Ezra 10:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As Ezra prayed and confessed the nation's sin with tears, a great crowd gathered and wept bitterly with him.
What Does Ezra 10:1 Mean?
Chapter 10 opens on the scene Ezra's long prayer in the previous chapter has set in motion. The scribe is not standing apart and lecturing; he lies prostrate before the temple, weeping over the people's intermarriage with the surrounding nations. His grief proves contagious. Men, women, and children stream to the place until a very great congregation has formed, all of them weeping.
One man's honest sorrow over sin became a doorway for a whole community's repentance. Ezra confessed sin that was not uniquely his own, identifying himself with the people he loved, and his tears opened theirs. True repentance is rarely cold; it touches the heart before it reforms the conduct. The same Spirit that broke a nation here still draws people together in shared sorrow that gives way to hope, and points us toward the One who would weep over Jerusalem and bear its sin Himself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezra 10:1
What does Ezra 10:1 mean?
As Ezra prayed and confessed the nation's sin with tears, a great crowd gathered and wept bitterly with him.