Christian Standard Bible
Ezra 9:2
2Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
Ezra 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of Ezra 9:2
1After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” 3When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated. 4Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat devastated until the evening offering.
Read all of Ezra 9Ezra 9:2 word by word
כִּֽי־נָשְׂא֣וּ מִבְּנֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם לָהֶם֙ וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ זֶ֣רַע הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ בְּעַמֵּ֖י הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְיַ֧ד הַשָּׂרִ֣ים וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים הָֽיְתָ֛ה בַּמַּ֥עַל הַזֶּ֖ה רִאשׁוֹנָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For they have takenנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: marryH5375
- of their daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- for themselves, and for their sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- so that the holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- have mingledעָרַב‛ârab · to pledgeH6148
- themselves with the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- landsאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- yea, the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- and rulersסָגָןsâgân · rulerH5461
- hath been chiefרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: chiefH7223
- in this trespassמַ֫עַלma‛al · unfaithfulnessH4604
Cross-references for Ezra 9:2
- Ezra 10:18The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
- Exodus 34:16Then you will take some of their daughters as brides for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.
- Deuteronomy 7:1“When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and he drives out many nations before you — the Hethites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you —
- Nehemiah 13:23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
- Malachi 2:11Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable act has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the Lord’s sanctuary, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
- Exodus 19:6and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
- Exodus 22:31“Be my holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; throw it to the dogs.
- Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
- Deuteronomy 14:2for you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
- Isaiah 6:13Though a tenth will remain in the land, it will be burned again. Like the terebinth or the oak that leaves a stump when felled, the holy seed is the stump.
- Malachi 2:15Didn’t God make them one and give them a portion of spirit? What is the one seeking? Godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully, so that no one acts treacherously against the wife of his youth.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14For the unbelieving husband is made holy by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.
- Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.
- Nehemiah 13:3When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
- Nehemiah 13:4Now before this, the priest Eliashib had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was a relative of Tobiah
Commentaries on Ezra 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Hath been chief in this trespass - They who are the first men have been the most capital offenders; so Virgil, Aen. ix. 783: - Unus homo, vestris, o cives, undique septus Aggeribus, tantas strages impune per urbem Ediderit? Juvenum primos tot miserit orco? "Shall one, and he enclosed within your walls, One rash imprisoned warrior, vanquish all? Calm you look on, and see the furious foe Plunge crowds of heroes to the shades below!" Pitt. The first of the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2The events that follow occurred about four months after Ezra arrived (compare Ezra 7:9; 10:9). Intermarriage with non-Israelites was risky because Israelites might worship other gods and adopt harmful religious practices (compare Ezra 4:1–5; Deuteronomy 7:1–4). the holy seed has been mixed: Literally the holy seed has intermingled itself. Israel was a holy covenant nation (Exodus 19:6) and was not supposed to engage in pagan practices (Leviticus 19:2–4…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41-2. Now when these things were done--The first days after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem were occupied in executing the different trusts committed to him. The nature and design of the office with which the royal authority had invested him was publicly made known to his own people by the formal delivery of the contribution and the sacred vessels brought from Babylon to the priests to be deposited in the temple. Then his credentials were privately presented…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 9:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezra 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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