King James Version

What Does Ezra 9:15 Mean?

Ezra 9:15 in the King James Version says “O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in ou...” — study this verse from Ezra chapter 9 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.”

Ezra 9:15 · KJV

Context

13

And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; hast punished: Heb. hast withheld beneath our iniquities

14

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?

15

O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

Read Ezra 9 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Ezra concludes his prayer with confession of God's righteousness: 'O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous.' This acknowledgment is crucial—even while appealing for mercy, Ezra affirms God's just character. The phrase 'we remain yet escaped, as it is this day' emphasizes that their continued existence is grace, not entitlement. The corporate confession 'behold, we are before thee in our trespasses' pictures standing in God's presence as guilty defendants. The final acknowledgment 'we cannot stand before thee because of this' uses legal terminology—they have no case, no defense, no righteousness to plead. This is thoroughly Reformed theology: total inability, complete guilt before holy God, and appeal to mercy alone. Ezra doesn't bargain or make excuses—he simply confesses truth and throws the community on God's mercy.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ezra's prayer contains no petition—only confession and acknowledgment of God's character. This is striking compared to typical ancient Near Eastern prayers that petition and negotiate with deities. Ezra's approach reflects biblical theology that genuine repentance precedes petition. The prayer's public nature (Ezra 10:1 describes 'very great congregation' weeping with him) created crisis that led to corporate repentance. The absence of explicit petition also demonstrates that Ezra trusted God to respond appropriately to genuine confession—he didn't need to tell God what to do. This prayer became a model for later Jewish penitential prayers.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does confessing God's righteousness while acknowledging personal guilt demonstrate proper theology and spirituality?
  2. What role does recognition of total inability and guilt play in genuine repentance?
  3. In what ways can church leaders model prayer that emphasizes confession and God's character over petition and demands?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
יְהוָ֞ה1 of 19

“O LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהֵ֤י2 of 19

“God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

יִשְׂרָאֵל֙3 of 19

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

צַדִּ֣יק4 of 19

“thou art righteous”

H6662

just

אַ֔תָּה5 of 19
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

כִּֽי6 of 19
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

נִשְׁאַ֥רְנוּ7 of 19

“for we remain”

H7604

properly, to swell up, i.e., be (causatively, make) redundant

פְלֵיטָ֖ה8 of 19

“yet escaped”

H6413

deliverance; concretely, an escaped portion

כְּהַיּ֣וֹם9 of 19

“as it is this day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

הַזֶּ֑ה10 of 19
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

הִנְנ֤וּ11 of 19
H2005

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

לְפָנֶ֖יךָ12 of 19

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

בְּאַשְׁמָתֵ֔ינוּ13 of 19

“thee in our trespasses”

H819

guiltiness, a fault, the presentation of a sin-offering

כִּ֣י14 of 19
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

אֵ֥ין15 of 19
H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

לַֽעֲמ֛וֹד16 of 19

“for we cannot stand”

H5975

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

לְפָנֶ֖יךָ17 of 19

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

עַל18 of 19
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

זֹֽאת׃19 of 19
H2063

this (often used adverb)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 9:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 9:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 130:3John 8:24John 8:21Romans 3:19Zechariah 3:3-4Romans 10:3

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