Ezra 9:4-5

9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God.


tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”

tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.