Ezra 9:6 - John Trapp Complete Commentary

Bible Comments

And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

Ver. 6. And said, O my God] This was a prayer of faith, and founded upon the covenant, that beehive of heavenly honey, as one well calleth it.

I am ashamed and blush] Sin is a blushful thing, and hales shame at the heels of it, Revelation 3:17. Therefore when a man hath committed a sin, he blusheth; the blood, as it were, would cover the sin. But he is past grace that is past shame, and can blush no more than a sackbut, Illum ego periisse dico cui periit pudor (Sallust).

For our iniquities] He maketh himself a party, because he was one of the same community with them that had done that evil. He also knew himself to have a hand, if not upon the great cart ropes, set upon the lesser cords that might draw down divine vengeance upon the land. Hence he includeth himself after the example of Daniel, Daniel 9:5 .

Are increased over our head] As an overwhelming flood, Psalms 38:4. That threateneth to go over our souls too, Psalms 124:4, and to sink them in the bottomless lake, that lower most part of hell imported by that ה locale (as Hebricians note), Psalms 9:17. Hebrew Text Note

And our trespass is grown up unto the heavens] So great is our guilt, that it is gotten as high as heaven, that is, as high as may be. For beyond the moveable heavens, Aristotle (nature's best secretary) saith there is neither body, nor time, nor place, nor vacuum. See Revelation 18:5. See Trapp on " Rev 18:5 " Man's sin defileth even the very visible heavens; which must therefore be purged with the fire of the last day. Yea, it pierceth into the heaven of heavens, and maketh a loud outcry in God's ears for vengeance, Genesis 4:10; Genesis 18:20 .

Ezra 9:6

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespassb is grown up unto the heavens.