Ezra 9:2

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

1When these things had been done, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many of the people of Israel, and even some of the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the other peoples living in the land. They have taken up the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 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.” 3When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked. 4Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel came and sat with me because of this outrage committed by the returned exiles. And I sat there utterly appalled until the time of the evening sacrifice.

Ezra 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 10:18These are the priests who had married pagan wives: From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
• Exodus 34:16Then you will accept their daughters, who sacrifice to other gods, as wives for your sons. And they will seduce your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods.
• Deuteronomy 7:1“When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you.
• Nehemiah 13:23About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
• Malachi 2:11Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the Lord’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols.
• Exodus 19:6And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
• Exodus 22:31“You must be my holy people. Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs.
• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
• Deuteronomy 14:2You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.
• Isaiah 6:13If even a tenth—a remnant—survive, it will be invaded again and burned. But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down, so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”
• Malachi 2:15Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.
• 1 Corinthians 7:14For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.
• Genesis 6:2The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives.
• Nehemiah 13:3When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
• Nehemiah 13:4Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also 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

• Amorites
• Canaanites
• Fellowship
• Jebusites
• Levites
• Marriage
• Minister, Christian
• Moabites
• Perizzites
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Escaping
• Governor
• Join
• Magistrate
• Mingle
• Captivity
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Heredity
• Mingled People; (mixed Multitude)

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