Ezra 9:5–9:15

fell upon my knees and spread out my hands. See 1 Kin. 8:54. Kneeling expresses humility before the majestic Lord (Ps. 95:6), and spreading the hands often accompanies petitions (Ps. 28:2), | ashamed and blush. Previously, Ezra had been ashamed to ask Artaxerxes for protection on the return trip (8:22). Now his shame is of a different kind, a shame joined with the guilt that results from sin. our iniquities ... our guilt. Ezra is acutely aware of the people's sin and quilt before God. Note also the sudden shift from “my” to “our.” Though Ezra was not guilty of marrying into paganism, he identified himself with the people in their sin, as did the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (Is. 53:12; 2 Cor. 5:21). | From the days of our fathers. There was a sense of corporate soli- darity and mutual responsibility that spanned the generations. | a brief moment. The status of the returnees as the recipients of God's favor was in jeopardy. favor has been shown by the Lorp . .. a remnant. Justice demanded the absolute end of the people of God, but grace preserved a remnant. Through this remnant the Messiah would come and redemption would be accomplished. secure hold. The word translated “secure hold” means a stake that holds a tentin position Judg. 4:21) ora nail that holds up objects that are hung on it (Is. 22:23-25). The Lord had given Israel a place in His temple, like the peg of a tent, and had made Ezra someone who could be trusted with burdens. brighten our eyes. An idiom for increased vigor (Ps. 13:3). | we are slaves. Though restored to their land, the people of God were not politically independent, as they had been during the monarchy (4:19-23 note). God has not forsaken us. God's promise not to forsake the nation was, in its outer, typological aspect, conditional (10:5 note). If Israel forsook God and the covenant by disregarding the law, she would forfeit the blessings and experience the curses (Deut. 28:20; 29:24-25; 31:16-17). But even so God would never finally desert Israel, through whom Christ would come. See Lev. 26:44, 45; Ps, 89:30-37; Is. 54:7; Rom. 11. the kings of Persia. Specifically, Cyrus (550-530 B.c.), who issued the decree to return, Darius (522-486 8.c.), who confirmed the decree, and Artaxerxes (465-424 8.c.), who commissioned Ezra to teach the people. protection in Judea and Jerusalem. This phrase does not refer to the wall built later by Nehemiah, but is a figure for the protection afforded the returnees (note the other figurative language in v. 8, and that the wall of Nehemiah was not built around all of Judah). | forsaken your commandments. Forsaking the commandments meant that covenant curses could fall upon the people at any time (v. 9 note on “forsaken us’). | you commanded ... saying. Moses was the prophet who gave the command initially (Deut. 7:1-3). The words are not a quotation of a sin- gle text, but a summary of the theology of separation taken from numer- ous texts, such as Lev. 18:25; Deut. 4:5; 7:3; 18:9; 27:3; 2 Kin. 21:16. The separation was not ethnic or racial but religious. Intermarriage with peo- ple outside the covenant introduced a relentless temptation to corrupt or abandon worship of the true and living God (cf. Deut. 7:3, 4; Judg. 14:1-4; 1 Kin. 11:1-4; 2 Cor. 6:14). | less than our iniquities deserved. The restoration was on the basis of grace and the promise of the Abrahamic covenant (Deut. 4:25-31). So also was the initial entrance into the land (Deut. 9:5). | no remnant, Ezra fears that the current covenant breach might result in ultimate judgment. Though judgment would later come upon the nation (Luke 20:9-19), even then there would be a remnant accord- ing to grace (Rom. 11:1-5), | Ezra’s conclusion is that even now the people live only because of God's grace,