezra 9

From testwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Bible chapter

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,[1] 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.[2]

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: 𝔊S; 4th century; only Ezra 9:9 to end),[3] Codex Vaticanus (B; 𝔊B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; 𝔊A; 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 equivalent to Ezra 9, dealing with the resettled community's repentance for entering into mixed marriages.[4][5]

The report (verses 1–2)

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

Verse 1

After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites."[6]

This verse lists the origins of the mixed marriage partners as Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. It is not clear how much time had elapsed between the celebrations in Ezra 8:35 and this incident. H. E. Ryle offers "two dates ... by which we can conjecture the length of the interval":

  • the sacred gifts had been handed over to the care of the priests and Levites on the 4th day of the fifth month, see Ezra 7:8 and Ezra 8:33;
  • the summons for the general assembly, convened to enquire into the people's sin, was sent out on the 27th date of the ninth month.[7]

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."[8]
  • "The peoples of those lands": are associated with Template:Strong-number[9] ("abominations"), which is "the most common cultic term for idolatrous practices", and also denoting the "objectionable actions and behavior".Template:Sfn

The response (verses 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.[10]

The action also denoted 'horror' on receiving shocking intelligence or hearing shocking words, such as:[11]

In the New Testament is also recorded:[11]

The prayer (verses 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".[12]

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

Template:Reflist

Sources

Further reading

Template:Book of Ezra

  1. ↑ Babylonian Talmud Baba Bathra 15a, apud Fensham 1982, p. 2
  2. ↑ Note i on Ezra 7:27 in the New King James Version: "The Hebrew language resumes in Ezra 7:27."
  3. ↑ Template:Catholic Encyclopedia
  4. ↑ Catholic Encyclopedia: Esdras: THE BOOKS OF ESDRAS: III Esdras
  5. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia: Esdras, Books of: I Esdras
  6. ↑ Template:Bibleverse New International Version
  7. ↑ Ryle, H. E., Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Ezra 9, accessed on 26 July 2025
  8. ↑ Template:Bibleverse: NKJV
  9. ↑ Hebrew Text Analysis: Ezra 9:1. Biblehub
  10. ↑ Template:Bibleverse KJV
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Ezra 9. Accessed 28 April 2019.
  12. ↑ Jerusalem Bible (1966), note d at Ezra 9:6
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.beta.math.wmflabs.org/w/index.php?title=Ezra_9&oldid=43489"