Ezra 9:15

15 Lord God of Israel, thou art just; for we be left, that should be saved, as in this day, lo! we be before thee in our sin; for men may not stand before thee on this thing. (Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous; we who be left, be but a remnant, that thou hast let survive, unto this day; lo! we be before thee in our sin; but because of it we cannot stand before thee.)

Ezra 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 9:15

O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous
And would appear to be so, should Israel be entirely cut off, and utterly consumed for their iniquities:

for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day;
that they remained yet escaped out of captivity, and escaped the wrath and vengeance of God, was not owing to any deserts of theirs, but to the grace and mercy of God, who had not stirred up all his wrath, as their sins deserved:

behold, we are before thee in our trespasses;
to do with us as seems good in thy sight; we have nothing to plead on our behalf, but cast ourselves at thy feet, if so be unmerited favour may be shown us:

for we cannot stand before thee because of this;
this evil of contracting affinity with the nations; we cannot defend ourselves; we cannot plead ignorance of the divine commands; we have nothing to say for ourselves why judgment should not be passed upon us; we leave ourselves in thine hands, and at thy mercy.

Ezra 9:15 In-Context

13 And after all things, or dis-eases, that came upon us in our worst works, and in our great trespass, thou, our God, hast delivered us from our wickedness, and hast given health to us, as it is today, (And though much suffering came upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, thou, our God, hast not punished us as we deserved, but thou hast rescued us, or hast saved us, from our wickedness, and hast given us the deliverance, which we have today,)
14 that we should not be turned away from thee, and make void thy commandments, and that we should not join matrimonies with the peoples of these abominations. Whether thou art wroth to us till to the ending, that thou shouldest not leave to us remnants, that is, a few men, and health? (so now should we turn away from thee, and make void thy commandments, and join matrimonies with the peoples of these abominations? Nay! For wouldest thou not then be angry with us unto the end, so that thou wouldest leave no remnant, that is, even a few people, who would survive?)
15 Lord God of Israel, thou art just; for we be left, that should be saved, as in this day, lo! we be before thee in our sin; for men may not stand before thee on this thing. (Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous; we who be left, be but a remnant, that thou hast let survive, unto this day; lo! we be before thee in our sin; but because of it we cannot stand before thee.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.