Ezra 9:3
What does Ezra 9:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 9:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 9:3 means
Ezra responds with visible, intense grief. Tearing his garment and robe, and pulling hair from his head and beard, he shows the shock and shame he feels before God and the people. He sits appalled, overcome by the spiritual danger of the compromise. His reaction is not theatrical; it recognizes how intermarriage with idolaters endangers the whole community’s fellowship with Jehovah. He senses that the community stands under the shadow of judgment. His silence and sitting convey that this offense cannot be whisked away by quick fixes. The leader first must own the grief, and then he must seek God in humility, not in haste.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And hearing this, with signs of grief and pulling out the hair of my head and my chin, I took my seat on the earth deeply troubled.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And at my hearing this word, I have rent my garment and my upper robe, and pluck out of the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sit astonished,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when I had heard this word, I rent my mantle and my coat, and plucked off the hairs of my head and my beard, and I sat down mourning.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And when I heard this thing, I rent my mantle and my garment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down overwhelmed.
Context
Following the report of widespread intermarriage (verses 1–2), verse 3 displays Ezra’s personal response. This prepares the way for others who fear God to gather around him (verse 4). The description of Ezra’s posture of mourning bridges the report of sin and the prayer that will begin at the evening oblation (verses 5–6). The narrative slows here to show that true reform begins with a heart broken over sin, not merely with administrative action.
v.2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
v.3This passage
v.4Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Daniel 8:27
And I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king’s business: and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it.
- Joshua 7:6
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads.
- Ezekiel 3:15
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and to where they dwelt; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
- Micah 1:16
Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
- Psalms 143:4
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate.
- 2 Kings 18:37
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.