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.

EZRA 10:1KJV
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Ezra 10:1 (KJV)

What does Ezra 10:1 mean?

Ezra 10:1 shows a private-looking act of grief becoming a public gathering. Ezra’s prayer and admission of wrong take place at God’s house, and a large group of Israelites joins him there in deep sorrow.

After Ezra’s prayer in the previous chapter, the story turns from his words to the people around him. Ezra casts himself down before the house of God, a visible sign of distress. The gathering includes men, women, and children, so the scene reaches across the community.

The Hebrew behind Ezra 10:1

  • “confessed” — יָדָה (yadah): Here the word carries the sense of acknowledging wrongdoing. Ezra’s prayer is not only an expression of grief; it includes an open admission of wrong.
  • “casting himself down” — נָפַל (naphal): The word means to fall or fall down. It gives the picture of Ezra lowering himself to the ground before God’s house.
  • “congregation” — קָהָל (qahal): The word means an assembly or gathered group. Here it describes the crowd that comes together around Ezra, rather than a building or a regular service.

Why Ezra 10:1 matters

  • The sorrow is shared beyond Ezra himself. The verse names men, women, and children, then says that “the people wept very sore.”
  • The gathering sets the stage for a public response. In the next verse, Shechaniah speaks to Ezra about the wrong involving marriages to foreign women and offers a way forward.
  • The scene takes place before God’s house. Ezra’s position gives the gathering a public setting at the place where the people worshiped.

Where else these words appear

“Ezra” Hebrew H5830 · used in 22 verses

  • Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
  • Ezra 10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
  • Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

“children” Hebrew H3206 · used in 76 verses

  • Genesis 4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
  • Exodus 21:4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
  • 2 Chronicles 10:10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

“prayed” Hebrew H6419 · used in 82 verses

  • Genesis 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
  • 1 Kings 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
  • Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

“weeping” Hebrew H1058 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
  • Judges 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
  • Esther 8:3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.