Ezra 10:1

“Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping, etc.] Had confessed the sins of the people in prayer and supplication, with many tears: and casting himself down before the house of God; in the outward court before the temple, his face turned towards it, where he lay prostrate: there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men, and women, and children; it was quickly spread abroad, both in Jerusalem and places adjacent, that such a great man, a commissioner from the king of Persia, and a priest of the Jews, was in the utmost distress, rending his garments, and plucking off his hair, and was crying and praying in a vehement manner; which brought a great…”

“EZRA REFORMS THE STRANGE MARRIAGES. (Ezra 10:1-17) Now when Ezra had prayed--As this prayer was uttered in public, while there was a general concourse of the people at the time of the evening sacrifice and as it was accompanied with all the demonstrations of poignant sorrow and anguish, it is not surprising that the spectacle of a man so respected, a priest so holy, a governor so dignified as Ezra, appearing distressed and filled with fear at the sad state of things, should produce a deep sensation; and the report of his passionate grief and expressions in the court of the temple having rapidly spread through the city, a great multitude flocked to the spot.”

“Before the house of God - i. e., in front of the temple, praying toward it 1Ki 8:30, 1 Kings 8:35; Daniel 6:10, and thus in the sight of all the people who happened at the time to be in the great court. return to 'Top of Page'”

“There assembled - The account of his grief, and publick expressions thereof in the court before the temple, being in an instant dispersed over all the city, brought a great company together. See what an happy influence the example of great ones may have upon their inferiors! Ezra 10:2”

“10:1 Ezra’s genuine mourning in response to his people’s sin moved many of them to join him.”

“when Ezra: Dan 9:3, Dan 9:4, Dan 9:20; Act 10:30 when he had: Lev 26:40, Lev 26:41; Psa 32:5; Hos 14:2; Jo1 1:8-10 weeping: Psa 119:136; Jer 9:1, Jer 13:17; Zac 12:10; Luk 19:41; Rom 9:2 before the house: Kg1 8:30, Kg1 9:3; Ch2 20:9 a very great: Deu 31:12; Ch2 20:13; Neh 10:28; Joe 2:16-18; Act 21:5 very sore: Heb. a great weeping, Jdg 2:4, Jdg 2:5; Neh 8:9 Ezra 10:2”

“The separation of the strange wives from the congregation. - Ezr 10:1-5. While Ezra was making this confession before God, a numerous assemblage gathered around him, and wept aloud. From this point onwards Ezra relates the further course of events in such wise as to cast his own person in the background, and speaks of himself in the third person. The matter of his prayer is more definitely declared by וּכהתודּתו, and his posture in prayer by וּמתנפּל בּכה, weeping and casting himself down (lying on his knees, Ezr 9:5). "Before the house of God," i.e., in the court of the temple. The confirmatory clause: for the people wept much (בכה הרבּה, a weeping in mass), furnishes the motive of so great…”