Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 9:15
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.
15. The prayer ends in expression of complete surrender. There is no excuse to plead. The nation stands in its sin in the presence of the perfect God, and awaits the sentence of ‘righteousness’.
O Lord God of Israel ] R.V. O LORD, the God of Israel. See on Ezr 1:3. The prayer had begun ‘O my God’ (Ezr 9:6). It ends, O Lord the God of Israel. The thought of his nation overmastered the supplicant.
thou art righteous ] This must not be softened down as if it were ‘thou art gracious’. The words are an acknowledgement of the perfect justice of God’s dealings with Israel in the past. The next sentence ‘for we are left a remnant’ is not uttered in gratitude for the mercy which spared ‘a remnant’, but is added to express the greatness of the catastrophe, which had carried off the whole nation except ‘a remnant’. And yet the visitation had been just. The prayer of Ezra (?) in Nehemiah 9 has a very similar phrase, Neh 9:33 ‘Howbeit thou art just (addq) in all that is come upon us; for thou hast done truly, but we have done wickedly’. Thou art righteous (addq), and we who are left ‘a remnant’ have failed to profit by the righteous judgement of the past. God is called ‘righteous’ in reference to the ‘fixed and unalterable rule of truth and goodness’. Cf. Neh 9:8; 2Ch 12:6; Psa 119:137; Psa 129:4; Psa 145:7. (See Cheyne on Psa 7:17.)
as it is this day ] Cf. Ezr 9:7.
we are before thee ] i.e. arraigned as it were before thy judgement seat. Ezra was praying ‘before the house of God’ (Ezr 10:2).
in our trespasses ] R.V. in our guiltiness. See on Ezr 9:7. Fresh guilt has been added to the old. There is nothing to plead in extenuation. Nor had there been in the past. Righteous as Jehovah was, He had granted ‘a remnant’: now the guiltiness of the remnant seemed to merit its extinction.
for we cannot stand before thee because of this ] R.V. for none can stand before thee because of this. None, for all Israelites, innocent as well as guilty, are bound up together in that responsibility for the nation’s guilt. Cf. Psa 76:7 ‘And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?’ Psa 130:3 ‘If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?’ Nah 1:6 ‘Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?’ The Spirit alone gives the power to ‘stand before’ God and to hear His word. Eze 2:1-2.
because of this ] See note on Ezr 8:23, Ezr 10:2: i.e. on account of this last sin, in which the people have once more offended their God.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Some take righteous to mean here kind or merciful. Others give it the more usual sense of just, and understand the full meaning of the passage to be, Thou art righteous, and hast punished us, because of our sin, the contraction of forbidden marriages, so that we are a mere remnant of what was once a great people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Thou art righteous] Thou art merciful; this is one of the many meanings of the word tsedek; and to this meaning St. Paul refers, when he says, God declares his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, Ro 3:25. See the note there.
We remain yet escaped] Because of this righteousness or mercy.
In our trespasses] We have no righteousness; we are clothed and covered with our trespasses.
We cannot stand before thee because of this.] The parallel place, as noted in the margin, is Ps 130:3: If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Every man must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ: but who shall stand there with joy? No man against whom the Lord marks iniquities. There is a reference here to the temple service: the priests and Levites stood and ministered before the Lord, but they were not permitted to do so unless pure from all legal pollution; so no man shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ who is not washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Reader, how dost thou expect to stand there?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou art righteous; a just and holy God, who dost hate, and wilt infallibly punish, sin and sinners. Or, thou art merciful, as appears from hence, that notwithstanding all our sins, thou hast not utterly destroyed us, but left a remnant of us. The Hebrew word here rendered righteous, is oft used for merciful; as is well known to all the learned.
For we remain yet escaped; or, though we remain, &c., i.e. though thou hast yet spared us in part, yet thou art righteous, and therefore wilt certainly punish and destroy us according to our deserts, if we do not repent us, and reform this great wickedness.
We are before thee in our trespasses; we are here in thy presence, and so are all our sins; we are arraigning ourselves before thy tribunal, acknowledging ourselves to be vile offenders, and thee to be just, if thou destroy us.
We cannot stand before thee, to wit, in judgment, as that word is oft used, as Psa 130:3; compare Psa 1:5; we must needs fall and perish at thy presence, as the phrase is, Psa 9:3. Because of this; because of this our great guilt, and the aggravations of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous,…. And would appear to be so, should Israel be entirely cut off, and utterly consumed for their iniquities:
for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day; that they remained yet escaped out of captivity, and escaped the wrath and vengeance of God, was not owing to any deserts of theirs, but to the grace and mercy of God, who had not stirred up all his wrath, as their sins deserved:
behold, we are before thee in our trespasses; to do with us as seems good in thy sight; we have nothing to plead on our behalf, but cast ourselves at thy feet, if so be unmerited favour may be shown us:
for we cannot stand before thee because of this; this evil of contracting affinity with the nations; we cannot defend ourselves; we cannot plead ignorance of the divine commands; we have nothing to say for ourselves why judgment should not be passed upon us; we leave ourselves in thine hands, and at thy mercy.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
15. In our trespasses Thus he leaves the case with his God, who is eminently righteous. But he does not venture to ask pardon for Israel’s enormous trespasses. It will not do to pray for that until Israel ceases to do evil.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
PAUSE, Reader, over this chapter, and mark in strong characters on your mind the distinguishing love of God to Israel. The Lord by prophecy had pointed out their distinction ages before. They were to dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations. And from everlasting it had been so determined upon. In the gracious purposes of God in covenant relation, they were set apart to be known by their distinguishing peculiarity and character. And their happiness consisted in this; their singularity was to be their singular honor. They were to be a nation of priests, distinguished with peculiar sacrifices, peculiar duties, peculiar privileges, peculiar blessings: a people near to God and set apart for himself. Judge, then, the awful apostacy when Israel forgot her blessings, mercies, privileges, and above all, the God of her fathers, and mingled the holy seed with the idolatrous nations around. Reader! let the thought be suitably impressed upon your mind as one of the spiritual seed of Israel. Are not believers in Christ peculiarly set apart and formed for Jesus glory? Are they not a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. Doth not Jesus mark them for his own; make them kings and priests to God and the Father; the purchase of his blood, the subjects of his grace, and the token, gift, and pledge of the Father’s love? And what ought to be the immediate consequence of these distinguishing mercies, but to show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. Who in times past were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Let me only add one thought more on this sweet chapter. Who can behold Ezra thus acting as the intercessor for Israel, but must instantly call to mind that Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, in this glorious, all-prevailing office, in whose eventful death and intercession all the high priests under the law found favor and acceptance with God. Yes! blessed Jesus! to thee would I unceasingly direct my attention. Now, even now, thou wearest thy priesthood still; appearest in a vesture dipped in blood, to denote the sure efficacy of thine high office, and that thou ever livest to make intercession for sinners. Let me never open thy blessed scriptures at any part, read a page, or verse, of thy several servants ministering, without an eye to thee. Thou art the sum and substance of all their services. The whole law, and the whole priesthood, were but a shadow of good things to come. In thee the whole centers; and the whole is completed for the salvation of sinners, and the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ezr 9:15 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.
Ver. 15. O Lord God of Israel ] So called, because he is their portion, they his, Deu 32:9 . He had avouched them for his; and they him interchangeably, Deu 26:17-18 . Seneca could say that the basest people (meaning the Jews) gave laws unto all the world; that is, had the true God, creator of all, for their God.
Thou art righteous
Behold, we are before thee in our trespasses
For we cannot stand before thee
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
we remain yet escaped: or, we are left but a remnant that is escaped. Compare Neh 1:2, Neh 1:3.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thou art righteous: Neh 9:33, Neh 9:34, Dan 9:7-11, Dan 9:14, Rom 10:3
for we remain: Lam 3:22, Lam 3:23
in our trespasses: Isa 64:6, Isa 64:7, Eze 33:10, Zec 3:3, Zec 3:4, Joh 8:21, Joh 8:24, 1Co 15:17
we cannot: Job 9:2, Job 9:3, Psa 130:3, Psa 143:2, Rom 3:19
Reciprocal: Gen 44:16 – What shall we say Exo 32:31 – sinned Lev 26:41 – and they Jos 22:15 – General Neh 9:2 – confessed Job 40:4 – Behold Psa 116:5 – and righteous Psa 119:137 – General Psa 129:4 – The Lord Jer 14:7 – for our Eze 7:16 – they Luk 13:9 – if not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ezr 9:15. O Lord, thou art righteous A just and holy God, who hatest, and wilt infallibly punish, sin and sinners. Or, thou art merciful, for the Hebrew word here rendered righteous, often signifies merciful. Notwithstanding all our sins, thou hast not utterly destroyed us, but left us a remnant; for we remain yet escaped Not entirely destroyed, not punished as we deserved. Behold, we are before thee in our trespasses We are here in thy presence, and so are all our sins; we are arraigning ourselves before thy tribunal, acknowledging thee to be just if thou destroy us. For we cannot stand before thee In judgment, as that word is often used; we must needs fall and perish at thy presence.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we {h} 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.
(h) He shows that God is just in punishing his people, and yet merciful in preserving a residue in whom he shows favour.