Report is Made to Ezra of the Marriages of Jews with the Heathen. Ezra's zeal in this matter resulted in his going beyond the requirements of the Law (cf. Deuteronomy 23:7).
Ezra 9:1. the Canaanites. Amorites: with the Gentiles here enumerated cf. Deuteronomy 7:1.
Ezra 9:2. holy seed: cf. Isaiah 61:3.
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 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.
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 princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
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 astonied.
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.