John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And at the evening sacrifice I rose up from my heaviness , etc.] The signs and tokens of it, particularly sitting on the ground; or “from my fasting” f97 , having eaten nothing that day, it being early in the morning when he was told the above case: and having rent my garment and my mantle ; which he had done before, and still kept them on him in the same case: fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God ; in the posture and with the gesture of an humble supplicant.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-15 - The sacrifice, especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the blessed Lamb of God, who in the evening of the world, was to take awa sin by the sacrifice of himself. Ezra's address is a peniten confession of sin, the sin of his people. But let this be the comfor of true penitents, that though their sins reach to the heavens, God' mercy is in the heavens. Ezra, speaking of sin, speaks as one muc ashamed. Holy shame is as necessary in true repentance as holy sorrow Ezra speaks as much amazed. The discoveries of guilt cause amazement the more we think of sin, the worse it looks. Say, God be merciful to me sinner. Ezra speaks as one much afraid. There is not a surer of saddler presage of ruin, than turning to sin, after great judgments and great deliverances. Every one in the church of God, has to wonde that he has not wearied out the Lord's patience, and brough destruction upon himself. What then must be the case of the ungodly But though the true penitent has nothing to plead in his own behalf the heavenly Advocate pleads most powerfully for him _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew ובמנחת4503 הערב6153 קמתי6965 מתעניתי8589 ובקרעי7167 בגדי899 ומעילי4598 ואכרעה3766 על5921 ברכי1290 ואפרשׂה6566 כפי3709 אל413 יהוה3068 אלהי׃430
