9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me,
saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the
Levites, have not a separated themselves from the people
of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations,
[even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and
the Amorites.
(a) From the time they came home under Zerubbabel until the
coming of Ezra, they had degenerated contrary to the law
of God, and married where it was not lawful,
(De 7:3).
9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and
for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled
themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand
of the b princes and rulers hath been chief in this
trespass.
(b) That is, the governors are the chief beginners of it.
9:3 And 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 c astonied.
(c) As one doubting whether God would continue his benefits
toward us, or else destroy what he had begun.
9:6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my
face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased d
over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the e
heavens.
(d) That is, we are drowned in sin.
(e) They so exceed that they cannot grow greater.
9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shewed] from the
LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give
us a f nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten
our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
(f) In giving us a resting place it is a comparison taken
from them that still remain in a place who strike nails
to hang things on, (Isa 22:23).
9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and
for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast
punished us less than our g iniquities [deserve], and
hast given us [such] deliverance as this;
(g) Has not utterly cast us down and destroyed us for our
sins, (De 28:13).
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.
