John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping , etc.] Had confessed the sins of the people in prayer and supplication, with many tears: and casting himself down before the house of God ; in the outward court before the temple, his face turned towards it, where he lay prostrate: there assembled to him out of Israel 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 great 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 for their sins.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Shechaniah owned the national guilt. The case is sad, but it is no desperate; the disease threatening, but not incurable. Now that the people begin to lament, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out now there is hope that God will forgive, and have mercy. The sin tha rightly troubles us, shall not ruin us. In melancholy times we mus observe what makes for us, as well as against us. And there may be goo hopes through grace, even where there is the sense of great guil before God. The case is plain; what has been done amiss, must be undon again as far as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance Sin must be put away, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it. What has been unjustly got, must be restored. Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better As to being unequally yoked with unbelievers, such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made; but now they are no null, as they were before the gospel did away the separation betwee Jews and Gentiles.
Original Hebrew וכהתפלל6419 עזרא5830 וכהתודתו3034 בכה1058 ומתנפל5307 לפני6440 בית1004 האלהים430 נקבצו6908 אליו413 מישׂראל3478 קהל6951 רב7227 מאד3966 אנשׁים582 ונשׁים802 וילדים3206 כי3588 בכו1058 העם5971 הרבה7235 בכה׃1059
