Ezra 9:1-4

Ezra 9:1-4

[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  astonied.  [4] Then were assembled  unto 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  astonied  until the evening  sacrifice. 

What does Ezra 9:1-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Mosaic Law strictly forbade intermarriage with the native Canaanites ( Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-5). Furthermore, intermarriage with other non-Israelites had resulted in tragic consequences in Israel"s earlier history (cf. 1 Kings 11:1-8).
"Thus the action in Ezra 10 is not directed against inter-Israelite marriages between the returnees and the "peoples of the land" but specifically against Israel"s old wilderness and early conquest enemies, namely, the Canaanite, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Amorites, Egyptians and Moabites ( Ezra 9:1). It is upon this note of the "conquest Revelation -established" that the Book of Ezra ends." [1]
"Under these circumstances the spirit of the law demanded an application broader than its original application. Hence Ezra was justified in applying a law limited to Canaanites to all pagan foreigners, even the Egyptians who were originally explicitly excluded." [2]
Pulling out one"s hair ( Ezra 9:3) was and is an expression of extreme grief, violent wrath, or intense moral indignation (cf. Isaiah 50:6). Ezra was not alone in his distress ( Ezra 9:4). Ezra pulled out his own hair, but Nehemiah later pulled out the hair of his enemies ( Nehemiah 13:25).
"A man"s attitude toward God"s Word is one of the ultimate criteria of his spirituality." [3]