2: ':['he ,;oJation of the Jaw was general,. (1) The rulers were involved in it. The c1Yll; the ecclesiastical. "The princes and rulers have been chief in this tresr,ass." Being in it, this could not be otherwise. Position involves responsibilities. Those who are conspicuous for station should be conspicuous for goodness. (2) The peo~le were in it. Crim_e _is contagious. Witness too o~en the tyranny and slavery of fashion. What absurdities are endured because prescribed by the leaders of fashion I How demoralising to a people is corruption in thr. court. The rulers could not reprove the people when implicated themselves. 3. The fact was in,contestable. (1) It was reported to Ezra by the princes. The representatives of David and Solomon were the princes of Judah. They had the rule over the people, and must be pre- sumed to be well informed. (2) But in this matter they cannot be mistaken, for they are themselves also in the transgression. They bear witness against themselves. Note here the power of conscience. Crime cannot be hidden for ever. The great dny of judgment will bring all deeds of darkness to the light. Consider now- Il. THE DErTH OF EzRA's GRIEF (vers. 3, 4). 1. He rent his clotlies. (1) In Parly tirne8 emotion was commonly expressed in symbolical acts. This action was expressive of deep distress of soul (Gen. xxxvii. 29, 30; Lev. x. 6; xi. 44; Judges xi. 35; Job i. 20). The rending of the heart is the idea (Joel ii. 13). (2) Ezra rent his garment. The word here rendered "garment" (i:l:ll beliged) is the common term for clothes. His rending the vestments personal t~-\im would express his per- sonal grief. The honour of God should E personal to each of ua. (3) He also rent his mantle. The term here employed (7'~t:) m'il) describes an official robe. It is used for the robe of the ephod worn by the 'high priest ; also for the kingly robe of David, and that of Saul, the skirt of which was cut off by David (1 Sam. x.xiv. 4; 1 Chron. :i.v. 27). The "mantle" in which the ghost of Samuel was seen is described by the same word (1 Sam. xxviii. 14). In Ezra's case it might be his official robe either as a priest or as a civil ruler, or both. In rending his mantle, therefore, he expressed his distress as representing the people. Religious men are the truest patriots. 2. He plucked off hi,s hair. (1) The hair of his head. As the head is the symbol of rule, so the hair of the head was regarded as a natural crown (1 Cor. xi. 7). Righteousness is the crown of our glory (2 Tim. iv. 8). Sin plucks this crown from us, and reduces us to the deepest humiliation (Neh. xiii. 25). This humiliation was expressed by Ezra. (2) The hair of his beard. This sign of manhood was regarded as a symbol of honour, and a greater insult could scarcely be given to an Oriental tl1an to pluck or cut off his beard (2 Sam. x. 5). This action of Ezra set forth how he regarded the honour of his nation to be wounded in the tenderest place by this mingling of the holy seed with the people of the land. 3. He sat down astonied. (1) The state of silent, awful desolation in which Ezra sat is not inaptly expressed by this old English word, which suggests the idea of being stunned as by thunder. He was awed by hearing as it were the rumbling of the approaching thunder of God's judgments upon a guilty people. (2) Then were assembled to him "every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel." The sympathy of a common fear brought them together, as a terrified flock would gather when the elements become sulphurous for the thunder-storm. Good men love to meet in joy ; so do they love to meet in grief. Let us admire and imitate (a) this zeal for God. This grief for his honour being outraged by sinners. (b) This purest patriotism which repents vicariously for our people.-J. A. M.
Vere. 1-4.-IJuaJJpointment and diaobedience. And now then for rest and satis- faction ! now for spmtual enjoyment I now for the continuous exercise of the soul in sacred privileges in the holy place I now for the goodly sight of a holy people walking in the commandments of the Lord blameless I Such was probably Ezra'e feeling as he first settled down in Jerusalem with the children of the captivity. It would have been natural and human for him to think thus; but if he did thus think he was mistaken. He was to be an instance of- I. DISAPPOINTMENT-the lot of the Christian workman. Hardly had he estah- lished Limself in the city of God when he found, with painful experience, that it was an earthly Jerusalem in which he had come to dwell. Zerubbabel was dead, OH. IX. 1-15.] THE BOOK OF EZRA. H7