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NASB | Ezra 9:2 "For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ezra 9:2 "For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, the officials and chief men have been foremost in this unfaithful act and direct violation [of God's will]." [Deut 7:3, 4] |
Subject: Intermarriage |
Bible Note: ischus, I am not sure I agree with your conclusions about Ezra. I think what was being dealt with there is more what we would call nationality than race as we understand it today. And in those days, nation and religion usually went together, even as it still does in some places today. Below is a brief quote from the NAB's introduction to Ezra. "Ezra is sometimes accused of having been a mere legalist who gave excessive attention to the letter of the law. His work, however, should be seen and judged within a specific historical context. He gave to his people a cohesion and spiritual unity which prevented the disintegration of the small Jewish community. Had it not been for the intransigence of Ezra and of those who adopted his ideal, it is doubtful that Judaism would have so effectively resisted Hellenism, then or in later centuries. Ezra set the tone of the postexilic community, and it was characterized by fidelity to the Torah, Judaism's authentic way of life. It is in this light that we can judge most fairly the work of Ezra during the Restoration." Now, for a more nuanced commentary on a somewhat related issue; the bad blood between the Samaritans and Jews, the genesis of which is discussed in Ezra 4, see two previous posts that addresse this in the context of a commentary on John 4:1-42 where Jesus meets with the Samaritan woman at the well. See posts #: 79414 and 79415. Type each number into the Quick Search box to the upper right of the screen to access them. Emmaus |