Ezra 9 · Verse 1

Ezra 9:1

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.
Ezra 9:1, King James Version

Ezra 9:1 in other translations

BSBAfter these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
WEBNow when these things were done, the princes came near to me, saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
ASVNow when these things were done, the princes drew near unto me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples 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.
YLTAnd at the completion of these things, drawn nigh unto me have the heads, saying, ‘The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not been separated from the peoples of the lands, as to their abominations, even the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, the Egyptian, and the Amorite,
DARBYNow when these things were completed, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites;
BBENow after these things were done, the captains came to me and said, The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands, but have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
WebsterNow 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.

What does Ezra 9:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezra 9:1-2

Ezr 9:1-4. Ezra Mourns for the Affinity of the People with Strangers.

1-2. Now when these things were done--The first days after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem were occupied in executing the different trusts committed to him. The nature and design of the office with which the royal authority had invested him was publicly made known to his own people by the formal delivery of the contribution and the sacred vessels brought from Babylon to the priests to be deposited in the temple. Then his credentials were privately presented to the provincial governors; and by this prudent, orderly proceeding he put himself in the best position to avail himself of all the advantages guaranteed him by the king. On a superficial view everything contributed to gratify his patriotic feelings in the apparently flourishing state of the church and country. But a further acquaintance discovered the existence of great corruptions, which demanded immediate correction. One was particularly brought under his notice as being the source and origin of all others; namely, a serious abuse that was practised respecting the law of marriage. the princes came to me, saying--The information they lodged with Ezra was to the effect that numbers of the people, in violation of the divine law (De 7:2, 3), had contracted marriages with Gentile women, and that the guilt of the disorderly practice, far from being confined to the lower classes, was shared in by several of the priests and Levites, as well as of the leading men in the country. This great irregularity would inevitably bring many evils in its train; it would encourage and increase idolatry, as well as break down the barriers of distinction which, for important purposes, God had raised between the Israelites and all other people. Ezra foresaw these dangerous consequences, but was overwhelmed with a sense of the difficulty of correcting the evil, when matrimonial alliances had been formed, families had been reared, affections engaged, and important interests established.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The princes inform Ezra that many of the people now settled in the had married heathen wives; and several of the rulers were principal offenders in this thing, Ezr 9:1, Ezr 9:2. He is greatly afflicted, Ezr 9:3, Ezr 9:4. His prayer to God on thus account, Ezr 9:5-15. Verse 1 The people of Israel - These were they who had returned at first with Zerubbabel, and were settled in the land of Judea and whom Ezra found on his arrival to be little better than the Canaanitish nations from whom God had commanded them ever to keep separate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezra 9:1-4
Many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most careful rulers. Some of the people disobeyed the express command of God, which forbade all marriages with the heathen, De 7. Disbelief of God's all-sufficiency, is at the bottom of the sorry shifts we make to help ourselves. They exposed themselves and their children to the peril of idolatry, that had ruined their church and nation. Carnal professors may make light of such connexions, and try to explain away the exhortations to be separate; but those who are best acquainted with the word of God, will treat the subject in another manner. They must forebode the worst from such unions. The evils excused, and even pleaded for; by many professors, astonish and cause regret in the true believer. All who profess to be God's people, ought to strengthen those that appear and act against vice and profaneness.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ezra 9:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּכְכַלּ֣וֹתu.khe.kha.Lotand just as finishedH3615
אֵ֗לֶּה'E.lehthese [things]H428
נִגְּשׁ֨וּni.ge.Shuthey drew nearH5066
אֵלַ֤י'e.Laito meH413
הַשָּׂרִים֙ha.sa.Rimthe leadersH8269
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
נִבְדְּל֞וּniv.de.Luthey have separated themselvesH914
הָעָ֤םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣יםve.ha.ko.ha.Nimand the priestsH3548
וְהַלְוִיִּ֔םve.hal.vi.Yimand the LevitesH3881
מֵעַמֵּ֖יme.'a.Meifrom [the] peoples ofH5971
הָאֲרָצ֑וֹתha.'a.ra.Tzotthe landsH776
כְּ֠תוֹעֲבֹֽתֵיהֶםKe.to.'a.vo.tei.hemaccording to abominations theirH8441
לַכְּנַעֲנִ֨יla.ke.na.'a.Nito the Canaanite[s]H3669
הַחִתִּ֜יha.chi.Tithe Hittite[s]H2850
הַפְּרִזִּ֣יha.pe.ri.Zithe Perizzite[s]H6522
הַיְבוּסִ֗יhay.vu.Sithe Jebusite[s]H2983
הָֽעַמֹּנִי֙ha.'a.mo.Nithe Ammonite[s]H5984
הַמֹּ֣אָבִ֔יha.Mo.'a.Vithe Moabite[s]H4125
הַמִּצְרִ֖יha.mitz.Rithe Egyptian[s]H4713
וְהָאֱמֹרִֽי\׃ve.ha.'e.mo.Riand the Amorite[s]H567

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezra 9:1

  • Leviticus 18:24-30

    Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) …

  • Nehemiah 9:2

    And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

  • Ezra 10:10-11

    And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

  • Romans 2:17-25

    Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. …

  • Deuteronomy 12:30-31

    Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

  • Exodus 33:16

    For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

  • Nehemiah 4:3

    Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

  • 1 Kings 11:1

    But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

  • 2 Chronicles 33:2

    But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

  • Deuteronomy 20:17-18

    But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee: That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.

  • Numbers 25:1-3

    And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal–peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

  • Jeremiah 26:16

    Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

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

the princes.
10:8; Jer 26:10,16
have not separated.
6:21,22; 10:10,11; Ex 33:16; Nu 23:9; Ne 9:2; 13:3; Isa 52:11
2Co 6:14-18
doing according.
Le 18:3,24-30; De 12:30,31; 18:9; 2Ch 33:2; Ps 106:35; Ro 2:17-25
of the Canaanites.
Ge 15:16,19-21; Ex 23:23; De 20:17,18
Ammonites.
De 23:3-5; 1Ki 11:1,5-7; Ne 4:3,7; 13:1-3
Moabites.
Nu 25:1-3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezra 9:1

    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.

  • Ezra 9:2

    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.

Read all of Ezra 9

Ezra 9:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y ACABADAS estas cosas, los príncipes se llegaron á mí, diciendo: El pueblo de Israel, y los sacerdotes y Levitas, no se han apartado de los pueblos de las tierras, de los Cananeos, Hetheos, Pherezeos, Jebuseos, Ammonitas, y Moabitas, Egipcios, y Amorrheos, haciendo conforme á sus abominaciones.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
*Et quand ces choses furent terminées, les chefs s’approchèrent de moi, en disant: Le peuple d’Israël, et les sacrificateurs et les lévites, ne se sont pas séparés des peuples des pays, quant à leurs abominations, savoir celles des Cananéens, des Héthiens, des Phéréziens, des Jébusiens, des Ammonites, des Moabites, des Égyptiens, et des Amoréens,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und als dieses ausgerichtet war, traten die Obersten zu mir und sprachen: Das Volk Israel und die Priester und die Leviten haben sich nicht von den Völkern der Länder, nach deren Greueln, abgesondert, nämlich der Kanaaniter, der Hethiter, der Perisiter, der Jebusiter, der Ammoniter, der Moabiter, der Ägypter und der Amoriter;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Postquam autem hæc completa sunt, accesserunt ad me principes, dicentes: Non est separatus populus Israël, sacerdotes et Levitæ, a populis terrarum et abominationibus eorum: Chananæi videlicet, et Hethæi, et Pherezæi, et Jebusæi, et Ammonitarum, et Moabitarum, et Ægyptiorum, et Amorrhæorum: