¶ 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,
And at the evening {H6153} sacrifice {H4503} I arose up {H6965} from my heaviness {H8589}; and having rent {H7167} my garment {H899} and my mantle {H4598}, I fell {H3766} upon my knees {H1290}, and spread out {H6566} my hands {H3709} unto the LORD {H3068} my God {H430},
At the evening offering, with my cloak and tunic torn, I got up from afflicting myself, fell on my knees, spread out my hands to ADONAI my God,
At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
And at the evening oblation I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe rent; and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God;
-
1 Kings 8:38
What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: -
1 Kings 8:22
¶ And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: -
1 Kings 8:54
¶ And it was [so], that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. -
Exodus 9:33
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. -
Exodus 9:29
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; [and] the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth [is] the LORD'S. -
Psalms 95:6
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. -
Psalms 141:2
Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.
Ezra 9:5 powerfully captures the moment of Ezra's profound spiritual awakening and deep repentance following the discovery of widespread intermarriage among the returned exiles. This verse marks the beginning of his earnest prayer of confession, a pivotal moment in the book of Ezra.
Context
This verse follows Ezra's initial shock and grief upon learning that the Jewish people, who had returned from Babylonian captivity, had defiled themselves by marrying foreign women from the surrounding pagan nations (as detailed in Ezra 9:1-2). This was a direct violation of God's covenant commands, specifically prohibited in texts like Deuteronomy 7:3, to prevent spiritual assimilation and preserve the purity of their faith. Ezra had been sitting "astonied" (appalled, dumbfounded) from the time he heard the news until the "evening sacrifice." The "evening sacrifice" (Hebrew: minchah), typically offered around 3 PM, was a significant time of daily worship and prayer in ancient Israel, as seen in other biblical accounts like Daniel 9:21, making it a fitting moment for such a desperate and heartfelt appeal to God.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
Reflection and Application
Ezra's passionate response to sin serves as a powerful model for believers today. It reminds us of the seriousness of spiritual compromise and the importance of maintaining purity in our walk with God. His example teaches us:
This verse encourages us to cultivate a sensitivity to sin and to approach God with genuine repentance and earnest supplication, trusting in His mercy and grace.