Ezra 9 3

Ezra 9:3 kjv

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 astonied.

Ezra 9:3 nkjv

So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished.

Ezra 9:3 niv

When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.

Ezra 9:3 esv

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

Ezra 9:3 nlt

When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked.

Ezra 9 verses

Ezra 9 3 Meaning

Ezra 9:3 describes Ezra’s immediate, profoundly emotional, and physically expressive response to the report of the Israelites' widespread intermarriage with the pagan peoples of the land. His tearing of garments, pulling out hair, and sitting down appalled signify an intense spiritual anguish, shame, and utter devastation at the flagrant violation of God’s covenant and the potential spiritual defilement of the newly returned exiles. It reflects the shock and deep sorrow of a man who fully grasped the gravity of this sin and its implications for God's holy people.

Ezra 9 3 Context

Ezra 9 stands at a crucial juncture in the post-exilic period, roughly 80 years after the first wave of returnees under Zerubbabel and nearly 13 years into Ezra’s own ministry in Jerusalem. Chapters 7-8 describe Ezra’s arrival with a mission from King Artaxerxes to bring the Law of God to the people, teach it, and implement its commands. Ezra 9 immediately follows reports brought to him by the leaders that the returning exiles—priests, Levites, and laypeople—had defiled themselves by intermarrying with the pagan inhabitants of the land: the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. This direct violation of God's strict prohibitions against intermarriage, given to maintain Israel's holiness and prevent assimilation into idolatry, deeply distressed Ezra. The news was particularly shocking because these were the descendants of those who had endured exile precisely because of such widespread disobedience. Ezra's intense reaction sets the stage for his subsequent heartfelt prayer of confession and the difficult reforms that would follow.

Ezra 9 3 Word analysis

• And when I heard this thing:

  • "And when I heard" (וּכְשָׁמְעִי, u·ḵə·šā·mə·ʿî): Emphasizes the immediacy and profound impact of the news. Ezra's response was not intellectual contemplation but a visceral, direct reaction. The word signifies a deep comprehension of the spiritual danger.
  • "this thing": Refers to the report of widespread intermarriage mentioned in the preceding verses (Ezra 9:1-2), a direct transgression against divine law (Exod 34:15-16, Deut 7:3-4).

• I tore my garment and my cloak:

  • "I tore" (קָרַע, qāraʿ): This Hebrew verb denotes ripping or rending. Tearing garments was a common, ancient Near Eastern gesture of extreme grief, sorrow, or profound distress, used to express shock, mourning, outrage, or repentance. It symbolized the tearing apart of one’s heart or inner being.
  • "my garment" (בֶּגֶד, beged): Refers to the ordinary outer garment, common clothing.
  • "and my cloak" (וּמְעִילִי, ū·mə·ʿî·lî): Refers to an outer mantle or robe, often associated with a person's dignity, office, or higher social standing (e.g., a priest's robe, a prophet's mantle). Tearing both indicates total abandonment of social convention and personal dignity in the face of immense spiritual distress. This goes beyond typical mourning, expressing profound spiritual horror and self-abasement.

• and pulled out the hair of my head and of my beard:

  • "and pulled out" (וָאֶמְרְטָה, vā·’em·rə·ṭāh): From the verb מָרַט (maraṭ), meaning to pluck out, to pull out by force, or make smooth (by depilation). This is a more extreme and severe expression of anguish than tearing garments, often associated with humiliation, intense shame, or devastating grief.
  • "the hair of my head": Common sign of extreme sorrow.
  • "and of my beard": In ancient cultures, particularly among Israelite men, the beard was a symbol of honor, dignity, and maturity (2 Sam 10:4-5). Its mutilation was considered a deep disgrace or act of ultimate sorrow. For Ezra, as a priest and scribe, this was a profoundly symbolic act of self-abasement and identifying with the shame and degradation of God’s people. It expresses corporate defilement and spiritual outrage.

• and sat down appalled:

  • "and sat down": A posture of deep mourning, inactivity, or utter despair. It suggests a paralysis from shock and grief, a sign of being utterly overwhelmed.
  • "appalled" (אֶשְׁמְמָה, ’ešməmah): From the root שָׁמֵם (shamem), meaning to be desolate, ruined, stunned, or dumbfounded. It describes a state of utter desolation, not merely being shocked but completely overwhelmed and paralyzed by a sense of dread, horror, or spiritual abandonment. Ezra felt the spiritual desolation of his people.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my cloak": This phrase highlights Ezra's instantaneous, intense reaction to the severity of the covenant breach. It shows his utter distress and immediate disengagement from any sense of personal honor or composure in the face of such a grievous sin against God.
• "and pulled out the hair of my head and of my beard": This further escalates the intensity of Ezra's reaction. It moves beyond outward display to self-mutilation, signaling a deeper identification with the shame and desecration caused by the people’s sin. It reflects a personal sharing in the disgrace, highlighting his prophetic and priestly empathy.
• "and sat down appalled": This final action signifies the ultimate consequence of the news. Ezra is rendered speechless and motionless, overwhelmed by the horror of the situation. It conveys a sense of profound spiritual emptiness and despair, indicating that the sin was not just a societal issue but a theological catastrophe that left him in utter desolation before God.

Ezra 9 3 Bonus section

Ezra's visceral response serves as a powerful illustration of the depth of sorrow a true spiritual leader experiences when the covenant community strays from God's commands. It demonstrates that genuine lament for corporate sin is not merely intellectual or formal, but can be a physically agonizing and humbling experience. Unlike a mere public display, Ezra’s actions precede his formal prayer, indicating an authentic, unbearable burden. This intensity distinguishes Ezra as a leader who grieved for the defilement of God's people as deeply as for personal tragedy, emphasizing the communal aspect of covenant relationship and sin. His actions foreshadow his exhaustive prayer of confession in Ezra 9:6-15, establishing the foundation of repentance necessary for divine mercy and future reformation.

Ezra 9 3 Commentary

Ezra’s dramatic reaction in verse 3 is not mere personal theatrics; it is a profound expression of deep spiritual anguish, shame, and despair over the sin of God’s people. As a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6), Ezra understood the foundational importance of holiness and separation for Israel. The prohibition against intermarriage was not merely a social rule but a divine command vital for preserving Israel’s unique identity as God’s holy nation and preventing them from succumbing to the idolatry that had led to their exile (Deut 7:3-4).

When Ezra heard of the widespread intermarriage, he recognized it as a direct affront to God’s holiness and a perilous regression to the very sins that had previously provoked God's judgment. His actions – tearing his garment and cloak, symbols of his personal and priestly dignity; and pulling out his hair and beard, symbols of his honor and masculinity – convey a complete breakdown of composure and a raw identification with the profound disgrace brought upon God’s name and His covenant people. Sitting "appalled" conveys a state of utter shock, desolation, and grief, reflecting a realization of the catastrophic implications of this sin. Ezra’s physical acts were a pre-verbal prayer, a deep groaning of the spirit that underscored the seriousness of the people’s sin before any words of confession could be uttered. This extreme lament highlights the immense value he placed on God's law and the purity of His people. It set a powerful example of what true spiritual grief for corporate sin should look like in leadership.