Ezra 9:2

2 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.

Ezra 9:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 9:2

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for
their sorts
Some that were widowers not only took wives to themselves of the above nations, either when they were of Babylon, where many of these nations also were, or rather since their return; but they took for their sons also; yea, some that had wives took Heathenish ones to them, see ( Malachi 2:13-15 ) ,

so that the holy seed;
such as the Lord had separated from other nations, chosen them to be an holy people above all others, and devoted them to his service and worship:

have mingled themselves with the people of those lands;
before mentioned, by marrying with them:

yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this
trespass;
they were the first that went into it, were ringleaders of it, who should by their authority and example have restrained others; or they were

in this first trespass
^F9; which was the first gross and capital one the people fell into after their return from the captivity.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hnavr hzh lemb) "in praevaricatione ista prima", Pagninus, Montanus.

Ezra 9:2 In-Context

1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2 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.

3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.

4 Then were assembled to 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 confounded until the evening sacrifice.

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