Ezra 9:4

4 Then all who ¹trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat ²appalled until the evening sacrifice.

Ezra 9:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 9:4

There were assembled unto me everyone that trembled at the
words of the God of Israel
That had a reverence for the word of God, and the things contained in it; feared to break the laws of God, and trembled at his judgments, which they might apprehend would come upon transgressors, see ( Isaiah 46:2 ) ,

because of the transgression of those that had been carried away;
into Babylon, and were now returned, and which was an aggravation of their transgression:

and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice:
or until the ninth hour, as the Syriac version, which was about our three o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the evening sacrifice was offered; perhaps it was in the morning when Ezra first received his information from the princes.

Ezra 9:4 In-Context

2 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."

3 As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.

4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

6 saying: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.

Cross References

• 1. Ezra 10:3; Isaiah 66:2, 5
• 2. Exodus 29:39, 41