Ezra 9:5

KJV

¶ 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,

KJV (with Strong's)

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},

Complete Jewish Bible

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,

Berean Standard Bible

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,

American Standard Version

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;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 9:5 vividly portrays the prophet Ezra's profound spiritual anguish and decisive turn to prayer upon discovering the widespread intermarriage among the returned exiles. This pivotal moment, occurring at the significant time of the evening sacrifice, marks his transition from stunned grief to active intercession, characterized by deeply symbolic actions of repentance and humility before the LORD, setting the stage for his powerful prayer of confession on behalf of the people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse immediately follows Ezra's initial, overwhelming reaction to the news of the Israelites' intermarriage with foreign peoples, a direct violation of God's covenant commands (as detailed in [Ezra 9:1-2](/ezra/9-1 "Ezra 9:1-2 - The Sin of Intermarriage")). Ezra had been sitting "astonied" (dumbfounded and appalled) for an extended period, from the morning until the "evening sacrifice" (Ezra 9:3-4). Verse 5, therefore, represents a critical turning point: the moment Ezra moves from passive, internal grief to active, public lamentation and fervent intercession, initiating the powerful prayer of confession that unfolds in [Ezra 9:6-15](/ezra/9-6 "Ezra 9:6-15 - Ezra's Prayer of Confession"). It serves as the emotional and spiritual pivot around which the entire chapter revolves, leading directly to the people's repentance and subsequent reforms in [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - The People's Repentance and Reforms").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Ezra 9 occur in the post-exilic period, likely around 458 BC, approximately 80 years after the first wave of exiles returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel and Joshua. The community was striving to re-establish itself in the land and rebuild the temple, but faced significant challenges, including maintaining their distinct identity and spiritual purity amidst surrounding pagan cultures. The Mosaic Law, particularly passages like [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage") and [Exodus 34:15-16](/exodus/34-15 "Exodus 34:15-16 - Warnings Against Idolatry and Intermarriage"), strictly prohibited intermarriage with foreign nations to prevent spiritual assimilation and idolatry. The "evening sacrifice" (Hebrew: *minchah*), typically offered around 3 PM, was a central component of daily temple worship, a time when the community would gather for prayer and offerings. This specific timing underscores the religious solemnity and public nature of Ezra's actions, echoing other biblical accounts where this time was significant for prayer, such as [Daniel's prayer](/daniel/9-21 "Daniel 9:21 - Daniel's Prayer at the Evening Oblation").
* **Key Themes:** Ezra's actions in this verse powerfully underscore several major themes within the book of Ezra and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights **Profound Grief and Repentance**, as Ezra's physical actions—arising from "heaviness," tearing his clothes, falling to his knees, and spreading out his hands—are traditional biblical expressions of deep sorrow, distress, and abject repentance. His personal anguish reflects the gravity of the people's corporate sin, demonstrating a model of godly sorrow. Secondly, it emphasizes **Intercession**, as Ezra, despite his own righteousness, identifies deeply with the sins of the people, taking their spiritual burden upon himself before God. This act of standing in the gap is central to the role of a spiritual leader. Thirdly, the posture of falling on his knees and spreading out his hands signifies **Reverence and Humility** before the LORD, acknowledging God's sovereignty and seeking His mercy. Finally, Ezra's reaction underscores the critical importance of **Covenant Faithfulness**, revealing how the people's disobedience and spiritual compromise threatened the very foundation of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, prompting Ezra's desperate plea for restoration and purity.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Heaviness (Hebrew, _shomem'_):** The KJV translates this as "heaviness," but the Hebrew word שֹׁמֵם (*shomem*) carries a much stronger connotation than mere sadness. It means "to be appalled," "desolate," "astonished," or "dumbfounded." This indicates Ezra's state was one of profound shock and moral revulsion at the sin he had discovered, a deep spiritual and emotional paralysis rather than just a feeling of being weighed down. It suggests a complete bewilderment and horror at the spiritual compromise of the people.
* **Rent (Hebrew, _qara'_):** The verb קָרַע (*qara'*) means "to tear" or "to rend." In ancient Near Eastern culture, tearing one's garment was a highly symbolic and dramatic act signifying extreme grief, despair, indignation, or horror. It was a visible manifestation of intense internal agony, often in response to blasphemy, death, or profound national sin. Ezra's act of tearing both his inner garment and his outer mantle emphasizes the depth and sincerity of his distress, indicating that his entire being was consumed by this spiritual agony.
* **Spread out my hands (Hebrew, _paras yadayim'_):** This phrase, פָּרַשׂ יָדַיִם (*paras yadayim*), describes a common posture of prayer and supplication in the ancient world. It symbolizes an open appeal for help, a reaching out to God in expectation of receiving mercy or intervention, or an act of surrender and dependence. The gesture signifies humility, earnestness, and a desperate plea to the divine, reinforcing Ezra's complete reliance on God in this moment of crisis. The personal address "unto the LORD my God" further underscores the intimate yet reverent nature of his appeal.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness;":** This clause marks a crucial transition. Ezra had been sitting "astonied" or "appalled" (from *shomem*) since the news broke (Ezra 9:3-4). The "evening sacrifice" (around 3 PM) was a designated time for communal worship and prayer. His rising signifies a shift from passive, stunned grief to active, intentional intercession. The timing highlights the spiritual significance of the moment, moving from personal despair to a public, consecrated act of prayer.
* **"and having rent my garment and my mantle,":** This describes Ezra's immediate, visible response. Tearing both his inner garment and outer mantle was a culturally recognized and powerful **Symbolic** act of extreme sorrow, distress, and indignation. It conveyed the profound depth of his spiritual agony and his utter horror at the people's sin, demonstrating a genuine, visceral reaction to the breach of God's covenant.
* **"I fell upon my knees,":** This action further emphasizes Ezra's posture of profound humility, submission, and reverence before God. Falling to one's knees is a universal sign of respect, surrender, and earnest supplication, acknowledging God's supreme authority and sovereignty, especially when approaching Him in confession and petition.
* **"and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,":** This final action completes the picture of earnest prayer. Spreading out the hands is a common biblical posture for supplication, symbolizing an open appeal for divine intervention, a reaching out for mercy, or an act of expectant reception. The phrase "unto the LORD my God" highlights Ezra's personal relationship with the Almighty, even as he intercedes for the corporate sin of the nation, underscoring his intimate trust and reliance on God's character.

#### Literary Devices
Ezra 9:5 is rich in **Symbolism**, as Ezra's every action—tearing his clothes, falling to his knees, and spreading out his hands—is a deeply symbolic gesture conveying profound grief, humility, and earnest supplication. These physical acts are external manifestations of intense internal spiritual agony and moral revulsion at the sin of the people. The verse also employs **Pathos**, evoking a strong sense of pity and empathy for Ezra's suffering, which in turn underscores the gravity of the people's transgression. The progression of Ezra's actions, from arising to tearing, falling, and spreading, creates a sense of **Climax** and **Movement**, leading inevitably to his subsequent prayer. This sequence demonstrates a deliberate and deeply felt response, transforming passive despair into active, desperate intercession.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 9:5 is a powerful testament to the nature of true repentance and intercession. Ezra's profound personal grief over the corporate sin of Israel exemplifies a leader who deeply identifies with the spiritual state of his people, even when he is personally blameless in the transgression. His actions reveal that genuine sorrow for sin is not merely an intellectual acknowledgment but a visceral, all-consuming anguish that compels one to humble oneself before a holy God. This verse underscores the seriousness of covenant disobedience and the necessity of a heartfelt, active response to spiritual compromise. It teaches that approaching God in confession requires a posture of humility, reverence, and desperate dependence on His mercy, mirroring the call for inward transformation over mere outward ritual.

* [Joel 2:13](/joel/2-13 "Joel 2:13 - Rend Your Hearts, Not Your Garments")
* [Daniel 9:3-5](/daniel/9-3 "Daniel 9:3-5 - Daniel's Prayer of Confession")
* [Nehemiah 9:1-3](/nehemiah/9-1 "Nehemiah 9:1-3 - Corporate Confession and Worship")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezra's passionate and visceral response to the sin of intermarriage in Ezra 9:5 provides a timeless model for believers today. It challenges us to cultivate a profound sensitivity to sin, both in our personal lives and within the community of faith. His example teaches us that true spiritual leadership often begins with a deep, empathetic identification with the struggles and failures of others, moving us to intercede on their behalf with genuine anguish and humility. In a world often desensitized to spiritual compromise, Ezra reminds us that a holy God demands a holy people, and that our response to sin should be marked by sincere grief, repentance, and a desperate turning to Him. His actions call us to abandon passive observation and embrace active, fervent prayer, trusting that God hears and responds to the contrite heart.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How deeply do I grieve over sin, both my own and that within the church or society?**
* **What specific actions can I take to cultivate a more profound sense of humility and reverence in my prayer life?**
* **In what ways am I called to intercede for the spiritual struggles or sins of my community or nation?**
* **How does Ezra's example challenge my own approach to spiritual compromise and the importance of covenant faithfulness?**

### FAQ
**Why was intermarriage such a serious sin for the Israelites?**

Answer: Intermarriage was a grave sin because it directly violated God's covenant commands given to Israel, specifically designed to preserve their spiritual purity and identity as His chosen people. Passages like [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Prohibition of Intermarriage") explicitly prohibited marriage with people from surrounding pagan nations. The primary concern was not racial purity but spiritual purity: these marriages inevitably led to the Israelites adopting the idolatrous practices and customs of their foreign spouses, corrupting their worship of the one true God and leading them away from the covenant. It was a threat to the very purpose of Israel's existence as a holy nation set apart to bear witness to God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezra 9:5, with its depiction of a righteous man deeply grieved by the sin of his people and interceding on their behalf, finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Ezra's identification with sin, though he himself was not guilty of the specific transgression, foreshadows Christ's perfect identification with humanity's sin. Unlike Ezra, who could only lament and intercede, Jesus, the sinless [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), actually "became sin for us" ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2-corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")) on the cross. The "evening sacrifice" at which Ezra arose to pray points to Christ's once-for-all sacrifice, the ultimate "evening sacrifice" offered at the end of the day, which perfectly atoned for sin and fulfilled all temple rituals ([Hebrews 9:26](/hebrews/9-26 "Hebrews 9:26 - Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice")). Ezra's posture of falling on his knees and spreading out his hands in desperate supplication echoes Christ's own agony and prayer in Gethsemane ([Luke 22:41-44](/luke/22-41 "Luke 22:41-44 - Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane")), where He wrestled with the weight of humanity's sin before submitting to the Father's will. Ultimately, Jesus is the perfect Intercessor ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ Our Permanent Intercessor")), who not only prayed for His people but offered Himself as the spotless sacrifice, fully restoring the broken covenant relationship and enabling true repentance and reconciliation with God.

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

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.