Ezra 9:5 kjv
And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
Ezra 9:5 nkjv
At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God.
Ezra 9:5 niv
Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God
Ezra 9:5 esv
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,
Ezra 9:5 nlt
At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the LORD my God.
Ezra 9 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer Postures & Supplication | ||
| 1 Kgs 8:22 | "And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD... and spread forth his hands..." | Spreading hands in prayer |
| 1 Kgs 8:54 | "And when he had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication... he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth..." | Kneeling and spreading hands in prayer |
| Ps 28:2 | "Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle." | Lifting hands in supplication |
| Ps 95:6 | "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." | Kneeling as a posture of worship |
| Dan 6:10 | "he went into his house... and kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed..." | Regular kneeling for prayer |
| Lk 22:41 | "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed," | Jesus kneels in prayer |
| Acts 20:36 | "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all." | Apostles kneeling in prayer |
| Eph 3:14 | "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," | Bowing knees in prayer |
| 1 Tim 2:8 | "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." | Lifting hands as a posture of prayer |
| Mourning, Grief, and Repentance (Rending Garments & Fasting) | ||
| Gen 37:34 | "And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days." | Rending garments as sign of grief |
| 2 Sam 1:11 | "Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:" | Rending garments as a sign of great distress |
| 2 Kgs 18:37 | "Then came Eliakim... Shebna... and Joah... to Hezekiah with their clothes rent..." | Rending garments over perceived blasphemy |
| Job 1:20 | "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped," | Rending and falling to ground in grief/worship |
| Joel 2:13 | "And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God:" | Emphasizes internal repentance over external display |
| Dan 9:3 | "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:" | Fasting and earnest prayer over national sin |
| Jon 3:5-9 | "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast... from the king to the greatest..." | Corporate fasting for repentance |
| Neh 9:1 | "Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloths, and earth upon them." | Post-exilic fasting for repentance |
| Time of Sacrifice & Covenant Relationship | ||
| Exod 29:39 | "The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:" | Establishes evening sacrifice as a set time |
| Num 28:4 | "The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;" | Reinforces daily evening offering |
| Ps 141:2 | "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." | Prayer equated with evening sacrifice |
| Jer 32:27 | "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" | God as "my God," personal appeal to Omnipotent God |
Ezra 9 verses
Ezra 9 5 Meaning
Ezra 9:5 describes Ezra's deeply felt distress and profound spiritual response upon learning of the Israelites' forbidden intermarriages. At the specific time of the evening sacrifice, indicating a moment set aside for communion with God, Ezra arose from a state of intense sorrow and perhaps self-affliction (fasting). He dramatically tore his clothes—an ancient, outward expression of extreme grief and horror—and then assumed a posture of ultimate humility and fervent supplication: falling to his knees and spreading his hands upward in prayer to the LORD his God. This verse marks the beginning of Ezra's powerful intercessory prayer for his people's grievous sin.
Ezra 9 5 Context
Ezra chapter 9 unfolds a deeply emotional moment in the post-exilic history of Israel. Ezra, having been sent by Artaxerxes to Jerusalem to establish God's law and practices, is confronted with a grave reality shortly after his arrival: the people, including priests and Levites, had defiled themselves by intermarrying with the pagan inhabitants of the land. This practice was strictly forbidden by God's law to prevent Israel from being corrupted by idolatry and pagan practices, a key reason for their previous exile. Upon hearing this news, Ezra's initial reaction, as described in verses 3-4, is one of profound horror and distress – he tears his garment and mantle, plucks hair from his head and beard, and sits utterly desolate. Verse 5 marks the transition from his personal expression of anguish to an act of public and intercessory prayer. The "evening sacrifice" denotes a specific liturgical time (around 3 PM or sunset), highlighting the order and devotion Ezra brings to a moment of deep spiritual crisis, aligning his personal plea with the nation's regular communal worship schedule. This prayer sets the stage for a dramatic corporate repentance.
Ezra 9 5 Word analysis
- And at the evening sacrifice: This translates the Hebrew "וּבְמִנְחַת הָעֶרֶב" (u'veminchat ha'erev). "Minchah" refers to a gift or offering, often a grain offering, specifically prescribed for morning and evening. This phrase denotes a precise time in the daily Temple ritual, marking the transition from day to evening and traditionally a time of prayer and worship (Exod 29:39; Num 28:4). It emphasizes Ezra's spiritual sensitivity to the established divine order, even amid great personal and national disorder.
- I arose up: From the Hebrew "וָאָקוּם" (va'akum), meaning "and I rose, I stood up." This signifies a shift from Ezra's previous state of sitting desolate (Ezra 9:3) to an active, physical posture of preparing for prayer and addressing God directly. It marks the commencement of his intercession.
- from my heaviness: This translates the Hebrew "מִתַּעֲנִיתִי" (mita'aniti). The word "ta'anit" literally means "fasting" or "self-affliction." Therefore, a more precise understanding is that Ezra arose "from my fast" or "from my self-abasement/affliction," referring to a prior period of fasting and intense spiritual anguish over the people's sin (cf. Ps 35:13; Isa 58:3-5). The KJV's "heaviness" accurately captures the effect but not the cause of his state as a direct result of voluntary spiritual discipline.
- and having rent my garment and my mantle: The Hebrew "וָאֶקְרְעָה בִגְדִּי וּמְעִילִי" (va'eqra'ah bigdi u'me'ili). "Rending garments" (qarac) was a powerful, culturally understood sign of extreme distress, grief, horror, indignation, or repentance in ancient Israel (e.g., Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 1:11; 2 Kgs 19:1). "Garment" (beged) refers to an outer garment, while "mantle" (me'il) was an outer cloak, often of a finer quality or priestly significance, worn over other clothes. Tearing both amplified the expression of his profound shock and identification with the defilement.
- I fell upon my knees: The Hebrew is "וָאֶכְרְעָה עַל-בִּרְכַּי" (va'ekhrea al-birkay), meaning "and I knelt upon my knees." Kneeling (kara') is a universal posture of submission, humility, reverence, and earnest supplication before a superior or God (e.g., 1 Kgs 8:54; Dan 6:10; Eph 3:14). It communicates deep spiritual awe and dependence.
- and spread out my hands: The Hebrew is "וָאֶפְרֹשׂ כַּפַּי" (va'efras kappay), meaning "and I spread out my palms/hands." This was another common posture for prayer, particularly for supplication or earnest pleading, symbolizing open receptivity, fervent entreaty, and surrender to divine will (e.g., 1 Kgs 8:22; Ps 28:2; Lam 2:19).
- unto the LORD my God: This translates the Hebrew "אֶל-יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי" (el YHWH Elohay). "YHWH" (the LORD, often pronounced Yahweh) is the personal covenant name of God, revealing His active, unchanging presence. "Elohay" means "my God," emphasizing Ezra's personal, intimate relationship with the sovereign God of Israel, even as he represents the entire community in prayer. This personal appeal underlies the urgency and sincerity of his intercession.
Words-group analysis
- At the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness: This phrase combines specific timing with an action arising from a deep, pre-existing state. The "evening sacrifice" grounds Ezra's personal lament in a public, ordered, and divinely ordained time for worship, suggesting a transition from private despair to communal, focused prayer. The rising "from my fasting/self-affliction" reveals the depth of Ezra's internal struggle and prepares him physically and spiritually for intense intercession, rather than mere sadness.
- and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands: This sequence of actions vividly portrays Ezra's overwhelming anguish and his immediate, physical embodiment of deep repentance and supplication. The rending of clothes demonstrates his profound horror at sin, serving as a powerful visual cry of agony. Immediately transitioning into kneeling and spreading hands completes the picture of a man utterly broken, humble, and desperately seeking God's mercy. This chain of actions is not performative, but an outpouring of an anguished soul, signifying utmost sincerity and desperation before God.
Ezra 9 5 Bonus section
- Prophetic Significance of Timing: The "evening sacrifice" was associated not only with daily temple liturgy but also became a significant time in other biblical narratives for God's intervention or a prophet's prayer, such as Elijah's prayer on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18:36) or Daniel's receiving revelation (Dan 9:21). Ezra choosing this time reinforces the gravity and spiritual importance of his intercession, connecting it to the larger flow of redemptive history.
- Spiritual Leadership by Example: Ezra's deeply personal, yet public, display of anguish and humility sets a powerful example for the entire community. He does not distance himself from their sin but fully identifies with it, leading the way in confession and repentance before they are prompted to do so. This kind of authentic, repentant leadership is crucial for corporate revival and restoration.
- Contrast to Mere Ritualism: While performing outward acts like tearing clothes and adopting prayer postures, the intensity of Ezra's internal state (arising "from his fasting/heaviness") demonstrates that these are not empty rituals but overflow from a genuinely broken and contrite heart. This contrasts with hypocritical or merely external shows of piety. His genuine distress over defiled holiness underscores the vital importance of purity in the covenant relationship with God.
Ezra 9 5 Commentary
Ezra 9:5 presents a pivotal moment, capturing the transformation of Ezra's initial shock and grief into active, fervent intercession. This verse highlights a model for how a spiritual leader, and indeed any believer, should respond to widespread sin and defilement within the community. Ezra doesn't just despair; he directs his profound distress into focused prayer at a designated time of worship. His actions – arising from a fast, rending garments, kneeling, and spreading hands – are a potent, culturally understood language of humiliation, repentance, and earnest appeal to God. This posture embodies both his personal identification with the people's sin and his unwavering trust in the covenant-keeping God. It teaches us that true sorrow over sin moves beyond passive despair to an active seeking of God's face, marked by humility, spiritual discipline, and an urgent appeal to the One who can forgive and restore. Ezra's response emphasizes the deep reverence and humility necessary when approaching God concerning human failure and spiritual compromise.