Ezra 9:2
New International Version
They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

New Living Translation
For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.”

English Standard Version
For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.”

Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

King James Bible
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 princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

New King James Version
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.”

New American Standard Bible
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the officials and the leaders have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness.”

NASB 1995
“For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

NASB 1977
“For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the officials have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

Amplified Bible
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, the officials and chief men have been foremost in this unfaithful act and direct violation [of God’s will].”

Christian Standard Bible
Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

American Standard Version
For 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because they took some of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed was mingled among the Gentiles of the cities, and the hand of the Elders and of the Levites was in this evil first.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and their sons; and the holy seed has passed among the nations of the lands, and the hand of the rulers has been first in this transgression.

Contemporary English Version
Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God's holy people are mixed with foreigners.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and they have mingled the holy seed with the people of the lands. And the hand of the princes and magistrates hath been first in this transgression.

English Revised Version
For 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Israelites and their sons have married some of these foreign women. They have mixed our holy race with the neighboring groups of people. Furthermore, the leaders and officials have led the way in being unfaithful."

Good News Translation
Jewish men were marrying foreign women, and so God's holy people had become contaminated. The leaders and officials were the chief offenders.

International Standard Version
because they and their sons have married foreign women. As a result, the holy people have mingled themselves among the peoples of these lands. As a matter of fact, the senior officials and the rulers have been foremost in this sin."

JPS Tanakh 1917
For 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 first in this faithlessness.'

Literal Standard Version
for they have taken of their daughters to them, and to their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the heads and of the seconds have been first in this trespass.”

Majority Standard Bible
Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

New American Bible
for they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, thus intermingling the holy seed with the peoples of the lands. Furthermore, the leaders and rulers have taken a prominent part in this apostasy!”

NET Bible
Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!"

New Revised Standard Version
For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials and leaders have led the way.”

New Heart English Bible
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, the hand of the officials and leaders has been foremost in this trespass."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

World English Bible
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.”

Young's Literal Translation
for they have taken of their daughters to them, and to their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the heads and of the seconds have been first in this trespass.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples
1After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” 3When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

Exodus 22:31
You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.

Deuteronomy 7:3
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

Joshua 23:12
For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,

Ezra 9:12
Now, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, leaving it as an inheritance to your sons forever.'


Treasury of Scripture

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: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.

taken of their

Ezra 10:18-44
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah…

Exodus 34:16
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4
When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; …

the holy seed

Exodus 19:6
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Exodus 22:31
And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

Deuteronomy 7:6
For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

mingled

Genesis 6:2
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Nehemiah 13:3,23,24
Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude…

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

the hand

Ezra 10:18-44
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah…

Nehemiah 13:4,17,28
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: …

Jump to Previous
Captains Chief Daughters Evil Fact Faithlessness First Foremost Hand Hands Heads Holy Indeed Itself Lands Mingled Mixed Officials Peoples Princes Race Rulers Seed Themselves Trespass Unfaithfulness Way Wives
Jump to Next
Captains Chief Daughters Evil Fact Faithlessness First Foremost Hand Hands Heads Holy Indeed Itself Lands Mingled Mixed Officials Peoples Princes Race Rulers Seed Themselves Trespass Unfaithfulness Way Wives
Ezra 9
1. Ezra mourns for the affinity of the people with strangers
5. He prays unto God, with confession of sins














Verse 2. - The holy seed. Compare Isaiah 6:13. The "seed of Israel," however much it polluted itself by transgressions, was still "holy" by profession, by call, by obligation, by prophetic announcement. They were "a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6); bound to be "separated from all the people that were on the face of the earth" (Exodus 33:16), and to keep themselves a "peculiar people." When they mingled themselves with the people of the lands, they not only broke a positive command (Deuteronomy 7:3), but did their best to frustrate God's entire purpose in respect of them, and to render all that he had done for them of no effect. The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in the trespass. "Princes and rulers" are here opposed to people of the middle and lower ranks. The upper classes, whether clerical or lay, had been the chief offenders (see Ezra 10:18); and compare the similar defection of Jews of the upper classes in Nehemiah's time (Nehemiah 6:17, 18; Nehemiah 13:4, 28). EZRA'S ASTONISHMENT AND HORROR (Ezra 9:3, 4). In Babylonia, whence Ezra had come, the inclination to intermarry with the heathen had not, it would seem, shown itself. Exiles in a foreign land naturally cling to each other under their adverse circumstances, and, moreover, being despised by those among whom they sojourn, are not readily accepted by them into social fellowship, much less into affinity and alliance. Thus the thing was to Ezra a new thing. His familiarity with the Law, and, perhaps we may add, his insight into the grounds upon which the Law upon this point was founded, caused him to view the matter as one of the gravest kind, and to feel shocked and horror-struck at what was told him respecting it. He showed his feelings with the usual openness and abandon of an Oriental: first rending both his outer and his inner garments, then tearing his hair and his beard, and finally" sitting down astonied," motionless and speechless, until the time of the evening sacrifice. Such a manifestation of horror and amazement was well calculated to impress and affect the sympathetic and ardent people over whom Providence had placed him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Indeed,
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the Israelites have taken
נָשְׂא֣וּ (nā·śə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

some of their daughters [as wives]
מִבְּנֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם (mib·bə·nō·ṯê·hem)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

for themselves
לָהֶם֙ (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

and their sons,
וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם (wə·liḇ·nê·hem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

so that the holy
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

seed
זֶ֣רַע (ze·ra‘)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

has been mixed
וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ (wə·hiṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6148: To braid, intermix, technically, to traffic, give to be security

with the people
בְּעַמֵּ֖י (bə·‘am·mê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

of the land.
הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת (hā·’ă·rā·ṣō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 776: Earth, land

And the leaders
הַשָּׂרִ֣ים (haś·śā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

and officials
וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים (wə·has·sə·ḡā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5461: A prefect of a, province

have taken the lead
וְיַ֧ד (wə·yaḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

in this
הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

unfaithfulness!”
בַּמַּ֥עַל (bam·ma·‘al)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4604: An unfaithful or treacherous act


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OT History: Ezra 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters (Ezr. Ez)
Ezra 9:1
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