Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezra 9:1-4

"Now 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. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 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. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation." — Ezra 9:1-4 (ASV)

Now when these things were done.—The remainder of the book is occupied with the execution of Ezra’s function as a moral reformer. One chief disorder is mentioned: that of the mixed marriages (Ezra 9:2), which the new lawgiver evidently regarded as fatal to the purity of the divine service and to God's design in separating this peculiar people for a time.

The report of the abuse of mixed marriages is formally brought before Ezra.

The princes—These were heads of tribes, native rulers of Jerusalem, as distinguished from the satraps and governors. Zerubbabel’s office had no successor, and the term "princes" expressed their eminence rather than their authority, which had been powerless to check the abuses they complained of.

Doing according to their abominations.—This means, rather, as it regards their abominations. They are not charged with abandonment to idolatry, but with that particular laxity which appears subsequently.

The Ammonites.—It is remarkable that all the ancient proscribed races are mentioned, and not the specific nations by whose names the Samaritans were known, as if to make the case as hateful as possible. At the same time, many of these races still lingered in the vicinity of Judea.

The holy seed.—The “holy nation” or “peculiar people” of Exodus 19:6 is called the “holy seed” by Isaiah (Ezra 6:13), with reference to its being preserved and kept holy amid judgments; and here the same term is used with reference to its desecration by being made common among the nations.

The princes and rulers.—These were the upper classes, whether priests and Levites or laymen.

This trespass.—There is no question about the unlawfulness of these intermarriages, nor any mitigation on account of necessity. The rulers report it, and Ezra receives the report as evidence that God's whole purpose with regard to the people was, at the very outset of their new order, in the process of being defeated by the guilt of the heads of Israel. Their wrongdoing as such is admitted by everyone.

I rent my garment and my mantle.—Ezra's actions indicate his horror and grief. Both the tearing of the outer and inner garment and the plucking of hair were symbolic acts, teaching their lesson to the people who witnessed them and, as we see, were deeply impressed.

Trembled.—This was in fear of the divine judgments.

Transgression of those that had been carried away.—This was the usual name for the people at this time. During their captivity, however, they had not been guilty in this way. It was an aggravation of their guilt that they committed the trespass now.