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Ezra Capítulo 9
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The affairs of the church were in a very good posture, we may well suppose, now that Ezra presided in them. Look without; the government was kind to them. We hear no complaints of persecution and oppression; their enemies had either their hearts turned or at least their hands tied; their neighbours were civil, and we hear of no wars nor rumours of wars; there were none to make them afraid; all was as well as could be, considering that they were few, and poor, and subjects to a foreign prince. Look at home; we hear nothing of Baal, or Ashtaroth, nor Moloch, no images, nor groves, nor golden calves, no, nor so much as high places (not only no idolatrous altars, but no separate ones), but the temple was duly respected and the temple service carefully kept up. Yet all was not well either. The purest ages of the church have had some corruptions, and it will never be presented "without spot or wrinkle" till it is "a glorious church," a church "triumphant," Eph 5:27. We have here, I. A complaint brought to Ezra of the many marriages that had been made with strange wives, Ezr 9:1,2. II. The great trouble which he, and others influenced by his example, were in upon this information, Ezr 9:3,4. III. The solemn confession which he made of this sin to God, with godly sorrow, and shame, Ezr 9:5-15.
1-15
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
繁體中文
以斯拉的改革（主前四五六年）
¹ 這事做完了，眾首領來見我，說：以色列民和祭司並利未人沒有離絕迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、亞捫人、摩押人、埃及人、亞摩利人，仍效法這些國的民，行可憎的事。
² 因他們為自己和兒子娶了這些外邦女子為妻，以致聖潔的種類和列國的民混雜；而且首領和官長在這事上為罪魁。
³ 我一聽見這事，就撕裂衣服和外袍，拔了頭髮和鬍鬚，驚懼而坐。
⁴ 凡為以色列神言語戰兢的，都因這被擄歸回之人的罪過，聚集到我這裏來；我就驚懼而坐，直到獻晚祭的時候。
以斯拉如同巴拿巴來到耶路撒冷、看見神賜給那裏弟兄的恩時一樣，無疑是歡喜的，又勸勉眾人，要他們立定心志，恆久靠主，徒 11:23。他沒有看見甚麼不妥（許多敗壞隱藏在最警醒的治理者的視線之外）；但這裏給他的喜樂潑了一盆冷水：有人告訴他，百姓中有許多人，甚至一些首領，娶了外邦女子為妻，與陌生人結了親。請注意，
I. 他們所犯的罪是甚麼：就是與那地的民混雜（Ezr 9:2），在貿易和交往上與他們來往，與他們熟絡，並且為了完全的聯姻，把他們的女兒娶來給自己的兒子為妻。我們情願相信他們沒有敬拜他們的神明，而是被擄已治好了他們的偶像崇拜：經上確實說他們效法這些國的民，行可憎的事；但那（帕特里克主教說）在此不過是指效法外邦人，與任何國族的人隨意通婚，這事漸漸會引導他們歸向偶像崇拜。在此，1. 他們違背了神明確的命令，這命令禁止他們與外邦人一切親密的來往，尤其在婚姻的事上，申 7:3。2. 他們褻瀆了自己特選身分的冠冕，把自己置於與那些神曾以獨特的恩寵——不論往昔還是最近——使他們高升的人同等的地步。3. 他們不信神有能力保護和提拔他們，反而受血氣策略的引導，指望藉著這些聯姻來鞏固自己的勢力，在鄰舍中間建立利益。對神全足全豐的實際不信，是一切我們為自救而作出的可憐權宜之計的根源。4. 他們使自己，更使他們的兒女，陷於偶像崇拜的危險——正是這罪，正是藉著這條途徑引進的罪，曾經毀滅了他們的教會和國家。
II. 犯這罪的是哪些人，不僅是以色列民中一些不加思索、不知輕重的人，還有許多祭司和利未人——他們的職分就是教導律法，這條律法也包括在內；並且因為他們地位高於一般以色列人，在他們身上這罪就更嚴重。那支派的人與別支派通婚已是貶損，他們很少如此行，除非是與王族支派通婚；但他們與外邦人——迦南人、赫人，以及其他我不知道的人——通婚，是如此的一種屈辱，若他們還有知覺——不說本分，單說體面——就該永不犯這罪。然而這還不是最糟的：首領和官長的手——他們本該以自己的權柄來阻止或改革這嚴重的過犯——在這罪過上為罪魁。首領若陷入罪中，就要被控為罪魁，因為他們的榜樣對別人的影響。將有許多人隨從他們邪淫的行為。但一個百姓的領袖若敗壞他們、使他們走迷了路，那百姓的景況就悲慘了。
III. 關於這事向以斯拉所作的報告。這報告是由最適合控告的人——眾首領——作出的，就是那些持守了自己正直、因而也持守了自己尊嚴的人；他們自己若不無可指責，就不能控告別人。這報告是交給那有權柄處理此事的人——他作為通達神律法的文士，能與他們辯論，又作為王的欽差，能震懾他們。大概這些首領曾屢次設法補救這弊端而不能；如今他們轉向以斯拉，指望他的智慧、權柄和影響力能奏效。那些自己不能改革公共弊端的人，仍可藉著向那些能改革的人提供信息而作出有益的服事。
IV. 這事給以斯拉留下的印象（Ezr 9:3）：他撕裂衣服，拔了頭髮，驚懼而坐。他如此表達他對以下各事的深刻感受：1. 對神因此所受的羞辱。想到一個稱為神名下的百姓竟如此公然違背他的律法，如此少因他的責罰而得益，對他的恩惠作出如此敗壞的回報，他就痛心疾首。2. 對百姓由此對自己造成的損害，以及他們所處的神怒氣發作的危險。請注意，(1.) 別人的罪當成為我們的憂傷；他們對神的尊榮和人的靈魂所造成的傷害，是我們當放在心上的。(2.) 為罪而有的憂愁必須是大憂愁；以斯拉的憂愁就是如此，如同為獨生子或長子。(3.) 信徒聲名狼藉的罪，是我們理當驚奇的。我們可能站著驚訝，看見人如此與自己矛盾、貶損自己、損害自己、毀滅自己。奇妙啊，人竟如此不加思索地行事，與自己如此不一致！正直人對此深感驚奇。
V. 以斯拉為此而有的憂愁對別人的影響。我們可以設想他上到耶和華的殿，在那裏自卑，因為他在憂愁中仰望神，而那裏是平息他怒氣的適當之處。這事很快引起了公眾的注意，一切在場的敬虔認真的人都聚集到他這裏來，看來是出於自願，因為沒有記載說他們是被差遣來的，Ezr 9:4。請注意，1. 好人的特徵就是因神的話而戰兢；他們敬畏其誡命的權威和其警告的嚴厲與公義；對如此行的人，神必看顧，賽 66:2。2. 那些因神的話而戰兢的人，不能不因人的罪而戰兢——因為人的罪破壞了神的律法，招致了他的忿怒和咒詛。3. 一個人對罪的敬虔熱心，或許會激發許多人也如此行，正如使徒在別的事上所說的，林後 9:2。許多人會跟從，他們自己沒有足夠的深思、才幹和勇氣去領導一項善工。4. 一切好人都當承認那些為神的事業、對抗罪惡和褻瀆而興起行動的人，站在他們一邊，盡力堅固他們的手。
⁵ 獻晚祭的時候，我從憂愁中起來；我撕裂了衣服和外袍，雙膝跪下，向耶和華我的神舉手，說：
⁶ 我的神啊，我抱愧蒙羞，不敢向我神仰面；因為我們的罪孽滅頂，我們的罪過達到天上。
⁷ 從我們列祖的日子直到今日，我們罪惡甚重；因我們的罪孽，我們和君王、祭司都交在列王的手中，被刀殺、被擄掠、被搶奪，面貌蒙羞，正如今日的光景。
⁸ 現在耶和華我們的神暫且施恩與我們，給我們留下些逃脫的人，使我們在他聖所的地方有釘子，使我們的神光照我們的眼目，使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。
⁹ 我們原是奴僕；然而在我們受轄制之中，我們的神並沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們神的殿，修起毀壞之處，在猶大和耶路撒冷有城牆。
¹⁰ 我們的神啊，既是這樣，我們還有甚麼話可說呢？因為我們已經離棄你的命令，
¹¹ 就是你藉你僕人眾先知所吩咐的，說：你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地，因為那地居民的污穢，他們可憎的事，使遍地滿了污穢，從這邊到那邊。
¹² 所以不可將你們的女兒嫁給他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒，永不可求他們的平安和他們的利益，這樣你們就可以強盛，吃那地的美物，並留給你們的子孫永遠為業。
¹³ 神啊，我們因自己的惡行和重大的罪過，遭遇了這一切的事，你卻刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的，又給我們留下這樣逃脫的人；
¹⁴ 我們豈可再違背你的命令，與這行可憎之事的民結親呢？若這樣行，你豈不向我們發怒，直到將我們滅絕，使沒有殘留、沒有逃脫的人嗎？
¹⁵ 耶和華以色列的神啊，因你是公義的，我們這剩下的人才得以逃脫，正如今日的光景。看哪，我們在你面前有罪過，因此我們在你面前不能站立。
以斯拉驚懼而坐了幾個小時，他心中所想的，我們可以從他終於開口用舌頭說話時所說的話來推測；他在此際向天上所作的懇求極其動人。請注意，
I. 他作這懇求的時候——獻晚祭的時候，Ezr 9:5。那時（大概）敬虔的人慣常來到聖殿的院中，為獻祭的莊嚴增色，並與之一同向神獻上自己的禱告。以斯拉選擇在他們聽見之時作這認罪，好叫他們對自己百姓的罪有正當的感受——這些罪他們迄今或許未曾留意，或未曾看重。禱告也能講道。那祭物，尤其是晚祭，是那偉大挽回祭的預表——就是那神的羔羊，在世界的末時要藉著獻上自己來除去世人的罪；我們可以設想以斯拉在這悔改的懇求中是以信心仰望它的；他作認罪時，手彷彿按在那大祭物的頭上，藉此我們得著了挽回。以斯拉必然熟知加百列天使幾年前在獻晚祭的時候向但以理所傳的信息——那信息彷彿是對晚祭的解釋——論到彌賽亞君（但 9:21,24）；或許他選擇這時辰也正是為此。
II. 他為這懇求所作的預備。1. 他從憂愁中起來，如此擺脫憂愁的重擔——至少是向神舉起心來所必需的那種擺脫。他從驚懼中恢復過來，使他那煩擾的心靈多少平靜下來，心靈安定下來與神交通。2. 他雙膝跪下，擺出自卑悔罪者和懇求憐憫者的姿勢——在兩方面都代表了他如今為之代求的百姓。3. 他舉起雙手，如同被自己將要說的話所感動，將之獻給神，等候並伸出，彷彿熱切期望領受恩惠的答覆。在此他以神為主，又以他為自己的神——是大能的神，也是恩典的神。
III. 懇求本身。嚴格說來不能稱為禱告，因為其中沒有一字祈求；但若給禱告以廣義，它就是向神獻上敬虔而熱誠的情感，而以斯拉在此所表達的情感實在十分敬虔、十分熱誠。他的話是悔改的認罪——不是他自己的罪（不是出於被自己的罪所壓的良心和對自己危險的擔憂），而是他百姓的罪，是出於對神榮耀和以色列福祉的敬虔關懷。這裏有一幅真誠悔改的生動圖畫。請在這懇求中注意，
1. 他對罪及其加重情節所作的認罪，他堅持這一點，為要感動自己和與他同來之人的心，以聖潔的憂愁、羞愧和恐懼來思想它，好叫他們為之深深自卑。值得注意的是，雖然他自己完全無分於這罪，卻把自己列入罪人之中，因為他是同一團體的成員——我們的罪孽、我們的罪過。或許他如今以此自責，作為自己的過失：他在弟兄之後還在巴比倫停留了如此之久，又沒有及早從那地的民中分別出來。當我們哀嘆惡人的邪惡時，若好好反省自己，讓自己的良心忠實地對付我們，我們或許會發現一些同類性質的事，雖然程度較輕，也是我們自己曾犯過的。無論如何，他所說的是那本當成為、或應當成為的全體百姓的共同哀嘆。
(1.) 他承認他們的罪極大：「我們的罪孽滅頂（Ezr 9:6）；我們要在其中滅亡，如同在深水中」——罪如此普遍地氾濫，其勢力如此猛烈，其後果如此危險。「罪孽在我們當中已經長到如此高度，直達天上——如此無恥，竟敢頂撞上天；如此惹動怒氣，如同所多瑪的罪一樣，向天呼叫報復。」但讓這成為真悔改者的安慰：雖然他們的罪達到天上，神的憐憫卻在諸天之上，詩 36:5。罪在哪裏顯多，恩典就更顯多了。
(2.) 他們的罪已經堅持了很久（Ezr 9:7）：從我們列祖的日子直到今日，我們罪惡甚重。他認為前人的榜樣絲毫不能成為他們過犯的藉口，反倒加重了它。「我們本該引以為戒，不在同樣的石頭上絆腳。這敗壞更加糟糕，因為它已根深蒂固，開始以慣例自辯；但如此一來，我們更有理由擔心罪惡的量度快要滿了。」
(3.) 神因他們的罪而降在他們身上的大而可畏的審判，大大加重了那些罪：「因我們的罪孽，我們交在列王的手中，被刀殺、被擄掠（Ezr 9:7），卻仍未改悔，仍未歸正——在臼中搗碎，愚妄仍不離去（箴 27:22）——受了責罰，卻未被挽回。」
(4.) 神最近賜給他們的恩惠，也同樣大大加重了他們的罪。這一點他大加論述，Ezr 9:8,9。請注意，[1.] 恩惠的時間：現在暫且，即「我們得自由不過是片刻之前，而且看來不會長久。」這大大加重了他們的罪——他們如此近才從火爐中出來，又不知何時會再被投回去；他們竟還能安穩嗎？[2.] 恩惠的源頭：耶和華向我們施了恩。波斯諸王是他們得釋放的工具；但他把這歸於神和他的恩典——他白白的恩典，毫無他們的功勞。[3.] 恩惠的諸般表現——他們在受轄制之中並沒有被丟棄，即使在巴比倫也有神同在的憑據——有以色列人作為餘民留下，少數脫離多數，又是從仇敵手中狹險逃脫的，乃是因波斯諸王的恩寵——尤其是他們在他聖所的地方有釘子，即（如Ezr 9:9所解釋的）他們重建了神的殿。他們的宗教得以安定，聖殿的事奉也按常規進行。我們當算為極大的安慰和益處，就是有敬拜神的固定機會。住在神殿中的便為有福，如同亞拿那樣不離開聖殿。這是我永遠安息之處，那蒙恩的靈魂如此說。[4.] 這一切所產生的果效。它光照了他們的眼目，甦醒了他們的心；就是說，這對他們十分安慰，而且因為是在受轄制之中，就更覺甘甜：這對他們如同死而復活。雖然只是稍微復興，卻是大恩，因為他們本不配得，而且這微小的日子是大恩的憑據。「如今，」以斯拉說，「我們竟得罪如此恩待我們的神，何等忘恩！竟與那些我們在奇妙的恩惠中得蒙拯救脫離的列國在罪中混雜，何等不誠實！當我們正處於他恩惠的歸回之中，又正為它的延續而處於謹慎自守之時，竟將自己暴露在他的不悅之下，何等不智！」
(5.) 這罪是違背明確的命令，這是它的一大加重情節：我們已經離棄你的命令，Ezr 9:10。不與未受割禮的家族通婚，看來是雅各家一條古訓，創 34:14。但除此之外，神已嚴嚴禁止了。他引述這命令，Ezr 9:11,12。因為當我們把罪與被它違背的律法相比照時，罪就顯為罪，顯為極其罪惡。再沒有比這更明確的了：不可將你們的女兒嫁給他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒。所給的理由是：他們若與那些國族混雜，就會玷污自己。那是不潔之地，而他們是聖潔的子民；他們若與他們保持分別，就會成為他們的尊榮和安全，並使他們的昌盛長久。如今違背如此明確、有如此理由支持、且為他們體制根本法律的命令，對天上的神極其惹動怒氣。
(6.) 他們既已為自己的罪受了審判的苦，神卻刑罰他們輕於他們罪所當得的，所以他把這看作他們在舊帳上仍負著債。「甚麼！我們還要再欠新債嗎？神在責罰我們時如此溫和，我們竟要如此濫用他的恩惠，把他的恩典變為放縱嗎？」神在他的恩典和憐憫中曾論到錫安的被擄說：她從耶和華的手中加倍受罰，為她的一切罪（賽 40:2）；但以斯拉在他們罪中極大惡性的悔罪感受中，承認雖然刑罰甚重，卻輕於他們所當受的。
2. 他在作這認罪時心中運行的敬虔情感。論到罪時，
(1.) 他說話如同極其慚愧的人。他以此開頭（Ezr 9:6）：我的神啊！我抱愧蒙羞，我的神啊！（話如此排列）不敢向你仰面。請注意，[1.] 罪是可恥的事；我們的始祖一吃了禁果，就為自己感到羞愧。[2.] 聖潔的羞愧，在真誠無偽的悔改中，與聖潔的憂愁同樣是必要的成分。[3.] 別人的罪當成為我們的羞愧；我們當為那些不以自己為恥的人臉紅。我們與那些如此忘恩於神、如此對自己不智的人有任何關聯，理當感到羞愧。這就是表明自己清白，林後 7:11。[4.] 悔罪的罪人，最該臉紅慚愧的時候，莫過於來到神面前向他仰面之時。對自己所損傷的自身尊嚴的自然知覺，會使我們作了錯事之後不敢正視人的臉面；但對神尊嚴的敬虔關懷，會使我們更不敢正視他的臉面。稅吏進殿禱告時，比從前更垂著頭，如同一個羞愧的人，路 18:13。[5.] 以神為我們的神，在操練悔改上對我們大有幫助。以斯拉開始說：*我的神啊！*又在同一口氣中再說：*我的神。*想到我們與神之間那作為我們神的盟約關係，能幫助我們謙卑，為罪破碎我們的心——因為我們既違背了他對我們的誡命，也違背了我們對他的應許；它也能鼓勵我們在悔改時盼望赦免。「他是我的神，儘管如此」——盟約中每一次的過犯，並不把我們逐出盟約之外。
(2.) 他說話如同極其驚愕的人（Ezr 9:10）：我們還有甚麼話可說呢？至於我，我不知道說甚麼好；若神不幫助我們，我們就完了。罪咎的發現引起驚愕：我們越思想罪，罪就越顯得可怕。這案件的艱難引起驚愕：我們怎能恢復自己？我們怎能與神和好？[1.] 真悔改者不知道當說甚麼。我們要說我們沒有犯罪嗎？或說神必不究問嗎？若如此，我們就是自欺，真理就不在我們心裏了。我們要說：請寬容我們，我們必盡數償還，用千千的公羊，或我們的長子為我們贖罪嗎？神不能如此被戲弄：他知道我們是無力還債的。我們要說沒有指望了，任憑甚麼臨到我們吧嗎？那不過是使壞的更壞。[2.] 真悔改者會思考當說甚麼，也當如以斯拉那樣，求神指教他們。我們還有甚麼話可說呢？要說：「我犯了罪；我作了愚昧事；神啊，開恩可憐我這個罪人」；以及諸如此類的話。見何 14:2。
(3.) 他說話如同極其恐懼的人，Ezr 9:13,14。「在這一切為要挽回我們脫離罪而臨到我們的審判之後，在這一切為要使我們歸向神和本分而為我們成就的拯救之後，我們若再違背神的命令，與悖逆之子結親，學習他們的道，我們還能期望甚麼呢？豈不是神要向我們發怒，直到將我們滅絕，連一個餘民也不留，連一個逃脫那毀滅的也沒有嗎？」對任何百姓而言，再沒有比在大審判和大拯救之後又重新退回到罪中——退回到同樣的罪中——更確切、更可悲的毀滅預兆了。那些既不被這一個也不被那一個所感化的人，就該被棄絕，如同被棄的銀子，因為煉而又煉，仍是徒然。
(4.) 他說話如同對神的公義大有確信、並決意順服其中、將這事交託給那照真理判斷的主的人（Ezr 9:15）：你是公義的——有智慧、公正、良善；你既不會虧待我們，也不會對我們苛刻；因此我們在你面前，我們伏在你腳前，等候我們的判決；我們在你面前不能站立——不能堅持自己有任何的義，沒有辯護可支持我們或為我們開脫，所以我們在自己的罪過中俯伏在你面前，把自己投在你的憐憫上。你看怎樣好，就怎樣待我們吧，士 10:15。我們無話可說，也無事可作，只能向我們的審判官懇求，伯 9:15。這好人就是如此把自己的憂傷擺在神面前，然後把它交託給他。
Original em inglês
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
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.
Ezra, like Barnabas when he came to Jerusalem and saw the grace of God to his brethren there, no doubt was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Ac 11:23. He saw nothing amiss (many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most vigilant rulers); but here is a damp upon his joys: information is brought him that many of the people, yea, and some of the rulers, had married wives out of heathen families, and joined themselves in affinity with strangers. Observe,
I. What the sin was that they were guilty of: it was mingling with the people of those lands (Ezr 9:2), associating with them both in trade and in conversation, making themselves familiar with them, and, to complete the affinity, taking their daughters in marriages to their sons. We are willing to hope that they did not worship their gods, but that their captivity had cured them of their idolatry: it is said indeed that they did according to their abominations; but that (says bishop Patrick) signifies here only the imitation of the heathen in promiscuous marriages with any nation whatsoever, which by degrees would lead them to idolatry. Herein, 1. They disobeyed the express command of God, which forbade all intimacy with the heathen, and particularly in matrimonial contracts, De 7:3. 2. They profaned the crown of their peculiarity, and set themselves upon a level with those above whom God had by singular marks of his favour, of late as well as formerly, dignified them. 3. They distrusted the power of God to protect and advance them, and were led by carnal policy, hoping to strengthen themselves and make an interest among their neighbours by these alliances. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all the sorry shifts we make to help ourselves. 4. They exposed themselves, and much more their children, to the peril of idolatry, the very sin, and introduced by this very way, that had once been the ruin of their church and nation.
II. Who were the persons that were guilty of this sin, not only some of the unthinking people of Israel, that knew no better, but many of the priests and Levites, whose office it was to teach the law, and this law among the rest, and in whom, by reason of their elevation above common Israelites, it was a greater crime. It was a diminution to the sons of that tribe to match into any other tribe, and they seldom did except into the royal tribe; but for them to match with heathen, with Canaanites, and Hittites, and I know not whom, was such a disparagement as, if they had had any sense, though not of duty, yet of honour, one would think, they would never have been guilty of. Yet this was not the worst: The hand of the princes and rulers, who by their power should have prevented or reformed this high misdemeanour, was chief in this trespass. If princes be in a trespass, they will be charged as chief in it, because of the influence their examples will have upon others. Many will follow their pernicious ways. But miserable is the case of that people whose leaders debauch them and cause them to err.
III. The information that was given of this to Ezra. It was given by the persons that were most proper to complain, the princes, those of them that had kept their integrity and with it their dignity; they could not have accused others if they themselves had not been free from blame. It was given to the person who had power to mend the matter, who, as a ready scribe in the law of God, could argue with them, and, as king's commissioner, could awe them. It is probable that these princes had often endeavoured to redress this grievance and could not; but now they applied to Ezra, hoping that his wisdom, authority, and interest, would prevail to do it. Those that cannot of themselves reform public abuses may yet do good service by giving information to those that can.
IV. The impression this made upon Ezra (Ezr 9:3): He rent his clothes, plucked off his hair, and sat down astonished. Thus he expressed the deep sense he had, 1. Of the dishonour hereby done to God. It grieved him to the heart to think that a people called by his name should so grossly violate his law, should be so little benefited by his correction, and make such bad returns for his favours. 2. Of the mischief the people had hereby done to themselves and the danger they were in of the wrath of God breaking out against them. Note, (1.) The sins of others should be our sorrow, and the injury done by them to God's honour and the souls of men is what we should lay to heart. (2.) Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow; such Ezra's was, as for an only son or a first-born. (3.) The scandalous sins of professors are what we have reason to be astonished at. We may stand amazed to see men contradict, disparage, prejudice, ruin, themselves. Strange that men should act so inconsiderately and so inconsistently with themselves! Upright men are astonished at it.
V. The influence which Ezra's grief for this had upon others. We may suppose that he went up to the house of the Lord, there to humble himself, because he had an eye to God in his grief and that was the proper place for deprecating his displeasure. Public notice was soon taken of it, and all the devout serious people that were at hand assembled themselves to him, it should seem of their own accord, for nothing is said of their being sent, to, Ezr 9:4. Note, 1. It is the character of good people that they tremble at God's word; they stand in awe of the authority of its precepts and the severity and justice of its threatenings, and to those that do so will God look, Isa 66:2. 2. Those that tremble at the word of God cannot but tremble at the sins of men, by which the law of God is broken and his wrath and curse are incurred. 3. The pious zeal of one against sin may perhaps provoke very many to the like, as the apostle speaks in another case, 2Co 9:2. Many will follow who have not consideration, talent, and courage, enough to lead in a good work. 4. All good people ought to own those that appear and act in the cause of God against vice and profaneness, to stand by them, and do what they can to strengthen their hands.
⁵ 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,
⁶ And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
⁷ Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
⁸ And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
⁹ For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
¹⁰ And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
¹¹ Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
¹² Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
¹³ And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
¹⁴ Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
¹⁵ O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
What the meditations of Ezra's heart were, while for some hours he sat down astonished, we may guess by the words of his mouth when at length he spoke with his tongue; and a most pathetic address he here makes to Heaven upon this occasion. Observe,
I. The time when he made this address—at the evening sacrifice, Ezr 9:5. Then (it is likely) devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, to grace the solemnity of the sacrifice and to offer up their own prayers to God in concurrence with it. In their hearing Ezra chose to make this confession, that they might be made duly sensible of the sins of their people, which hitherto they had either not taken notice of or had made light of. Prayer may preach. The sacrifice, and especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the great propitiation, that blessed Lamb of God which in the evening of the world was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to which we may suppose Ezra had an eye of faith in this penitential address to God; he makes confession with his hand, as it were, upon the head of that great sacrifice, through which we receive the atonement. Certainly Ezra was no stranger to the message which the angel Gabriel had some years ago delivered to Daniel, at the time of the evening sacrifice, and as it were in explication of it, concerning Messiah the Prince (Da 9:21,24); and perhaps he had regard to that in choosing this time.
II. His preparation for this address. 1. He rose up from his heaviness, and so far shook off the burden of his grief as was necessary to the lifting up of his heart to God. He recovered from his astonishment, got the tumult of his troubled spirits somewhat stilled and his spirit composed for communion with God. 2. He fell upon his knees, put himself into the posture of a penitent humbling himself and a petitioner suing for mercy, in both representing the people for whom he was now an intercessor. 3. He spread out his hands, as one affected with what he was going to say, offering it up unto God, waiting, and reaching out, as it were, with an earnest expectation, to receive a gracious answer. In this he had an eye to God as the Lord, and as his God, a God of power, but a God of grace.
III. The address itself. It is not properly to be called a prayer, for there is not a word of petition in it; but, if we give prayer its full latitude, it is the offering up of pious and devout affections to God, and very devout, very pious, are the affections which Ezra here expresses. His address is a penitent confession of sin, not his own (from a conscience burdened with its own guilt and apprehensive of his own danger), but the sin of his people, from a gracious concern for the honour of God and the welfare of Israel. Here is a lively picture of ingenuous repentance. Observe in this address,
1. The confession he makes of the sin and the aggravations of it, which he insists upon, to affect his own heart and theirs that joined with him with holy sorrow and shame and fear, in the consideration of it, that they might be deeply humbled for it. And it is observable that, though he himself was wholly clear from this guilt, yet he puts himself into the number of the sinners, because he was a member of the same community—our sins and our trespass. Perhaps he now remembered it against himself, as his fault, that he had staid so long after his brethren in Babylon, and had not separated himself so soon as he might have done from the people of those lands. When we are lamenting the wickedness of the wicked, it may be, if we duly reflect upon ourselves and give our own hearts leave to deal faithfully with us, we may find something of the same nature, though in a lower degree, that we also have been guilty of. However, he speaks that which was, or should have been, the general complaint.
(1.) He owns their sins to have been very great: "Our iniquities are increased over our heads (Ezr 9:6); we are ready to perish in them as in deep waters;" so general was the prevalency of them, so violent the power of them, and so threatening were they of the most pernicious consequences. "Iniquity has grown up to such a height among us that it reaches to the heavens, so very impudent that it dares heaven, so very provoking that, like the sin of Sodom, it cries to heaven for vengeance." But let this be the comfort of true penitents that though their sins reach to the heavens God's mercy is in the heavens, Ps 36:5. Where sin abounds grace will much more abound.
(2.) Their sin had been long persisted in (Ezr 9:7): Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass. The example of those that had gone before them he thought so far from excusing their fault that it aggravated it. "We should have taken warning not to stumble at the same stone. The corruption is so much the worse that it has taken deep root and begins to plead prescription, but by this means we have reason to fear that the measure of the iniquity is nearly full."
(3.) The great and sore judgments which God had brought upon them for their sins did very much aggravate them: "For our iniquities we have been delivered to the sword and to captivity (Ezr 9:7), and yet not reformed, yet not reclaimed—brayed in the mortar, and yet the folly not gone (Pr 27:22)—corrected, but not reclaimed."
(4.) The late mercies God had bestowed upon them did likewise very much aggravate their sins. This he insists largely upon, Ezr 9:8,9. Observe, [1.] The time of mercy: Now for a little space, that is, "It is but a little while since we had our liberty, and it is not likely to continue long." This greatly aggravated their sin, that they were so lately in the furnace and that they knew not how soon they might return to it again; and could they yet be secure? [2.] The fountain of mercy: Grace has been shown us from the Lord. The kings of Persia were the instruments of their enlargement; but he ascribes it to God and to his grace, his free grace, without any merit of theirs. [3.] The streams of mercy,—that they were not forsaken in their bondage, but even in Babylon had the tokens of God's presence,—that they were a remnant of Israelites left, a few out of many, and those narrowly escaped out of the hands of their enemies, by the favour of the kings of Persia,—and especially that they had a nail in his holy place, that is (as it is explained, Ezr 9:9), that they had set up the house of God. They had their religion settled and the service of the temple in a constant method. We are to reckon it a great comfort and advantage to have stated opportunities of worshipping God. Blessed are those that dwell in God's house, like Anna that departed not from the temple. This is my rest for ever, says the gracious soul. [4.] The effects of all this. It enlightened their eyes, and it revived their hearts; that is, it was very comfortable to them, and the more sensibly so because it was in their bondage: it was life from the dead to them. Though but a little reviving, it was a great favour, considering that they deserved none and the day of small things was an earnest of greater. "Now," says Ezra, "how ungrateful are we to offend a God that has been so kind to us! how disingenuous to mingle in sin with those nations from whom we have been, in wonderful mercy, delivered! how unwise to expose ourselves to God's displeasure when we are tried with the returns of his favour and are upon our good behaviour for the continuance of it!"
(5.) It was a great aggravation of the sin that it was against an express command: We have forsaken thy commandments, Ezr 9:10. It seems to have been an ancient law of the house of Jacob not to match with the families of the uncircumcised, Ge 34:14. But, besides that, God had strictly forbidden it. He recites the command, Ezr 9:11,12. For sin appears sin, appears exceedingly sinful, when we compare it with the law which is broken by it. Nothing could be more express: Give not your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons. The reason given is because, if they mingled with those nations, they would pollute themselves. It was an unclean land, and they were a holy people; but if they kept themselves distinct from them it would be their honour and safety, and the perpetuating of their prosperity. Now to violate a command so express, backed with such reasons, and a fundamental law of their constitution, was very provoking to the God of heaven.
(6.) That in the judgments by which they had already smarted for their sins God had punished them less than their iniquities deserved, so that he looked upon them to be still in debt upon the old account. "What! and yet shall we run up a new score? Has God dealt so gently with us in correcting us, and shall we thus abuse his favour and turn his grace into wantonness?" God, in his grace and mercy, had said concerning Sion's captivity, She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins (Isa 40:2); but Ezra, in a penitential sense of the great malignity that was in their sin, acknowledged that, though the punishment was very great, it was less than they deserved.
2. The devout affections that were working in him, in making this confession. Speaking of sin,
(1.) He speaks as one much ashamed. With this he begins (Ezr 9:6), O my God! I am ashamed and blush, O my God! (so the words are placed) to lift up my face unto thee. Note, [1.] Sin is a shameful thing; as soon as ever our first parents had eaten forbidden fruit they were ashamed of themselves. [2.] Holy shame is as necessary an ingredient in true and ingenuous repentance as holy sorrow. [3.] The sins of others should be our shame, and we should blush for those who do not blush for themselves. We may well be ashamed that we are any thing akin to those who are so ungrateful to God and unwise for themselves. This is clearing ourselves, 2Co 7:11. [4.] Penitent sinners never see so much reason to blush and be ashamed as when they come to lift up their faces before God. A natural sense of our own honour which we have injured will make us ashamed, when we have done a wrong thing, to look men in the face; but a gracious concern for God's honour will make us much more ashamed to look him in the face. The publican, when he went to the temple to pray, hung down his head more than ever, as one ashamed, Lu 18:13. [5.] An eye to God as our God will be of great use to us in the exercise of repentance. Ezra begins, O my God! and again in the same breath, My God. The consideration of our covenant-relation to God as ours will help to humble us, and break our hearts for sin, that we should violate both his precepts to us and our promises to him; it will also encourage us to hope for pardon upon repentance. "He is my God, notwithstanding this;" and every transgression in the covenant does not throw us out of covenant.
(2.) He speaks as one much amazed (Ezr 9:10) "What shall we say after this? For my part I know not what to say: if God do not help us, we are undone." The discoveries of guilt excite amazement: the more we think of sin the worse it looks. The difficulty of the case excites amazement. How shall we recover ourselves? Which way shall we make our peace with God? [1.] True penitents are at a loss what to say. Shall we say, We have not sinned, or, God will not require it? If we do, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Shall we say, Have patience with us and we will pay thee all, with thousands of rams, or our first-born for our transgression? God will not thus be mocked: he knows we are insolvent. Shall we say, There is no hope, and let come on us what will? That is but to make bad worse. [2.] True penitents will consider what to say, and should, as Ezra, beg of God to teach them. What shall we say? Say, "I have sinned; I have done foolishly; God be merciful to me a sinner;" and the like. See Ho 14:2.
(3.) He speaks as one much afraid, Ezr 9:13,14. "After all the judgments that have come upon us to reclaim us from sin, and all the deliverances that have been wrought for us to engage us to God and duty, if we should again break God's commandments, by joining in affinity with the children of disobedience and learning their ways, what else could we expect but that God should be angry with us till he had consumed us, and there should not be so much as a remnant left, nor any to escape the destruction?" There is not a surer nor sadder presage of ruin to any people than revolting to sin, to the same sins again, after great judgments and great deliverances. Those that will be wrought upon neither by the one nor by the other are fit to be rejected, as reprobate silver, for the founder melteth in vain.
(4.) He speaks as one much assured of the righteousness of God, and resolved to acquiesce in that and to leave the matter with him whose judgment is according to truth (Ezr 9:15): "Thou art righteous, wise, just, and good; thou wilt neither do us wrong nor be hard upon us; and therefore behold we are before thee, we lie at thy feet, waiting our doom; we cannot stand before thee, insisting upon any righteousness of our own, having no plea to support us or bring us off, and therefore we fall down before thee, in our trespass, and cast ourselves on thy mercy. Do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, Jdg 10:15. We have nothing to say, nothing to do, but to make supplication to our Judge," Job 9:15. Thus does this good man lay his grief before God and then leave it with him.
本章給了我們關於以斯拉前往耶路撒冷旅程的更詳細記述——我們在前一章曾有過概括的說明。I. 與他同行的同伴，Ezr 8:1-20。II. 他與同行之人所守的莊嚴禁食——為在這次旅程中懇求神與他們同在，Ezr 8:21-23。III. 他對所攜財物的留心，以及他對受託保管之祭司所給的吩咐，Ezr 8:24-30。IV. 神在路上對他和他的同伴的看顧，Ezr 8:31。V. 他們平安抵達耶路撒冷——在那裏他們將財物交給祭司（Ezr 8:32-34），將諭旨交給王的省長們（Ezr 8:36），向神獻祭（Ezr 8:35），然後著手他們的事務。