Introduction
‘After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, ‘The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighbouring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.’ When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.’ Ezra 9:1-4
Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage
In this chapter, we read about a problem with intermarriage, where we find that some Jews had married Gentile women, Exodus 34:11-16 / Deuteronomy 7:1-4. It’s possible there was no copy of the law in Judah, hence they acted in ignorance because they didn’t know any better.
Part of Ezra’s ministry was to teach the law to God’s people, especially to those who didn’t know it, Ezra 7:25. After hearing God’s law concerning intermarriage with Gentiles, and learning that their practice was detestable to God, they were convicted in their hearts.
They now understood that marrying Gentiles would lead to a loss of identity as God’s chosen people. It was Israel as a nation that God would fulfil His promise to Abraham concerning the Messiah, Genesis 12:1-3.
The list of names here was the seven of the Canaanite nations mentioned in the law, Exodus 3:8 / Exodus 23:23 / Deuteronomy 7:1-26, five of whom are mentioned here. The Ammonites, Moabites and Egyptians are here mentioned in addition to five of the seven Canaanite races.
The injunction against marriages with all of these groups, under existing circumstances, was absolutely necessary. Some Jews had married the Gentiles of the land, but by doing so, they were risking their faith and God’s plans for them.
We all know the dangers of being married to someone who isn’t a part of our faith, this was one of the downfalls of Solomon, 1 Kings 11:1-8.
Ezra obviously saw this happening all over again even before he arrived in Jerusalem. Because they were marrying people from other Gentile nations, there was a real danger that they would be led away from God and commit idolatry again.
Notice Ezra’s reaction to the bad news, he now only tore his tunic and cloak, he also pulled hairs from his beard and head, Job 1:20 / Ezekiel 7:18. He was deeply grieved by what had happened.
Notice also that Ezra’s appeal was both moral and religious, Ezra could have ordered the needed reforms and enforced them even with the death penalty, Ezra 7:26, but he chose the better way, Deuteronomy 23:7.
‘Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed: ‘I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. ‘But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. ‘But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ ‘What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.’ Ezra 9:5-15
The ‘evening sacrifice’ took place about 3:00 pm, Exodus 12:6 / Acts 3:1. Ezra was so deeply moved that he rose from his self-abasement, fell to his knees and prayed to God, 1 Kings 8:54 / Psalm 95:6 / Daniel 6:10 / Matthew 17:14.
His prayer is one of humbleness, as he confesses the people’s sins, and is aware of how Israel has relied on God’s grace in times past. Because his people married foreign wives, Ezra knows that they were testing God’s grace again and they needed God’s mercy.
Ezra’s prayer is deeply moving, he can’t even bring himself to look up to God because their sin and guilt have reached the heavens, Nehemiah 9:29-35 / Daniel 9:5-8. When Israel returned from Babylon, they appear to have a new attitude toward God and sin.
Ezra offers no excuses and not even an explanation because he knew their conduct was indefensible and disobedient to what God commanded by His servants the prophets. Ezra also wisely appealed to God’s righteousness, especially in leaving a remnant in fulfilment of His prior promises, 2 Chronicles 30:6 / Isaiah 10:20-22.
If the Jews wanted God’s mercy and grace, they were going to have to amend the problem of intermarriage.
