ing 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 tres-
passes; 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 unraerited favour may be shewn

us: for we cannot stand before thee because of this; this
evil of contracting affinity with the nations; wc can't
defend ourselves; we can't plead ignorance of the di-
vine 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.

UPON Ezra's prayer and confession, it was proposed
by Shechaniah, that those who had married strange
wives should put them away with their children,
which they swore to do, yet. 1--5. and proclamation
was made throughout the land for all to meet at Jeru-
salem in three days' time, and accordingly they did,
vet. 6--9. when, at the exhortation of Ezra, all agreed
to it, and persons were appointed to see it done, and
the work was finished in the space of three months,
yet. 10--17. and a list of the names of those is given
who had married such wives, and now put them away;
of the priests, vet. 18--22. of the Levites, ver. 23, 24.
of the other Israelites, ver. 24---44.
Ver. 1. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he
had confessed, weeping, &c.] Had confessed the sins
of the people in prayer and supplication, with many
tears: and casting himse.lf down before the housc of God;
in the outward court before the temple, his face turned
towards it, where he lay prostrate: there assembled to
him out of Israd a very great congregation of men, and
women, and children; it was quickly spread abroad,
both in Jerusalem and places adjacent, that such a
great man, a commissioner from the king of Persia,
and a priest of the Jews, was in the utmost distress,
rending his garments, and plucking off his hair, and
was crying and praying in a vehement manner; which
brought a great concourse of people, who concluded
some grea. t sins were committed, and sore judgments
were coming upon them: for the people wept very sore;
being affected with his confessions, cries, and tears,
and fearing wrath would come upon them tbr their
sins.
Vet. c2.. And Shechaniah the sort of JeMel, one of the
sons of .Elam, answ. ered and said unto Ezra,
This man seems to be one of those that now came
with Ezra from Babylon, see ch. viii. 3, 5. we have
trespassed against our God, and have taken strange
wives of the people o.f the land; not that he had taken
.any himself, being but just come into the land, nor
is his name in the list of those that had; but inasmuch
as many of the nation, of which he was a part, and
his own father, and several of his uncles had, vet.
he expresses himself in this manner: yet now there is
hope in Israel concerning this thing; of a reformation
of this evil, and of pardoff for it.
Ver. 3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our
God, &c.] Renew our covenant with him, and lay
ourselves under fresh obligation by promise and oath,
and unanimously agree to put away all the wives, and
such as are born of them; he means all the strange
wives, such marriages being unlawful; and such wives
might the more easily be put away, since bills of di-

vorce were in frequent use with the Jews, and the
children of such also being illegitimate; and the ra-
ther they were to be put away, lest they should cor-
rupt other children, or get into the affections of their
fhthers, which might lead on to receive their mothers
again, and especially this was to be done as a punish-
ment of their sin: though no doubt but a provision
was to be made, and was made, for the maintenance
both of wives and children: according to the counsel of
my Lord; either of Ezra, whom he honours with this
title, being a ruler under the king of Persia; or of the
Lord God, according to his will declared in Iris words,
which is his counsel: and of those that tremble at the
commandment of our God; feared to break it, and
dreaded the effect of such a breach; and who no doubt
would follow the counsel of the Lord, and join in their
advice to act according to the proposal made: and let
it be done according to the law; as that directs in such
cases.
Ver. 4. Arise, &c.] From the ground, where he
lay prostrate:for this matter belongeth unto thee; as
a. priest and scribe of the law, well versed in it, and
therefore could direct what was to be done according
to it; and as a ruler under the king of Persia, and a
commissioner of his, to inquire whether the law of
God was observed by the Jews, ch. vii. 14. and so had
authority to put the law in execution: we also will be
with thee; to help and assist in the reformation of this
evil: be of good coura,g~e, and do it; don't despair of
going through it, though there may be some opposi-
tion to it; begin, and doubt not of succeeding.
Ver. 5. Then arose Ezra, &c.] From the ground
where he lay: and made the chief priests, and the Le-
vites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do ac-
cording to this word: he took an oath of all that were
present to do what was proposed, namely, to put
away strange wives and their children: and they
sware; by means of which they were kept to their
word of promise, an oath being a solemn, sacred,
thing.
Ver. 6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of
God, &c.3 Departed fresh thence: and went into the
chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib ; who was of the
family of the high-priest. Eliashib was grandson of
Joshua the high-priest, and succeeded his father Join-
kim as such; but though Johanan was never high-
priest, being a younger son, however he was a person
of note, and had a chamber in the temple, whither
Ezra went, either to advise with the princes and elders
in it, ver. 8. or to refresh hitnselfwith food: and when
he came thither, he did eat rio bread, nor drink water;
or rather not yet had he ate bresd ø, as some render it;

{o} \^lka al\^ nondum comederat Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.