Ezra 9:8

Ezr 9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shewed] from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

Ver. 8. And now for a little space] Heb. point, or moment of time. God let loose his hand for a while, and gave them some little liberty, to make them instances of his mercy who had been objects of his wrath; but nothing would mend them and make them better.

And to give us a nail] That is, some settlement, some subject of hope, and support of faith. He seemeth to allude to such nails as wherewith they fastened their tents to the ground (Jael drove one of those tent nails through Sisera’s temples, and laid him safe enough), or else to those nails that, driven into pales, do fasten them to their rails.

That our God may lighten our eyes] i.e. cheer up our hearts, and so clear up our eyesight; which, when the spirit is dejected, grows dim, for want of spirits. Profecto oculis animus inhabitat, saith Pliny (lib. ii. cap. 32); truly so it is, that the heart dwelleth in the eye; there it sitteth and showeth itself pleased or displeased with whatsoever occurrences. And as a looking-glass is the eye of art; so is the eye the looking-glass of nature.

And give us a little reviving in our bondage] Not light only, but heat also, by the beams of his pleased countenance, which is better than life. The life of some kind of creatures is merely in the sun; in winter they lie for dead; in summer they revive. So it is with the saints; all their comfort consists in God’s grace and favour. They look unto him and are lightened, Psa 34:5; he hideth his face, and they are troubled; their breath is taken away, they die and return to their dust, Psa 104:29. These captives in Babylon lay for that time as dead and buried, Isa 26:19. God opened their graves, and caused them to come up out of their graves, and brought them to the land of Israel, Eze 37:13. For his favour is no empty favour; it is not like the winter sun, that casts a goodly countenance when it shineth, but gives little comfort and heat. He is the Father of lights, and the God of all grace and consolation, &c., he gives all things needful to life and godliness, so that to have sinned against so good a God, to kick against such tender bowels, was a further aggravation of their sin; and so it is here used and urged.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:8-9 God’s abundant grace and unfailing love should affect how people respond to him (cp. Deut 30:1-5). After all that God had done for the remnant, it was shameful that they were so ready to betray him. • the kings of Persia to treat us favorably: Babylon and Assyria had tortured and exiled their enemies (2 Kgs 17; 25), but Persia treated exiled people kindly and returned them to their homelands (see Ezra 1:1-3). • protective wall: This phrase refers to God’s presence protecting the nation of Judah, not the physical walls of Jerusalem, which were rebuilt several years later by Nehemiah.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In giving us a resting place. It is a similitude taken of them that remain still in a place, which smite nails to hang things upon, Isa. 22:23.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 8. And now for a little space] This interval in which they were returning from servitude to their own land.

Grace hath been showed] God has disposed the hearts of the Persian kings to publish edicts in our favour.

To leave us a remnant to escape] The ten tribes are gone irrecoverably into captivity; a great part even of Judah and Benjamin had continued beyond the Euphrates: so that Ezra might well say, there was but a remnant which had escaped.

A nail in his holy place] Even so much ground as to fix our tent-poles in.

May lighten our eyes] To give us a thorough knowledge of ourselves and of our highest interest, and to enable us to re-establish his worship, is the reason why God has brought us back to this place.

A little reviving] We were perishing, and our hopes were almost dead; and, because of our sins, we were sentenced to death: but God in his great mercy has given us a new trial; and he begins with little, to see if we will make a wise and faithful use of it.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. The period since the decree of Cyrus a divinely appointed respite of probation.

And now for a little space] R.V. And now for a little moment. ‘For a little moment’, as in Isa_26:20 ‘Hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast’. Ezra means that as compared with the long periods of Israel’s disobedience (Ezr_9:7), and Israel’s punishment, the interval of eighty years since Zerubbabel’s return was but a short chapter in the people’s history.

grace] The word in the Hebrew is practically always elsewhere in the O.T. rendered ‘supplication’ (e.g. 1Ki_8:30; 1Ki_8:38; 1Ki_8:52; 1Ki_9:3; Psa_6:9; Psa_55:1; Psa_119:170; Jer_36:7; Jer_37:20; Jer_38:26; Jer_42:9; Dan_9:20; 2Ch_6:19; 2Ch_6:29; 2Ch_6:35; 2Ch_6:39; 2Ch_33:13). The only possible exception is Jos_11:20 ‘That they might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favour’ (marg. Or, might not sue for favour). Here the word clearly means the favour or grace, for which the supplication is made.

to leave us a remnant to escape] A remnant to escape (p‘lêtah) (1) from the destruction of Jerusalem, as in Eze_14:22 ‘Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried forth’, (2) from the evils and degenerating influences of the captivity, as in Neh_1:3 ‘I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem’.

and to give us a nail in his holy place] R.V. marg. ‘See Isa_22:23’, ‘And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place’, referring to Eliakim. The writer makes use of a metaphor, which to us is a little obscure. The passage from Isaiah gives us the image of a nail or peg firmly fastened into a wall so that vessels could be hung from it securely. Others have derived the metaphor from camp life: upon the peg being driven into a firm soil depended the security of the tent. Cf. Isa_54:2 ‘lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes’ (or nails). In either case the nail is that which holds up or supports. Its power to do so, however strong the nail may be itself, depends upon the firmness of that into which it is driven.—‘The nail’ here is neither the Temple, as some have supposed, nor the princes and priests, but the community returned from Babylon established at Jerusalem. Upon this community depended the whole hopes of Israel. Ezra acknowledges the mercy which has permitted ‘the nail’ of the new Israel to be fixed once more in the place which God had chosen.

in his holy place] i.e. in Jerusalem, and at his Temple. The phrase occurs again in Psa_24:3 ‘Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place’? cf. Isa_60:13. That ‘holy place’ was the centre of the nation’s life, the witness to the Divine Presence. ‘The nail’ fixed there should bear any weight and resist all pressure; it was ‘the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion’ (Isa_18:7), ‘the place which the Lord shall choose’ (Deu_12:14 passim), cf. ‘the holy mountain of my God’ Dan_9:20 (16, 24), ‘the holy city’ Mat_4:5; Mat_27:53.

that our God may lighten our eyes] The period of punishment had been one of night and gloom. The new gracious period of respite had brought daylight and brightness, cf. Psa_13:3 ‘Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death’.

and give us a little reviving in our bondage] The restoration of the Jews had been a renewal of life (cf. Eze_32:1-14) out of death. Ezra says ‘a little’; for (1) the period had been short, (2) they were still subject to foreign rulers. But it was a rekindling of the vital spark—a reviving. The Hebrew word is not very common, comp. Gen_45:5 ‘God did send me before you to preserve life’ (lit. for reviving or the maintenance of life).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And now, for a little space, grace hath been showed from the Lord our God,.... It was but a small time since the Lord first began to show favour to them, so that they soon after began to revolt from him; which argued the strange propensity of their minds to that which is evil, and from which they could not be restrained by the recent goodness of God unto them:

to leave us a remnant to escape; out of captivity, from whence a small number were graciously and safely returned to their own land:

and to give us a nail in his holy place; a fixed settlement in the land of Judea, the holy land the Lord had chosen, and in the temple, the holy place sacred to his worship; or a prince of their own, Zerubbabel, to be the governor of them, under whom they might enjoy settled happiness and prosperity, see Isa 22:23,

that our God may lighten our eyes; refresh our spirits, cheer our souls, and give us light and gladness, see Sa1 14:27

and give us a little reviving in our bondage; for they were still in some degree of bondage, being in subjection, and tributaries to the kings of Persia; but yet being returned to their own land, it was as life from the dead unto them, at least it was giving them a little life, liberty, and joy.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The “little space” was above 60 years, counting from the second year of Darius Ezr 4:24, or about 80 years, counting from the first year of Cyrus Ezr 1:1. This does not seem to Ezra much in the “lifetime” of a nation.

A remnant to escape - Rather, “a remnant that has escaped.” The “remnant” is the new community that has returned from the captivity.

A nail - Compare the marginal note and reference. The metaphor is probably drawn from a tent-pin, which is driven into the earth to make the tent firm and secure.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

As a. Protestants, "for a little space, grace hath been shewed from the Lord," (Haydock) and yet we are again irritating Him! (Calmet) --- A pin, or nail, here signifies a small settlement or holding; which Esdras begs for, to preserve even a part of the people, who, by their great iniquity, had incurred the anger of God. (Challoner) --- Allusion is made to the pins which fasten down a tent, (Isaias xxxiii. 20., and liv. 2.) or hinder a ship from being carried from the shore, (Tigurin; Menochius) on which utensils are hung up, (Tournemine) referring to the magistrates, who were now of the same country. (Tirinus) (Isaias xxii. 21.) (Delrio, adag. 218.) --- Septuagint, "a support." Hebrew yathed, denotes also a walking-stick, nail, &c. (Menochius) --- Eyes, fill us with joy, in perfect security. --- Little life, free us from danger. (Calmet) --- Esdras is afraid to ask for the impunity of all, but only begs that a small part may be spared, like a nail or post from a house, which may serve to rebuild it. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Now for a little space: it is but a little while since God hath delivered and restored us, and yet we are already returned to our former sin and folly. Or thus, We have enjoyed this favour but a little while, and now we are sinning it away, and shortening our own happiness.

To leave us a remnant to escape; that by his favour many of us should escape out of captivity; whom he calls but a remnant, because the far greatest part of the Israelitish nation were yet in captivity.

To give us a nail, i.e. either,

1. A just and merciful prince of our own nation and religion; such being compared to nails or pins, as Isa 22:23. Or rather,

2. Some kind of settlement; whereas before we were tossed and removed from place to place as our masters pleased. It is a metaphor from tents, which are fastened by cords and nails, or pins. In his holy place, i.e. in this holy land, as the land of Judah is called, Zec 2:12. Or, in Jerusalem, which is called the holy city, Neh 11:1,18; Da 9:24; which is peculiarly mentioned, because of the temple, which was the nail which fastened their tents, and gave them some ground of hopes to continue in their land.

That our God may lighten our eyes, i.e. that he might revive and comfort our hearts. For as darkness is oft put for a state of sorrow and affliction, so light is put for joy and comfort.

Give us a little reviving in our bondage; for we are not quite delivered, but still wear our fetters upon us, being even here in subjection to our former lords.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Now for a little space — From the time of Cyrus. Yet in that short time not a few sorrows had befallen them.

Give us a nail in his holy place — The Hebrew for nail means a tent-pin, and is here used metaphorically for pitching one’s tent and abiding in a place. So these exiles had been permitted to return and settle in and about the holy city.

Lighten our eyes — Make them shine and sparkle with hope of returning good.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And now for a little space grace hath been showed. The "little space" must be understood relatively to the long enjoyment of Divine favour from Abraham to Zedekiah. It was a space of more than eighty years. A remnant to escape. The Hebrew has simply p"leythah, "a remnant," the "remnant" being that which had escaped the two dangers of destruction and absorption, and had returned from Babylon to Palestine. To give us a nail. "A nail" seems to mean here "a firm and sure abode," as our translators note in the margin.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A little space - It is but a little while since God hath delivered us, and yet we are already returned to our sin. A remnant - The far greatest part of the Israelitish nation were yet in captivity. A nail - Some kind of settlement; whereas before we were tossed and removed from place to place as our masters pleased. It is a metaphor from tents, which are fastened by cords and nails, or pins. Holy place - In Jerusalem, called the holy city, Neh. xi, 1, 18 Dan. ix, 24, which is peculiarly mentioned, because of the temple, which was the nail that fastened their tents and gave them some hopes of continuing in their land. To lighten - That he might revive and comfort our hearts. For as darkness is often put for a state of sorrow and affliction, so light is put for joy and comfort. In bondage - For we are not quite delivered, being even here in subjection to our former lords.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

mercy from Yahweh our God has come

God deciding to be merciful is spoken of as if mercy were a person who could move. AT: "Yahweh our God has decided to be merciful to us and" (See: Metaphor)

but has extended covenant faithfulness to us

The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be stated as "faithful" or "loyal." See how you translated a similar phrase in Esra 7:28. AT: "but he as been faithful to us" or "he has been loyal to us" (See: Abstract Nouns)

in the sight of the king of Persia

The king could not literally see the temple, but he did know about what was happening in Jerusalem. Here "sight" is a metonym for what a person knows. AT: "so that the king of Persia knows about it" (See: Metonymy)

God's house

the temple

could give us a wall of safety

The wall that keeps people safe is a metaphor for Yahweh protecting his people. AT: "could keep us safe" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

mercy

Yahweh

God

holy place

covenant faithfulness

king

Persia

house of God

Judah

Jerusalem

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And now, for a short moment temporarily.

favor Heb. תְּחִנָה, like חֲנִינָה

and to give us a peg to establish us in the land of Israel.

a peg יָתֵד, like (Isa. 22:23): “And I will thrust him like a peg (יָתֵד) in a sure place.”

a little life [as translated,] a little life.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.