Ezra 10:1

KJV

¶ Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

KJV (with Strong's)

Now when Ezra {H5830} had prayed {H6419}, and when he had confessed {H3034}, weeping {H1058} and casting himself down {H5307} before {H6440} the house {H1004} of God {H430}, there assembled {H6908} unto him out of Israel {H3478} a very {H3966} great {H7227} congregation {H6951} of men {H582} and women {H802} and children {H3206}: for the people {H5971} wept {H1058} very {H7235} sore {H1059}.

Complete Jewish Bible

While 'Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrated before the house of God, a huge crowd of Isra'el's men, women and children gathered around him; and the people were weeping bitterly.

Berean Standard Bible

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

American Standard Version

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 10:1 marks a pivotal moment of national repentance in post-exilic Israel, immediately following Ezra's fervent prayer of confession. Witnessing Ezra's profound sorrow and prostrate posture before the rebuilt Temple, a vast congregation of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered, mirroring his deep anguish with their own collective weeping, signaling a profound and widespread conviction of sin that set the stage for a dramatic covenant renewal.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezra 10:1 serves as the direct and immediate consequence of Ezra's passionate intercessory prayer and confession detailed in [Ezra 9:6-15](/ezra/9-6 "Ezra 9:6-15 - Ezra's Prayer of Confession"). Having discovered the widespread sin of intermarriage with pagan peoples, a direct violation of God's covenant commands, Ezra was utterly appalled. His prayer was not a mere formality but a heart-wrenching, public identification with the nation's sin, expressed through tearing his garments, pulling his hair, and prostrating himself. Verse 1 of chapter 10 transitions from Ezra's solitary anguish to a communal awakening, showing how his personal devotion and public display of grief ignited a similar spiritual conviction among the people, leading to a corporate response "before the house of God," emphasizing the sacred setting of this profound moment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Ezra 10:1 unfold in Jerusalem during the post-exilic period, roughly a century after the first return from Babylonian captivity and about 60 years after the Temple's reconstruction. The community was fragile, attempting to re-establish its identity and covenant relationship with Yahweh in their ancestral land. The sin of intermarriage was particularly grievous because it threatened the distinctiveness and holiness of Israel, potentially leading to syncretism and idolatry, as explicitly warned in [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage"). Culturally, public displays of grief, such as weeping and prostration, were common expressions of deep sorrow, humility, and repentance in the ancient Near East, signifying profound contrition before God and man. The gathering "before the house of God" underscores the Temple's central role as the locus of God's presence and the place for national repentance and covenant renewal.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of Ezra and the broader post-exilic narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Profound Grief and Contrition**, demonstrating that true repentance begins with a deep, heartfelt sorrow over sin, not merely its consequences. Ezra's personal anguish, mirrored by the people's "wept very sore," illustrates a godly sorrow that leads to repentance, distinct from worldly regret. Secondly, the passage emphasizes **Leadership by Example**, as Ezra's humble and passionate display of repentance served as a catalyst, inspiring the entire community to confront their own wrongdoing. His willingness to publicly identify with the nation's sin, even as a righteous leader, galvanized the people. Thirdly, it underscores the necessity of **Corporate Repentance**, showing that while sin can be individual, its impact often necessitates a communal response. The assembly of "a very great congregation of men and women and children" signifies a national turning back to God, echoing similar moments of corporate confession and covenant renewal found in passages like [Nehemiah 9:1](/nehemiah/9-1 "Nehemiah 9:1 - Corporate Confession and Covenant Renewal"). Finally, the setting "before the house of God" reinforces the theme of **Divine Presence and Accountability**, reminding the people that their actions, and their repentance, were conducted in the holy presence of the Lord.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Prayed (Hebrew, _palal'_):** This verb signifies more than just speaking words; it implies intercession, mediation, and a deep engagement with God in supplication. Ezra's prayer was not merely a ritual but a heartfelt outpouring, mediating on behalf of a sinful nation, setting the stage for divine intervention and communal response.
* **Confessed (Hebrew, _yadah'_):** The root meaning of this word is "to throw" or "to cast," and in the Hithpael stem (as used here), it means "to confess" or "to give thanks." In this context, it denotes an open, public acknowledgment of guilt and sin, a "casting out" or "throwing forth" of the hidden transgressions into the light of God's holiness. It implies taking responsibility and agreeing with God's assessment of sin.
* **Weeping (Hebrew, _bakhah'_):** This term describes a deep, often audible, expression of sorrow, grief, or distress. Its repetition for both Ezra and the people ("wept very sore") emphasizes the overwhelming emotional and spiritual impact of the moment, indicating a profound, shared remorse that went beyond superficial regret, signaling genuine contrition.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed,"**: This opening clause establishes the immediate cause for the subsequent events. Ezra's deep spiritual exercise of intercessory prayer and public confession, as detailed in the preceding chapter, is presented as the catalyst for the national awakening. His personal anguish and identification with the nation's sin were not private but public acts, demonstrating a profound spiritual leadership.
* **"weeping and casting himself down before the house of God,"**: This phrase vividly describes Ezra's posture and emotional state. His "weeping" signifies profound sorrow and contrition, while "casting himself down" (prostrating himself) indicates extreme humility, submission, and supplication before the Almighty. The location, "before the house of God" (the Temple), underscores the sacredness of the moment and the direct appeal to God's presence and authority. It was a public act of brokenness in the very place where God's holiness resided.
* **"there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children:"**: This clause describes the immediate and overwhelming response of the people. Ezra's public display of grief and repentance drew an immense crowd, signifying a widespread recognition of the severity of the situation. The inclusion of "men and women and children" highlights the comprehensive nature of the assembly, indicating that the sin and the call to repentance affected every segment of the community, underscoring the corporate dimension of their transgression and the need for a unified response.
* **"for the people wept very sore."**: This final clause provides the reason for the assembly's size and underscores the shared emotional and spiritual state. The people's "weeping very sore" (Hebrew: _bakhah gadol_, "wept greatly") mirrors Ezra's own anguish, demonstrating that his conviction had resonated deeply within the community. This collective outpouring of grief signifies a genuine, widespread conviction of sin, a shared sense of brokenness, and a readiness for corporate repentance and reform.

#### Literary Devices
Ezra 10:1 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the intensity of the moment. **Repetition** is evident in the double use of "wept" (for Ezra and for the people), which serves to emphasize the profound, shared sorrow and contrition that permeated the scene. This repetition underscores the contagious nature of genuine repentance, moving from the leader to the entire congregation. **Hyperbole** is suggested by the phrase "a very great congregation" and "wept very sore," which, while perhaps literally true, also serves to heighten the dramatic impact and convey the overwhelming scale of the national response. This emphasizes the widespread nature of the sin and the equally widespread conviction. Furthermore, the scene is rich in **Symbolism**. Ezra's act of "casting himself down before the house of God" is a symbolic gesture of abject humility, surrender, and supplication before the divine presence, signifying the people's ultimate accountability to God. The very act of gathering "before the house of God" symbolizes the nation's turning back to their covenant Lord, seeking His mercy and forgiveness in the sacred space dedicated to His name.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 10:1 profoundly illustrates the biblical principle that true spiritual revival often begins with a deep, heartfelt sorrow for sin, both individual and corporate. Ezra's intercessory prayer and public brokenness served as a catalyst, demonstrating that authentic leadership involves identifying with the sins of the community and modeling genuine contrition. The subsequent gathering of "a very great congregation" and their collective weeping reveal that the Holy Spirit can move a whole people to a shared conviction, transforming personal anguish into a national movement of repentance. This passage underscores the seriousness of disobedience to God's commands, particularly those designed to preserve the distinctiveness and holiness of His people, and highlights that communal sin requires a communal turning back to God for restoration and renewal.

* [2 Chronicles 7:14](/2_chronicles/7-14 "2 Chronicles 7:14 - God's Promise of Healing and Forgiveness")
* [Joel 2:12-13](/joel/2-12 "Joel 2:12-13 - Return to the Lord with All Your Heart")
* [Psalm 51:17](/psalm/51-17 "Psalm 51:17 - A Broken and Contrite Heart")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezra 10:1 offers timeless lessons for believers and communities today. It reminds us that genuine spiritual transformation, whether personal or corporate, is often birthed in a place of profound brokenness and confession. Like Ezra, leaders are called to model humility and a willingness to identify with the struggles and sins of their people, leading not from a position of detached judgment but from shared conviction and intercession. For individuals, the passage challenges us to cultivate a "godly grief" over sin, recognizing that true sorrow leads to repentance and a turning away from disobedience, rather than mere regret over consequences. For the church, it underscores the reality of corporate sin and the necessity of communal repentance. When a community acknowledges its collective failings—whether complacency, compromise, or outright disobedience—and unites in humble confession before God, it opens the door for profound spiritual renewal and restoration. This verse calls us to examine our own hearts and our communal practices, asking if we are truly grieved by sin and willing to take the necessary steps, however costly, to align ourselves fully with God's will.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What does Ezra's deep personal grief teach us about the nature of true repentance for both individual and corporate sin?**
* **How does Ezra's leadership by example challenge contemporary leaders to model humility and genuine brokenness before God?**
* **In what ways might our communities or churches need to experience a "corporate weeping" or collective confession today?**
* **What specific areas of compromise or disobedience in my own life or in my community might require a similar profound turning back to God?**

### FAQ
**Why was Ezra's weeping and confession so impactful on the people?**

Answer: Ezra's profound weeping and prostration were impactful for several reasons. First, they demonstrated his deep personal anguish and identification with the nation's sin, making his leadership authentic and relatable. He wasn't merely delivering a lecture but embodying the brokenness the people should feel. Second, his confession was public and "before the house of God," emphasizing accountability to the Lord and the seriousness of their transgressions in His holy presence. This visible, raw display of contrition served as a powerful catalyst, moving the people from mere awareness of sin to a shared, collective conviction. It modeled the "godly grief that produces a repentance that leads to salvation" as described in [2 Corinthians 7:10](/2_corinthians/7-10 "2 Corinthians 7:10 - Godly Grief Produces Repentance"), inspiring them to mirror his sorrow.

**What is the significance of the assembly of "men, women, and children"?**

Answer: The inclusion of "men, women, and children" in the assembly is highly significant. It underscores the comprehensive and pervasive nature of the sin of intermarriage, which affected every family unit and threatened the spiritual integrity of the entire community. It also highlights the corporate responsibility for sin and the need for a unified, national response. The presence of children suggests that the consequences of sin, and the need for repentance, extended to the next generation, emphasizing the importance of covenant fidelity for the future. This all-inclusive gathering signals a truly national turning point, where the entire community, regardless of age or gender, participated in the collective act of repentance and commitment to reform. This echoes similar moments of covenant renewal where the entire community participated, such as in [Deuteronomy 29:10-11](/deuteronomy/29-10 "Deuteronomy 29:10-11 - All Israel Stands Before the Lord").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezra 10:1, with its depiction of a leader interceding for a sinful people and a nation weeping in repentance, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate intercession and call to repentance found in Jesus Christ. Ezra, though righteous, could only identify with the people's sin and lead them to a temporary atonement through the Mosaic Law. However, Christ, the perfect and sinless [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), not only identified with humanity's sin but bore its full penalty on the cross, offering a complete and eternal atonement. While Ezra's confession led to a temporary reform, Jesus' sacrifice ushers in a New Covenant where true repentance is not merely a sorrowful acknowledgment of sin but a turning to Him for forgiveness and new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The corporate weeping in Ezra 10:1 finds its ultimate spiritual fulfillment in the call for all nations to repent and believe the Gospel, as preached by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles (e.g., [Matthew 3:8](/matthew/3-8 "Matthew 3:8 - Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance"); [Acts 3:19](/acts/3-19 "Acts 3:19 - Repent and Turn to God")). Christ is the ultimate High Priest who continually intercedes for His people, and through His perfect work, He offers a way for humanity to draw near to God with confidence, not in their own brokenness, but in His perfect righteousness and mercy (cf. [Hebrews 4:14-16](/hebrews/4-14 "Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus, Our Great High Priest")). The profound grief over sin seen in Ezra 10:1 is transformed in the New Testament into a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation, a gift made possible only through the finished work of Christ (cf. [2 Corinthians 7:10](/2_corinthians/7-10 "2 Corinthians 7:10 - Godly Grief Produces Repentance")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Daniel 9:20

¶ And whiles I [was] speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

Psalms 119:136

¶ Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

Romans 9:2

That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

1 Kings 8:30

And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

1 John 1:8

¶ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:10

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Daniel 9:3

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: