Ezra 9:2
in Ezra 9Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
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.
⋯
This verse in Ezra 9
Commentary
5 notes on this verseWe 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.
This site's exposition
have not kept themselves separate
on Ezra 9:1-2
The leaders report that the people, priests and Levites included, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples. The roll of eight nations echoes the conquest list of Deuteronomy 7:1. Verse 2 names the offense: the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land.
This site's exposition
the holy seed has been mixed
Henry, following Bishop Patrick, reads the charge as marriage with the peoples of the land that would lead by degrees to idolatry. The list at 10:18 opens with sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, of the high priest's family. Barnes counts four of that family among the guilty.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sorts,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Hath 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 words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָשְׂא֣וּ | naseu | they have taken | H5375 → | 656 times |
| מִבְּנֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם | mibenoteihem | some of daughters their | H1323 → | 588 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | for themselves | ||
| וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם | velivneihem | and for sons their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ | vehitarevu | and they have mixed themselves | H6148 → | |
| זֶ֣רַע | zera' | [the] offspring of | H2233 → | |
| הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ | hakodesh | <the> holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
| בְּעַמֵּ֖י | beamei | with [the] peoples of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת | haaratzot | the lands | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְיַ֧ד | veyad | and [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הַשָּׂרִ֣ים | hasarim | the leaders | H8269 → | 421 times |
| וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים | vehaseganim | and the officials | H5461 → | |
| הָֽיְתָ֛ה | hayetah | it has been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בַּמַּ֥עַל | bamaal | in the unfaithfulness | H4604 → | 28 times |
| הַזֶּ֖ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| רִאשׁוֹנָֽה׃ ס | rishonah | first | H7223 → | 182 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נָשְׂא֣וּthey have taken
naseuH5375 →656 times
מִבְּנֹֽתֵיהֶ֗םsome of daughters their
mibenoteihemH1323 →588 times
לָהֶם֙for themselves
lahem
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔םand for sons their
velivneihemH1121 →4930 times
וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙and they have mixed themselves
vehitarevuH6148 →
זֶ֣רַע[the] offspring of
zera'H2233 →
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ<the> holiness
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
בְּעַמֵּ֖יwith [the] peoples of
beameiH5971 →1873 times
הָאֲרָצ֑וֹתthe lands
haaratzotH776 →2504 times
וְיַ֧דand [the] hand of
veyadH3027 →1618 times
הַשָּׂרִ֣יםthe leaders
hasarimH8269 →421 times
וְהַסְּגָנִ֗יםand the officials
vehaseganimH5461 →
הָֽיְתָ֛הit has been
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
בַּמַּ֥עַלin the unfaithfulness
bamaalH4604 →28 times
הַזֶּ֖ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
רִאשׁוֹנָֽה׃ סfirst
rishonahH7223 →182 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 34:16And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
- 1 Kings 11:2–4
These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to…
- Nehemiah 13:25
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not…
- Numbers 25:1–2
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Nehemiah 13:23
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
- Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Through
Ezra 10:2Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 13:27
Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
- Exodus 34:12
Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.
- Jeremiah 3:12–13
Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be…
- Nehemiah 13:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezra
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Berean Standard Bible, Ezra 10; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.