English Standard Version
Ezra 9:2
2For 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.”
Context of Ezra 9:2
1After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 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." 3As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. 4Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
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 10:18Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers.
- Exodus 34:16and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.
- Deuteronomy 7:1"When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you,
- Nehemiah 13:23In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
- Malachi 2:11Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
- Exodus 19:6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
- Exodus 22:31"You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
- Deuteronomy 7:6"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
- Deuteronomy 14:2For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
- Isaiah 6:13And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump.
- Malachi 2:15Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her 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 man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
- Nehemiah 13:3As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
- Nehemiah 13:4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries