Verse 1

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.

Verse 2

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.

Verse 3

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.

Verse 4

Arise. It would seem that Ezra continued kneeling.

Verse 5

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".

Verse 6

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.

Verse 7

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.

Verse 8

forfeited = devoted.

carried away = into captivity.

Verse 9

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.

Verse 10

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

Verse 11

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

Verse 12

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

Verse 13

a time of much rain = the rainy season.

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

Verse 14

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]".

Verse 15

Only = But, or. Nevertheless.

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

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

Verse 16

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

chief = heads.

Verse 17

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.

Verse 18

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.

Verse 19

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.

Verse 22

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

Verse 29

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

Verse 31

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

Verse 44

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.