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Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us,

CHAPTER IX.

and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, The affairs of the church were in a very good posture, we may well suppose, now and of such as lay in wait by the way.

32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold, and the vessels, weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

34 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time."

that Ezra presided in them. Look without; the government was kind to them, we hear no complaints of persecution and oppression, their enemies had either their hearts turned, or, at least, their hands tied; their neighbours were civil, and we hear of no wars, or ruinours of wars; there were none to make them afraid; all was as well as could be, considering that they were few and poor, and subjects to a foreign prince. Look at home; we hear nothing of Baal, or Ashtaroth, or Moloch, no images, or groves, or golden calves, no nor so much as high places, (not only no idolatrous altars, but no separate ones,) but the temple was duly respected, and the temple service carefully kept up; yet there was some mixture of evil; the purest ages of the church have had some corruptions, and it will never be presented without spot or wrinkle, till it is a glorious church, a church triumphant, Eph. 5. 27. We have here, I. A complaint brought to Ezra of the many marriages that had been made with strange wives, v. 1, 2. II. The great trouble which he, and others influenced by his example were in, upon this information, v. 3, 4. III. The solemn confession which he made of this sin to God, with godly sorrow and shame, v. 5-15.

Now ehe people of Israel, and [OW when these things were done, the princes

35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, have not separated twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, themselves from the people of the lands, doing seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin-according to their abominations, even of the Caoffering: all this was a burnt-offering unto the naanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, LORD. the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

36 And they delivered the king's commissions bunto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors 2 For they have taken of their daughters for on this side the river; and they furthered the peo-themselves, and for their sons; so that the holy ple, and the house of God. dseed have mingled themselves with the people of

c. 7. 28. y Neh. 2. 11. ver. 26, 30. a c. 6. 17. b c. 7. 21. a c. 6. 21. Neh. 9. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 17.

and not all cut off; for there were enemies that laid wait for them by the way to do them a mischief, and, at least, like Amalek, to smite the hindmost of them, but God protected them, v. 31. Even the common perils of journeys, are such as oblige us to sanctify our going out with prayer, and our returns in peace with praise and thanksgiving; much more ought God to be thus eyed in such a dangerous expedition as this was. (2.) | That they were brought in safety to their journey's end, v. 32. Let them that have steadfastly set their faces toward the new Jerusalem, proceed and persevere to the end till they appear before God in Zion, and they shall find that he who has begun the good work, will perform it.

2. That his treasurers were faithful; when they were come to Jerusalem, they were impatient to be discharged of their trust, and therefore applied themselves to the great men of the temple, who received it from them, and gave them an acquittance in full, v. 33, 34. It is a great ease to one's mind, to be discharged from a trust; and a great honour to one's name, to be able to make it appear that it has been faithfully discharged.

3. That his companions were devout; as soon as they came to be near the altar, they thought themselves obliged to offer sacrifice, whatever they had done in Babylon, v. 35. That will be dispensed with, when we want opportunity, which, when the door is opened again, will be expected from us. It is observable, (1.) That among their sacrifices they had a sinoffering; for it is the atonement that sweetens and secures every mercy to us, which will not be truly comfortable, unless iniquity be taken away, and our peace made with God. (2.) That the number of their offerings related to the number of the tribes, twelve bullocks, twelve he-goats, and ninety-six rams, that is, eight times twelve. Thus the union of the two kingdoms was intimated, according to what was foretold, Ez. 37. 22. They did not any longer go two tribes one way, and ten another, but all the twelve met by their representatives at the same altar.

4. That even the enemies of the Jews became their friends, vailed to Ezra's commission, and, instead of hindering the people of God, furthered them, (v. 36,) purely in complaisance to the king; when he appeared moderate, they all coveted to appear so too. Then had the churches rest.

NOTES TO CHAPTER IX.

V. 1-4. Ezra, like Barnabas, when he came to Jerusalem, and saw the grace of Gol to his brethren there, no doubt, was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Acts 11. 23. He saw nothing amiss; many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most vigilant rulers: but here is a damp upon his joys, information is brought him that many of the people, yea and some of the rulers, had married wives out of heathen families, and joined themselves in affinity with strangers. Observe,

I. What the sin was, that they were guilty of; it was mingling themselves with the people of those lands, (v. 2,) associating with them both in trade and in conversation, making themselves familiar with them, and, to complete the affinity, taking their daughters in marriages to their sons. We are willing to hope that they did not worship their gods, but that their captivity had cured them of their idolatry: it is said indeed that they did according to their abominations; but that (says Bishop Patrick) signifies here only the imitation of the heathen in promiscuous marriages with any nation whatsoever; which, by degrees, would lead them to idolatry again. Herein, 1. They disobeyed the express command of God, which forbade all intimacy with the heathen, and particularly in matrimonial contracts, Deut. 7. 3. 2. They profaned the crown of their

b Deut. 12. 30, 31. Rom. 2. 17-25. c Ex. 34. 16. Neh. 13. 23. d Deut. 14. 2. Is. 6. 13. e 2 Cor. 6. 14.

peculiarity, and set themselves upon a level with those, above whom God had, by singular marks of his favour, of late, as well as formerly, dignified them. 3. They distrusted the power of God to protect and advance them, and were led by carnal policy, hoping to strengthen themselves, and make an interest among their neighbours, by these alliances. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all the sorry shifts we make to help ourselves. 4. They exposed themselves, and much more their children, to the peril of idolatry, the very sin, and introduced by this very way, that had once been the ruin of their church and nation.

II. Who were the persons that were guilty of this sin; not only some of the unthinking people of Israel, that knew no better, but many of the priests and Levites, whose office it was to teach the law, and this law among the rest, and in whom, by reason of their elevation above common Israelites, it was a greater crime. It was a diminution to the sons of that tribe, to match into any other tribe, and they seldom did, except into the royal tribe; but for them to match with heathen, with Canaanites, and Hittites, and I know not whom, was such a disparagement, as, if they had had any sense, though not of duty, yet of honour, one would think they would never have been guilty of: yet this was not the worst; The hand of the princes and rulers, who by their power, should have prevented, or reformed, this high misdemeanor, was chief in this trespass. If princes be in a trespass, they will be charged as chief in it, because of the influence their example will have upon others; many will follow their pernicious ways. But miserable is the case of that people, whose leaders debauch them, and cause them to err.

III. The information that was given of this to Ezra; it was given by the persons that were most proper to complain, the princes, those of them that had kept their integrity, and with it their dignity; they could not have accused others, if they themselves had not been free from blame. It was given to the person who had power to mend the matter, who, as a ready scribe in the law of God, could argue with them, and, as king's commissioner, could awe them. It is probable that these princes had often endeavoured to redress this grievance, and could not; but now they apply themselves to Ezra, hoping that his wisdom, authority, and interest, would prevail to do it. Those that cannot of themselves reform public abuses, may yet do good service by giving information to those that can.

IV. The impression this made upon, Ezra; (v. 3,) he rent his clothes, plucked off his hair, and sat down astonished. Thus he expressed the deep sense he had, 1. Of the dishonour hereby done to God. It grieved him to the heart, to think that a people called by his name, should so grossly violate his law, should be so little benefited by his correction, and make such bad returns for his favours. 2. Of the mischief the people had hereby done to themselves, and the danger they were in of the wrath of God breaking out against them. Note, (1.) The sins of others should be our sorrow, and the injury done by them to God's honour, and the soul's of men, is what we should lay to heart. (2.) Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow, such Ezra's was, as for an only son or a first-born. (3.) The scandalous sins of professors are what we have reason to be astonished at. We may stand amazed to see men contradict, disparage, prejudice, ruin themselves. Strange that men should act so inconsiderately, and so inconsistently with themselves! Upright men are astonished at it.

V. The influence which Ezra's grief for this had upon others; we may suppose that he went up to the house of the Lord, there to humble himself, because he had an eye to God in his grief, and that was the proper place for deprecating his displeasure: public notice was soon taken of it, and all the 'devout serious people that were at hand, assembled themselves

those lands; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers | in a great trespass unto this day: and for our inihath been chief in this trespass.

3 And when I heard this thing, I frent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. 4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacri

fice.*

5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread 'out my hands unto the LORD my God,

6 And said, O my God! I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head," and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers have we been

f2 Kings 19. 1. Is. 15. 2. h Ps. 60. 3. i c. 10. 3. Ps. 119. 136. Is. 66. 2. Ez. 9.4. k Ex. 29. 39. or, affliction. 1 Kings 8, 22. m Dan. 9. 7, 8. n Ps. 38. 4. or, guiltiness. o 2Chr. 28. 9. Luke 15. 21. Rev. 18. 5. to him, it should seem, of their own accord, for nothing is said of their being sent to, v. 4. Note, 1. It is the character of good people, that they tremble at God's word; they stand in awe of the authority of its precepts, and the severity and justice of its threatenings, and to them that do so will God look, Is. 66. 2. 2. They that tremble at the word of God, cannot but tremble at the sins of men, by which the law of God is broken, and his wrath and curse incurred. 3. The pious zeal of one against sin, may perhaps provoke very many to the like, as the apostle speaks in another case, 2 Cor. 9. 2. Many will follow, who have not consideration, conduct, and courage enough to lead in a good work. 4. All good people ought to own those that appear and act in the cause of God against vice and profaneness, to stand by them, and do what they can to strengthen their hands.

V. 5-15. What the meditations of Ezra's heart were, while for some hours he sat down astonished, we may guess by the words of his mouth, when, at length, he spake with his tongue; and a most pathetic address he here makes to Heaven upon this occasion. Observe,

I. The time when he made this address; at the evening sacrifice, v. 5. Then (it is likely) devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, to grace the solemnity of the sacrifice, and to offer up their own prayers to God in concurrence with it. In their hearing, Ezra chose to make this confession, that they might be made duly sensible of the sins of their people, which, hitherto, they had either not taken notice of, or had made light of. Prayer may preach. The sacrifice, and especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the great Propitiation, that blessed Lamb of God, who, in the evening of the world, was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to which we may suppose that Ezra had an eye of faith in this penitential address to God; he makes confession with his hand, as it were, upon the head of that great Sacrifice, through which we receive the atonement. Certainly Ezra was no stranger to the message which the angel Gabriel had, some years ago, delivered to Daniel, at the time of the evening sacrifice, and, as it were, in explication of it, concerning Messiah the Prince, (Dan. 9. 24;) perhaps he had regard to that in choosing this time.

II. His preparation for this address. 1. He rose up from his heaviness, and so far shook off the burden of his grief, as was necessary to the lifting up of his heart to God. He recovered himself from his astonishment, got the tumult of his troubled spirits somewhat stilled, and his spirit composed for communion with God. 2. He fell upon his knees, put himself into the posture of a penitent humbling himself, and a petitioner suing for mercy; in both, representing the people for whom he was now an intercessor. 3. He spread out his hands, as one affected with what he was going to say, offering it up unto God, waiting, and reaching out, as it were, with an earnest expectation, to receive a gracious answer: in this he had an eye to God, as the Lord, and his God, a God of power, but a God of grace. III. The address itself. It is not properly to be called a prayer, for there is not a word of petition in it; but if we give prayer its full latitude, it is the offering up of pious and devout affections to God, and very devout, very pious, are the affections which Ezra here expresses. His address is a penitent confession of sin, not his own, (from a conscience burdened with its own guilt, and apprehensive of its own danger,) but the sin of his people, from a gracious concern for the honour of God, and the welfare of Israel. Here is a lively picture of ingenuous repentance. Observe in this address,

1. The confession he makes of the sin, and the aggravations of it, which he insists upon, to affect his own heart, and theirs that joined with him, with holy sorrow and shame and fear, in the consideration of it, that they might be deeply humbled for it. And it is observable that though he himself was wholly clear from this guilt, yet he puts himself into the number of the sinners, because he was a member of the same community, our sins, and our trespass. Perhaps he now remembered it against himself, as his fault, that he had stayed so long after his brethren

quities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

8 And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

9 For we were bondmen; yet "our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair" the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy ser

P Ps. 106. 6. g Deut. 28. 38, 64. I moment. Sor, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode, Is. 22. 23. Ps. 13. 3. Ps. 85, 6. t Neh. 9. 36. 23. Ez. 11. 16. set up. c.6. 8, 14. ¶ by the hand of.

P. 136.

in Babylon, and had not separated himself so soon as he might have done, from the people of those lands. When we are lamenting the wickedness of the wicked, it may be, if we duly reflect upon ourselves, and give our own hearts leave to deal faithfully with us, we may find something of the same nature, though in a lower degree, that we also have been guilty of. However, he speaks that which was, or should have been, the general complaint.

(1.) He owns their sins to have been very great; " Our iniquities are increased over our heads, (v. 6,) we are ready to perish in them as in deep waters;" so general was the prevalency of them, so violent the power of them, and so threatening were they of the most pernicious consequences. "Iniquity is grown up to that height among us, that it reaches to the heavens, so very impudent, that it dares heaven, so very provoking, that, like the sin of Sodom, it cries to heaven for vengeance." But let this be the comfort of true penitents, that though their sins reach to the heavens, God's mercy is in the heavens, Ps. 36. 5. Where sin abounds, grace will much more abound.

(2.) Their sin had been long persisted in; (v. 7,) Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass. The example of those that were gone before them, he thought so far from excusing their fault, that it aggravated it; we should take warning not to stumble at the same stone. The corruption is so much the worse, that it has taken deep root, and begins to plead prescription, but by this means we have reason to fear that the measure of the iniquity was nearly full.

(3.) The great and sore judgments which God had brought upon them for their sins, did very much aggravate them. For our iniquities we have been delivered to the sword and to captivity, (v. 7,) and yet not reformed, yet not reclaimed; brayed in the mortar, and yet the folly not gone, (Prov. 27. 22;) corrected, but not reclaimed.

(4.) The late mercies God had bestowed upon them, did likewise very much aggravate their sins. This he insists largely upon, v. 8, 9. Observe, [1.] The time of merey; Now for a little space, that is, "It is but a little while since we had our liberty, and it is not likely to continue long." This greatly aggravated their sin, that they were so lately in the furnace, and that they knew not how soon they might return to it again; and could they yet be secure! [2.] The fountain of mercy Grace has been showed us from the Lord. The kings of Persia were the instruments of their enlargement; but he ascribes it to God, and to his grace, his free grace without any merit of theirs. [3.] The streams of mercy; they were not forsaken in their bondage, but even in Babylon had the tokens of God's presence, inasmuch as they were a remnant of Israelites left, a few out of many, and those narrowly escaped out of the hands of their enemies, by the favour of the kings of Persia. But Ezra was more especially struck with the consideration that they had a nail in his holy place, that is, (as it is explained, v. 9,) that they had set up the house of God. They had their religion settled, and the service of the temple in a constant method. We are to reckon it a great comfort and advantage, to have stated opportunities of worshipping God. Blessed are they that dwell in God's house, like Anna that departed not from the temple. This is my rest for ever, says the gracious soul. [4] The effects of all this; it enlightened their eyes, and it revived their hearts; that is, it was very comfortable to them, and the more sensibly so, because it was in their bondage, it was life from the dead to them: though but a little reviving, it was a great favour considering that they deserved none, and the day of small things was an earnest of greater. "Now," (says Ezra,) "how ungrateful are we to offend a God that has been so kind to us; how disingenuous to mingle ourselves in sin with those nations from whom we have been, in wonderful mercy, delivered; how unwise to expose ourselves to God's displeasure, when we are tried with the returns of his favour, and are upon our good behaviour for the continuance of it!"

(5.) It was a great aggravation of the sin, that it was against an express command. We have forsaken thy commandments, v, 10, It seems to have been an ancient law of the house of

CHAPTER X.

vants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthi- In this chapter, we have that grievance redressed, which was complained of, and ness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

12 Now, therefore, give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace "or their wealth for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for

ever.

13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldest not thou be angry with us till *thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?

15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we remain yet escaped," as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses; for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

mouth to mouth, 2 Kings 21. 16. Deut. 23. 6. t withheld beneath our iniquities. z Ps. 103. 10. y John 5. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21. Deut. 9. 8. a Neh. 9. 33. Dan. 9. 14. Lam. 3. 22, 23. Jacob, not to match with the families of the uncircumcised, Gen. 34. 14. But beside that, God had strictly forbidden it. He recites the command, v. 11, 12. For then sin appears sin, appears exceeding sinful, when we compare it with the law which is broken by it; nothing could be more express, Give not your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons. The reason given, is, because, if they mingled with those nations, they would pollute themselves; it was an unclean land, and they were a holy people; but if they kept themselves distinct from them, it would be their honour and safety, and the perpetuating of their prosperity. Now, to violate a command so express, backed with such reasons, and a fundamental law of their constitution, was very provoking to the God of heaven.

(6.) That in the judgments by which they had already smarted for their sins, God had punished them less than their iniquities deserved, so that he looked upon to be still in debt upon the old account. "What! And yet shall we run up a new score? Has God dealt so gently with us in correcting us, and shall we thus abuse his favour, and turn his grace into wantonness?" God, in his grace and mercy, had said concerning Zion's captivity, She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins, (Is. 40. 2;) but Ezra, in a penitential sense of the great malignity that was in their sin, though the punishment was very great, owns it less than they deserved. 2. The devout affections that were working in him, in making this confession. Speaking of sin,.

(1.) He speaks as one much ashamed. With this he begins, (v. 6,) O my God, I am ashamed and blush, O my God, (so the words are placed,) to lift up my face unto thee. Note, [1.] Sin is a shameful thing; as soon as ever our first parents had eaten forbidden fruit, they were ashamed of themselves. [2.] Holy shame is as necessary an ingredient in true and ingenuous repentance as holy sorrow. [3.] The sins of others should be our shame, and we should blush for those who do not blush for themselves. We may well be ashamed that we are any thing related to those who are so ungrateful to God, and unwise for themselves. This is clearing ourselves, 2 Cor. 7. 11. [4.] Penitent sinners never see so much reason to blush and be ashamed, as when they come to lift up their faces before God. A natural sense of our own honour which we have injured, will make us ashamed, when we have done a wrong thing, to look men in the face; but a gracious concern for God's honour will make us much more ashamed to look him in the face. The publican, when he went to the temple to pray, hung down his head more than ever, as one ashamed, Luke 18. 13. [5.] An eye to God as our God, will be of great use to us in the exercise of repentance. Ezra begins, O my God; and again, in the same breath, My God. The consideration of our covenant relation to God as ours, will help to humble us, and break our hearts for sin, that we should violate both his precepts to us, and our promises to him: it will also encourage us to hope for pardon, upon repentance. He is my God, notwithstanding this, and every transgression in the covenant does not throw us out of

covenant.

(2.) He speaks as one much amazed, (v. 10,) “ What shall we say after this? For my part, I know not what to say: if God do not help us, we are undone." The discoveries of guilt excite amazement, the more we think of sin, the worse it looks; the difficulty of the case excites amazement, How shall we recover ourselves? Which way shall we make our peace with God? [1] True penitents are at a loss what to say: Shall we say, We have not sinned, or God will not require it? If we do, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. say, Have patience with us, and we will pay thee all, with thousands of rams, or our first-born, for our transgression?

lamented, in the foregoing chapter. Observe, I. How the people's hearts were prepared for the redress of it, by their deep bumiliation for the sin, v. 1. II. How it was proposed to Ezra by Shechaniah, v. 2-4. I. How the proposal was put in execution. 1. The great men were sworn to stand to it, v. 5. 2. Ezra appeared first in it, v. 6. 3. A general assembly was called, v. 7-9. 4. They all, in compliance with Ezra's exhortation, agreed to the reformation, v. 10-14. 5. Commissioners were appointed to sit, de die in diem-day after day, to inquire who had married strange wives, and to oblige them to put them away, which is done accordingly, (v. 14—17,) and a list of the names of those that were found guilty given in, v. 18-44.

NOW

[OW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men, and women, and children: for the people wept very *sore. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

e John 8. 21, 24. 1 Cor. 15. 17. d Ps. 130.3. a 2 Chr. 20. 9. a great weeping. b Neh. 13. 27. els. 55. 6, 7. d 2 Chr. 34. 31. † bring forth. e c. 9.4. f Deut. 7. 2, 3.

God will not thus be mocked, he knows we are insolvent. Shall we say, There is no hope, and let come on us what will? That is but to make bad worse. [2.] True penitents will consider what to say, and should, as Ezra, beg of God to teach them; What shall we say? Say, "I have sinned; I have done foolishly; God be merciful to me a sinner;" and the like. See Hos. 14. 2.

(3.) He speaks as one much afraid, v. 13, 14. "After all the judgments that are come upon us, to reclaim us from sin, and all the deliverances that have been wrought for us, to engage us to God and duty, if we should again break God's commandments, by joining in affinity with the children of disobedience, and learning their ways, what else could we expect, but that God should be angry with us till he had consumed us, and there should not be so much as a remnant left, nor any to escape the destruction?" There is not a surer or sadder presage of ruin to any people than revolting to sin, to the same sins again, after great judgments, and great deliverances. They that will be wrought upon neither by the one nor by the other, are fit to be rejected, as reprobate silver, for the founder melteth in

vain.

(4.) He speaks as one much assured of the righteousness of God, and resolved to acquiesce in that, and to leave the matter with him, whose judgment is according to truth, (v. 15,) “ Thou art righteous, wise, just, and good; thou wilt neither do us wrong, nor be hard upon us, and therefore, behold, we are before thee, we lie at thy feet, waiting our doom; we cannot stand before thee, insisting upon any righteousness of our own, having no plea to support us or bring us off, and therefore we fall down before thee, in our trespass, and cast ourselves on thy mercy, do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, Judg. 10. 15. We have nothing to say, nothing to do, but to make supplication to our Judge," Job 9. 15. Thus does this good man lay his grief before God and then leave it with him.

NOTES TO CHAPTER X.

V. 1–5. We are told,

I. What good impressions were made upon the people by Ezra's humiliation and confession of sin. No sooner was it noised in the city, that their new governor, whom they rejoiced in, was himself in grief, and to so great a degree, for them and their sin, than presently there assembled to him a very great congregation, to see what the matter was, and to mingle their tears with his, v. 1. Our weeping for other people's sins may perhaps set those a weeping for them themselves, who otherwise would have continued senseless and remorseless. See what a happy influence the good examples of great ones may have upon their inferiors. When Ezra, a scribe, a scholar, a man in authority under the king, so deeply lamented the public corruptions, they concluded that they were indeed very grievous, else he would not thus have grieved for them; and this drew tears from every eye: men, women, and children, wept very sore, when he wept thus.

II. What a good motion Shechaniah made, upon this occasion. The place was Bochim, a place of weepers; but, for aught that appears, there was a profound silence among them, as among Job's friends, who spake not a word to him, because they saw that his grief was very great, till Shechaniah (one of Ezra's companions from Babylon, ch. 8. 3, 5) stood up, and made a speech addressed to Ezra, in which,

1. He owns the national guilt, sums up all Ezra's confession in one word, and sets to his seal, that it was true, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, (v. 2 ;) Shall we the matter is too plain to be denied, and too bad to be excused." It does not appear that Shechaniah was himself culpable in this matter, (if he had had the beam in his own eye, he could not

it.

4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee; be of good courage, and do 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried

away.

7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes

g Neh. 5. 12. h Deut. 9. 18. ⚫ devoted, i 1 Sam. 12, 18. † showers. have seen so clearly to pluck it out of his brother's eye,) but his father was guilty, and divers of his father's house, as appears, v. 26, and therefore he reckons himself among the trespassers; nor does he seek to excuse or palliate the sin, though some of his own relations were guilty of it, but, in the cause of God, says to his father, I have not known him, as Levi, Deut. 33. 9. Perhaps the strange wife that his father had married, had been an unjust unkind stepmother to him, and had made mischief in the family, and he supposed that others had done the like, which made him the more forward to appear against this corruption; if so, it was not the only time that private resentments have been overruled by the providence of God to serve the public good.

2. He encourages himself, and others, to hope that though the matter was bad, it might be amended; Yet now there is hope in Israel, (where else should there be hope, but in Israel? They that are strangers to that commonwealth, are said to have no hope, Eph. 2. 12,) even concerning this thing. The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease threatening, but not incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and so the judgments which the sin deserves, may be prevented, and all will be well. Now there is hope; now that the disease is discovered, it is half cured. Now that the alarm is taken, the people begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus humbling themselves before God for it, now there is hope, that God will forgive, and have mercy. The valley of Achor, that is, of trouble, is the door of hope, (Hos. 2. 15,) for the sin that truly troubles us, shall not ruin us. There is hope, now that Israel has such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra, to manage this affair. Note, (1.) In melancholy times, we must see and observe what makes for us, as well as what makes against us. (2.) There may be good hopes through grace, even then when there is the sense of great guilt before God. (3.) Where sin is seen and lamented, and good steps taken towards a reformation, even sinners ought to be encouraged. (4.) Even great saints must thankfully receive seasonable counsel and comfort from those that are much their inferiors, as Ezra from Shechaniah. 3. He advises that a speedy and effectual course should be taken for the divorcing of the strange wives. The case is plain; what has been done amiss, must be undone again as far as possible; nothing less than that is true repentance. Let us put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, v. 3. Ezra, though he knew this was the only way of redressing the grievance, yet perhaps did not think it feasible, and despaired of ever bringing the people to it, which put him into that confusion that we left him in, in the foregoing chapter; but Shechaniah, who conversed more with the people than he did, assured him the thing was practicable, if they went wisely to work. As to us now, it is certain that sin must be put away, a bill of divorce must be given it, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it, though it be dear as the wife of thy bosom, nay, as a right eye, or a right hand, otherwise there is no pardon, no peace. What has been unjustly got, cannot be justly kept, but must be restored; but as to the case of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now; such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made, but they are not null. Our rule, under the Gospel, is, Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet-That which ought not to have been done, must, when done, abide. If a brother has a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, 1 Cor.7. 12, 13. 4. He puts them into a good method for the effecting of this reformation, and shows them not only that it must be done, but how. (1.) "Let Ezra, and all those that were present in this assembly, agree in a resolution that this must be done; pass a vote immediately to this effect, it will now pass nemine contradicente-unanimously, that it may be said to be done according to the counsel of my lord, the president of the assembly, with the unanimous concurrence of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, which is the description of those that were gathered to him, ch. 9. 4. Declare it to be the sense of all the sober serious people among us, which cannot but have a

and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days: it was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.

11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

1 caused to dwell, or, have brought back. * Frov. 28. 13. 1 John 1. 9. great sway among Israelites." (2.) "Let the command of God in this matter, which Ezra had recited in his prayer, be laid before the people, and let them see that it is done according to the law; we have that to warrant us, nay, that binds us to what we do; it is not an addition of our own to the divine law, but the necessary execution of it." (3.) "While we are in a good mind, let us bind ourselves by a solemn vow and covenant, that we will do it, lest, when the present impressions are worn off, the thing be left undone. Let us covenant, not only that, if we have strange wives ourselves, we will put them away, but that, if we have not, we will do what we can in our places to oblige others to put away theirs." (4.) "Let Ezra himself preside in this matter, who is authorized by the king's commission, to inquire whether the law of God was duly observed in Judah and Jerusalem, (ch. 7. 14,) and let us all resolve to stand by him in it, (v. 4,) Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better." See what God said to Joshua in a like case, Josh. 7. 10, 11.

III. What a good resolution they came to, upon this good motion, v. 5. They not only agreed that it should be done, but bound themselves with an oath that they would do according to this word. Fast bind, fast find.

V. 6-14. We have here an account of the proceedings upon the resolutions lately taken up concerning the strange wives; no time was lost; they struck when the iron was hot, and soon set the wheels of reformation a going.

I. Ezra went to the council chamber, where, it is probable, the priests used to meet upon public business. And till he came thither, (so Bishop Patrick thinks it should be read,) till he saw something done, and more likely to be done, for the redress of this grievance, he did neither eat nor drink, but continued mourning. Sorrow for sin should be abiding sorrow; be sure to let it continue till the sin be put away.

II. He sent orders to all the children of the captivity to attend him at Jerusalem within three days, (v. 7, 8;) and, being authorized by the king to enforce his orders with penalties annexed, (ch. 7. 26,) he threatened, that whosoever refused to obey the summons, should forfeit bis estate, and be outlawed. The doom of him that would not attend on this religious occasion, should be, that his substance should, in his stead, be, ever after, appropriated to the service of their religion, and he himself, for his contempt, should, for ever after, be excluded from the honours and privileges of their religion; he should be excommunicated.

III. Within the time limited, the generality of the people met at Jerusalem, and made their appearance in the street of the house of God, v. 9. They that had no zeal for the work they were called to, nay, perhaps had a dislike to it, being themselves delinquents, yet paid such a deference to Ezra's authority, and were so awed by the penalty, that they durst not

stay away.

IV. God gave them a token of his displeasure, in the great rain that happened at that time, (v. 9,) and again, (v. 13,) which perhaps kept some away; it was, however grievous to them that met in the open street: yet the circumstance of the heavens weeping, when they wept, might signify that though God was angry with them for their sin, yet he was well pleased with their repentance, and (as it is said, Judg. 10. 16.) his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel; it was also an indication of the good fruits of their repentance, for the rain makes the earth fruitful.

V. Ezra gave the charge at this great assize; he told them that he called them together now, because he found that, since their return out of captivity, they had increased the trespass of Israel by marrying strange wives, that they had added to their former sins this new transgression, which would certainly be a means of introducing idolatry again, the very sin they had smarted for, and which, he hoped, they had been cured of in their captivity. He informed them too that he called them together, that they might confess their sin to God, and, having done that, might declare themselves ready and willing to do his pleasure, as it should be made known to them, (which al those will do, that truly repent of what they have done to incur his displeasure,) and particularly, that they might separate themselves from all idolaters, especially idolatrous wives, v. 10, 11.

13 But the people are many, and it is a time | of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two; for we *are many that have transgressed in this thing.

14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.

15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah, were employed about this matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives; namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 And they gave "their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

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20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 And of the sons of Pashur Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei,

or, have greatly offended. tor, be turned from us till this matter be despatched. stood. Deut. 13. 14. Job 29. 16. 1 John 7. 51. m Jer. 23. 11. Mal.

On these heads, we may suppose, he enlarged, and, probably, made such another confession of the sin now, as he had made ch. 9. which he required them to say Amen to.

VI. The people submitted themselves, not only to Ezra's jurisdiction in general, but to his inquisition and determination in this matter; "As thou hast said, so must we do, v. 12. We have sinned in mingling ourselves with the heathen, and have thereby been in danger, not only of being corrupted by them, for we are frail, but of being lost among them, for we are few; we are, therefore, convinced that there is an absolute necessity of our separating from them again." There is then hope concerning people, when they are convinced, not only that it is good to part with their sins, but that it is indispensably necessary; we must do it, or we are undone.

VII. It was agreed that this affair should be carried on, not in a popular assembly, nor that they should think to go through with it all on a sudden, but that a court of delegates should be appointed to receive complaints, and to hear and determine upon them. It could not be done at this time, for it was not put into a method, nor could the people stand out because of the rain; the delinquents were many, and it would require time to discover and examine them. Nice cases would arise, which could not be adjudged without debate and deliberation, "And therefore let the crowd be dismissed, and the rulers stand to receive informations; let them proceed city by city, and let the offenders be convicted before them in the presence of the judges and elders of their own city; and let them be intrusted to see the orders executed; thus take time, and we shall have done the sooner; whereas, if we do it in a hurry, we shall do it by halves, v. 14. If, in this method, a thorough reformation be made, the fierce wrath of God will be turned from us, which, we are sensible, is ready to break forth against us for this transgression."

v. 13.

Ezra was willing that his zeal should be guided by the people's prudence, and put the matter into this method; he is not ashamed to own that the advice came from them, any more than he was to comply with it.

V. 15-44. The method of proceeding in this matter being concluded on, and the congregation dismissed, that each in his respective place might gain and give intelligence, to facilitate the matter; we are here told,

I. Who were the persons that undertook to manage the matter, and bring the causes regularly before the commissioners; Jonathan and Jahaziah, two active men, whether of the priests or of the people, does not appear; probably, they were the men that made that proposal, v. 13, 14, and were, therefore, the fittest to see it pursued; two honest Levites were joined with them, and helped them, v. 15. Dr. Lightfoot gives a contrary sense of this; Only (or nevertheless) Jonathan and Jahaziah stood against this matter, (which reading the original will very well bear,) and these two Levites helped

and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 of the singers also; Eliashib; and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehicl, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. 30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, 38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.

44 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

2. 8, 9. 2 Kings 10. 15. 1 Chr. 29. 24. 2 Chr. 30. 8. Lam. 5. 6. o Lev. 5. 15, 16. 6. 4, 6. p Neh. 7. 41. §or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies. g Prov. 5. 20. them, in opposing it, either the thing itself, or this method of proceeding. It was strange, if a work of this kind was carried on, and met with no opposition.

II. Who were the commissioners that sat upon this matter; Ezra was president, and with him certain chief of the fathers who were qualified with wisdom and zeal, above others, for this service, v. 16. It was happy for them that they had such a man as Ezra to head them; they could not have done it well without his direction, yet he would not do it without their concurrence. III. How long they were about it; they began, the first day of the tenth month, to examine the matter, (v. 16,) which was but ten days after this method was proposed, (v. 9,) and they finished in three months, v. 17. They sat close, and minded their business, otherwise they could not have despatched so many causes as they had before them, in so little time; for we may suppose that all who were impeached, were fairly asked what cause they could show why they should not be parted. If we may judge by other cases, provided the wife were proselyted to the Jewish religion, she was not to be put away; the trial of which would require great care.

IV. Who the persons were, that were found guilty of this crime; their names are here recorded to their perpetual reproach: many of the priests, nay, of the family of Joshua, the high priest, were found guilty, (v. 18,) though the law had particularly provided for the preserving of their honour in their marriages, that, being holy themselves, they should not marry such as were profane, Lev. 21. 7. They that should have taught others the law, brake it themselves, and by their example imboldened others to do likewise. But, having lost their innocency in this matter, they did well to recant, and give an example of repentance; for, 1. They promised under their hand to put away their strange wives; some think that they sware it with their hands lifted up. 2. They took the appointed way of obtaining pardon, bringing the ram which was appointed by the law for a trespass-offering, (Lev. 6. 6,) so owning their guilt, and the desert of it, and humbly suing for forgiveness.

About one hundred and thirteen in all are here named, who had married strange wives, and some of them, it is said, (v. 44,) had children by them, which implies that not many of them had, God not crowning those marriages with the blessing of increase. Whether the children were turned off with the mothers, as Shechaniah proposed, does not appear; it should seem not: it is, however, probable that the wives which were put away, were well provided for, according to their rank. One would think this grievance was now thoroughly redressed, yet we meet with it again, Neh. 13. 22. and Mal. 2. 11, for such corruptions are easily and insensibly brought in, but not without great difficulty purged out again. The best reformers can do but their endeavour, but when the Redeemer himself shall come to Zion, he shall effectually turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

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