The Meaning of Ezra 9:3 Explained

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.

YLT: And at my hearing this word, I have rent my garment and my upper robe, and pluck out of the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sit astonished,

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezra 9:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 9:1-15 - A Leader's Sorrows For His People's Sins
The mingling of the holy seed with heathen peoples was always the curse of Israel, and it has been the temptation of God's children in every age. Do we sufficiently tremble at the words of the God of Israel because of our sins or those of others? The humiliation and anguish of soul experienced by Ezra and his associates are a great rebuke to us. We are indignant, but we do not view sin from God's standpoint. Notice the humility of his prayer, I blush to lift up my face; its vicarious confession of sin; its acknowledgment of God's grace in giving a little reviving; its recital of the aggravation which had dyed their sin of a deeper hue. Israel was intended to live in Canaan as a separated people. The land itself could not yield its good, or remain their permanent inheritance on condition of their fidelity to God. When confession of sin has been made, let us stand before God claiming forgiveness, acceptance, and cleansing, through the precious blood of Christ, 1 John 1:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 9

1  Ezra mourns for the affinity of the people with strangers
5  He prays unto God, with confession of sins

What do the individual words in Ezra 9:3 mean?

So when I heard - thing this I tore my garment and my robe and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard and sat down astonished
וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה קָרַ֥עְתִּי בִּגְדִ֖י וּמְעִילִ֑י וָאֶמְרְטָ֞ה מִשְּׂעַ֤ר רֹאשִׁי֙ וּזְקָנִ֔י וָאֵשְׁבָ֖ה מְשׁוֹמֵֽם

וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙  So  when  I  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
קָרַ֥עְתִּי  I  tore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
בִּגְדִ֖י  my  garment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
וּמְעִילִ֑י  and  my  robe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
וָאֶמְרְטָ֞ה  and  plucked  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מָרַט  
Sense: to bare, polish, make smooth or bald or bare.
מִשְּׂעַ֤ר  some  of  the  hair 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׂעָר  
Sense: hair.
רֹאשִׁי֙  of  my  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וּזְקָנִ֔י  and  beard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: זָקָן  
Sense: beard, chin.
וָאֵשְׁבָ֖ה  and  sat  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
מְשׁוֹמֵֽם  astonished 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמֵם  
Sense: to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy.