Bible Commentaries

when Ezra had prayed. Note the change to the third person. This does not imply another authorship. Such changes are common. Compare Isaiah 6:5-8; Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 37:6 with other passages. Also Jeremiah 20:1-6 with Ezra 10:7; and Jeremiah 21:1 with Jeremiah 28:1, Jeremiah 28:5.

God. Hebrew. Elohim.(with Art.) = the [true] God. App-4.

Israel. Compare Ezra 1:5. Ezra 2:2, Ezra 2:59, Ezra 2:70; Ezra 6:21; Ezra 7:10, Ezra 7:13; Ezra 8:25; Ezra 9:1. See note on 1 Kings 12:17.

congregation = assembly. Assembled 24th Tisri. Compare Nehemiah 9:3.

children = little ones. Hebrew. yeled. Not the same word as in Ezra 10:7.

wept very sore. Hebrew "wept a great weeping". Figure of speech Polyptoton. See note on Genesis 26:28.

the sons of Elam. Compare Ezra 10:26.

answered and said. A Hebrew idiom, by which the first verb "answered" must be rendered according to the context. Here = "confessed and said".

trespassed = acted treacherously. Hebrew. ma"al. App-44.

people = peoples.

in = for.

such as are born. It does not appear that Shechaniah's proposal was carried out. Compare verses: Ezra 10:11, Ezra 10:14.

counsel. See Psalms 33:11; Psalms 73:24; Psalms 106:13. Proverbs 8:14; Proverbs 19:21. Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 46:11.

my LORD* = Jehovah. One of the 134 places where Jehovah was altered by the Sopherim to Adonay. See App-32and App-4.

tremble. Compare Ezra 9:4.

according to the law. See Deuteronomy 24:1, Deuteronomy 24:2.

Arise. It would seem that Ezra continued kneeling.

the chief priests = the princes of the priests. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:14.

the Levites. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "and the Levites".

Then Ezra rose up. In response to Shechaniah.

Johanan. The son of Eliashib, the high priest who succeeded Joiakim, the successor of Jeshua (Nehemiah 12:10, Nehemiah 12:23).

came thither. According to Syriac and Arabic = "lodged (or spent the night) there".

mourned. Compare the first occurance of Hebrew "abal. Genesis 37:34.

transgression = unfaithfulness. Hebrew. ma"al. App-44. Compare Ezra 10:2; Ezra 10:10.

children = sons. Not. the same word as in Ezra 10:1.

captivity = exile. As in verses: Ezra 10:6, Ezra 10:8, Ezra 10:16; Ezra 1:11; Ezra 2:1; Ezra 4:1; Ezra 6:19, Ezra 6:20, Ezra 6:21; Ezra 8:35.

forfeited = devoted.

carried away = into captivity.

Judah and Benjamin. Yet spoken of as containing representatives of all Israel. See note on Ezra 10:1.

ninth month. That is Chisleu (= Nov. -Dec), four months after Ezra's arrival (Ezra 7:8).

street = broad place.

trespass. Hebrew. "ashah. See note on Ezra 9:6.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

As thou hast said = according to thy words. Hebrew margin reads "word".

a time of much rain = the rainy season.

transgressed = rebelled. Hebrew. pasha". App-44.

rulers = princes.

for. Hebrew. "ad = "until", as in the previous clause. Translate and supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6) thus: "until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter [be carried out]".

Only = But, or. Nevertheless.

Tikvah. Compare 2 Kings 22:14 and 1 Chronicles 34:22.

were employed, &c. = superintended [the business].

certain = men. Hebrew. "enosh. App-14.

chief = heads.

the first day of the first month. See note on Genesis 8:13. Ezra's last date. The commission, therefore, sat for eighty-eight days.

the sons Of Joshua. Who had come up with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2). There were 973 priests of that house (Ezra 2:36). There were found guilty seventeen priests, ten Levites singers and sorters, and eighty-six lay people, making 118 in all.

gave their hands. Hebrew idiom for giving their word. Compare 2 Kings 10:15.

being guilty. Compare Leviticus 5:1.

a ram. See Leviticus 5:14-19.

Nethaneel. Some codices, with five early printed editions, read "and Nethaneel".

and Bamoth. Hebrew text reads "Jeremoth". Margin reads "and Ramoth".

of. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, have this word "of" in the text.

strange = foreign.

Thus ends the first part of this book "Ezra-Nehemiah"; not abruptly; as it is followed by the second part, which is concerned mainly with the rebuilding of the city and the walls, instead of with the Temple. The incidents recorded in Nehemiah 1:1, Nehemiah 7:4 had taken place before the first return under Zerubbabel, See the Structures and notes on pp 617, 618, and App-58. Compare also Nehemiah 7:4 with Haggai 1:1-4.