We have been considering. the grace and-mercy of God as shown in the chapter preceding, but here a different subject,—the failure of man in responsibility, that too, not as in earlier, brighter days when there was kingly power, nor in the later painful, Humbling story of Israel and Judah which had not been written.
In the face of God's written Word, committed to their forefathers by Moses, and neglecting to profit from the sad history the nation had made for itself, even at this hour, they were captives because of their sins, and only as a remnant permitted to return to the land of promise, these enlightened. and responsible souls had mingled with the idolatrous world around them, and intermarried with the worshipers of false gods.
Ezra was overwhelmed at the news brought to him. Others too were concerned over the unfaithfulness of those who had been carried away, and everyone who trembled: at the words of the God of Israel, was soon, assembled to Ezra.
After hours spent in silent grief, Ezra fell on his knees in fervent prayer, confessing the: sin of the people, as one of themselves, though we have no reason to suppose that he was himself guilty. To him it was as in Joshua’s day, when God saw and the sin of Achan (Joshua 7:1111Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. (Joshua 7:11)) "Israel hath sinned"; and like Daniel (chapter 9), he took part of the guilt of the nation. People, priests, and Levites were all involved., and the princes and rulers had been leaders in the wrong doing,