Ezra 10 9

Ezra 10:9 kjv

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Ezra 10:9 nkjv

So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain.

Ezra 10:9 niv

Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.

Ezra 10:9 esv

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Ezra 10:9 nlt

Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 9 Meaning

Ezra 10:9 describes a solemn, swift assembly of all adult Israelite males from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem. This urgent gathering took place within three days, in the depth of winter (the ninth month), and positioned them in the open area before the temple. The assembled people were gripped by fear and trepidation, not only because of the gravity of the spiritual transgression (marrying foreign women) but also due to the severe weather conditions of heavy rain. The verse underscores the deep spiritual crisis and the immediate, albeit physically challenging, response of the community.

Ezra 10 9 Context

Ezra chapter 10 follows Ezra’s profound prayer of confession in chapter 9, where he publicly mourned the sin of the returned exiles, particularly their intermarriage with the people of the land. This practice violated God's covenant commands against foreign alliances, which historically led to idolatry and national apostasy. The immediate consequence of Ezra's lament was a large assembly of the people who gathered to him, confessing their sin and acknowledging the need for a covenantal action. Shecaniah, a leader among the people, proposed the radical solution of divorcing their foreign wives and children, based on the counsel of Ezra and "those who trembled at the word of our God." Ezra 10:9 details the immediate, unified, and challenging execution of this proposal: a massive public assembly called under arduous conditions, signaling the extreme gravity with which the community now viewed their transgression against God's law. This was a critical moment for the preservation of Israel's distinct identity and purity after the Babylonian exile.

Ezra 10 9 Word analysis

• Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin:
  • all the men: Emphasizes the comprehensive and unanimous participation, highlighting the corporate nature of the sin and the corporate responsibility for repentance. This was not a partial or reluctant response.
  • Judah and Benjamin: Refers to the main tribes that formed the post-exilic community. This highlights the remnant of Israel returning from exile, establishing their distinct identity and lineage in the land.
• assembled (קָהַל - qahal):
  • More than a simple gathering; it signifies a convocation, a formal, intentional, and often sacred assembly of the people of Israel for a specific purpose, often involving spiritual or national importance, such as covenant renewal, war, or judgment. This term connects to the "church" or "assembly" (ekklesia in Greek Septuagint, derived from qahal).
• at Jerusalem:
  • The religious and political center of the returned community, the capital, and the location of the newly rebuilt temple. The central significance for the sacred assembly.
• within three days:
  • Highlights the remarkable urgency and decisiveness of the leaders and the people. Such swiftness indicates the high degree of seriousness attributed to the matter and perhaps a supernatural motivation. It also underscores a logistical feat, given the weather.
• It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month:
  • The "ninth month" (Kislev, approx. Dec-Jan) indicates deep winter in ancient Israel, a period notorious for heavy rains.
  • twentieth day: Precision in dating adds a historical factual detail, confirming the actual event. It shows meticulous record-keeping.
• and all the people sat:
  • Suggests a formal, seated posture for a judicial or deliberative assembly, implying a state of attention, readiness to hear, and submission to the process. It denotes seriousness, not just casual gathering.
• in the open square before the house of God:
  • open square: A public space, emphasizing transparency and public accountability for the collective actions taken.
  • before the house of God: Positions the assembly symbolically and literally in the presence of the Lord. This signifies that the judgment and actions were undertaken under God's watchful eye and authority, acknowledging divine holiness and judgment. It elevates the spiritual stakes.
• trembling (חָרֵד - khared):
  • A powerful term denoting a profound fear, awe, or trembling, not necessarily just from cold or physical discomfort, but primarily from spiritual apprehension, a sense of dread, or reverence before God's judgment. It implies a recognition of the seriousness of their sin against God. This trembling signifies true repentance, an anxious concern over breaking God's law (compare Isa 66:2).
• because of this matter and because of the heavy rain:
  • this matter: The "great trespass" (Ezr 9:6) of intermarriage, understood as a profound betrayal of God’s covenant and a threat to Israel's purity. This was the primary cause of their spiritual trepidation.
  • heavy rain (גֶּשֶׁם רַב - geshem rav): This intense, relentless rain in winter made the assembly physically miserable. It symbolizes divine displeasure or judgment, mirroring their internal spiritual turmoil and perhaps reinforcing their sense of the gravity of the situation and their desperate need for cleansing. The physical discomfort intensifies their commitment and highlights the cost of their repentance.

Ezra 10 9 Bonus section

The scene described in Ezra 10:9 can be seen as a solemn Israelite court of inquiry or judgment convened on a grand scale, publicly seeking God's will and performing purification rites. The combination of spiritual terror ("trembling") and natural elements ("heavy rain") reinforces the idea that God Himself was active in the situation, pressing His people to deal with their sin. Some interpretations suggest the rain could even be seen as a symbol of divine washing or cleansing, emphasizing the urgency of purging the community from impurity. This account provides a powerful example of decisive and uncomfortable obedience for the sake of covenant fidelity, highlighting that corporate sin requires corporate repentance and action, often demanding personal sacrifice for the good of the community and the glory of God.

Ezra 10 9 Commentary

Ezra 10:9 vividly portrays a pivotal moment of corporate repentance in post-exilic Israel. It encapsulates the deep spiritual conviction sparked by Ezra's prayer, leading to immediate, radical action. The unprecedented swiftness of the assembly ("within three days") and its location "before the house of God" underscores the utmost seriousness of the "matter" of intermarriage, which was perceived as jeopardizing their distinct identity and covenant relationship with the Lord. The profound "trembling" of the people was a composite response: awe before God's holy law, dread of His just judgment for their sin, and physical discomfort from the "heavy rain." This convergence of spiritual and physical distress underscored the magnitude of their trespass and the painful, yet necessary, process of national purification. It demonstrates a people willing to endure hardship and shame in sincere pursuit of corporate righteousness before God.