Ezra 9:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Ezra grieved over this, and he went to the house of God in prayer for those who had sinned.

The Jews displayed an inclination towards foreign women, despite the clear admonition found in the law: "Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his son, neither shalt thou take his daughter for thy son: for they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods" (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). There is an extensive discussion of this matter in the writings of Ezra, which has led some to mistakenly equate Ezra with Malachi, although they are distinct individuals. An ancient Jewish tradition, noted in the Targum on Malachi, refers to the prophecy of the Lord through "Malachi, who is called by the name of Ezra the scribe," a view supported by early scholars such as Jerome and Augustine.

It has been noted that following their return from Babylon and the land of the Assyrians, the Israelites, showing little regard for divine commandments, began to marry foreign wives. This led to a situation where even the priests were led astray, treating their Israelite concubines with disrespect and sending them away, instead choosing to marry women from foreign nations, such as the Ammonites and Idumeans. The resulting defilement of Israel was significant. These foreign women did not abandon their idolatrous practices, continuing to serve other gods, and it was nearly inevitable that those who united with these corrupt partners would defile themselves and provoke the Lord.

The Lord of all called them to account for their disdain for the wives from Israel or Judah and for their sinful union with foreign daughters, a union which the law expressly forbade. Yet, it is unclear how they could overlook such a noble commandment—perhaps they were entranced by the beauty of these foreign women, succumbing to unrestrained desires, or perhaps they sought to cultivate friendships with these nations to avoid conflicts, as they were already on amicable terms and connected through marriage. Ultimately, this was an affront to God, revealing a lack of faith, as He would not deliver them from their adversaries nor grant them victory over the hostility of the foreign peoples.

The Israelites who came with Ezra were unlikely to have forsaken the teachings of such a prominent leader, taking foreign wives within just a few months of their return to their homeland. It appears that these leaders reporting to Ezra lacked the courage to denounce the wrongdoing. Thus, it is noted that while it was the entire Israelite community, including priests and Levites, that engaged in this offense, it was predominantly the offspring of Judah and Benjamin who returned first, excluding the ten tribes known as Israel. As Jerome points out, after the ten tribes were taken into captivity, both Judah and Benjamin were commonly referred to collectively as Israel. Therefore, the term Israel in this context should not be understood as exclusively referencing the ten tribes but represents the broader people of God in contrast to surrounding nations, who had tarnished their divine identity through intermingling with others. Malachi, whom many Jews equate with Ezra, condemns this misconduct in his prophetic writings, stating: "A treacherous act is performed by Judah, and a detestable thing is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. The Lord will cut off from the tents of Jacob anyone who does this, even if they present an offering to the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 2:11-12). By identifying Judah, he highlights the involvement of those who returned initially. Furthermore, his warning that the Lord will cut off “him that keepeth watch, and him that answereth” signifies that both leaders and followers were tainted by this sin, and if they did not repent, they risked exclusion from the community of the faithful. In addressing those who present sacrifices to the Lord of hosts, he cautions that such offerings are futile if they submit to sin and thereby give in to evil.