1 esdras 8:92 - Then Jechonias the son of Jeelus, one of the sons of Israel, called out, and said, O Esdras, we have sinned against the Lord God, we have married strange women of the heathen of the land, and now is all Israel aloft.

Generated Verse: 1 esdras 8:92

What does "1 esdras 8:92" mean?


This verse, from 1 Esdras 8:92, is a part of the narrative describing the confession and repentance of the Israelites after returning to Jerusalem from exile. Let's break down its meaning:

"Then Jechonias the son of Jeelus, one of the sons of Israel, called out...": This introduces Jechonias, a man identified as being from the people of Israel. He is the one speaking. The act of "calling out" suggests he is speaking publicly, likely addressing a group of people or even Ezra himself.

"...and said, O Esdras, we have sinned against the Lord God...": Jechonias is addressing Ezra (also known as Esdras), a priest and scribe who played a key role in leading the Israelites in religious and social reform after their return from Babylon. He is confessing a collective sin: they, the Israelites, have sinned against God.

"...we have married strange women of the heathen of the land...": This specifies the nature of the sin. "Strange women" refers to women who are not of the Israelite faith, and "heathen of the land" refers to the non-Israelite people living in the region. Marrying these women was a violation of God's law, as it was believed to lead to idolatry and the corruption of Israelite religious identity.

"...and now is all Israel aloft.": This phrase is a bit ambiguous and its exact meaning is debated. "Aloft" in this context might mean several related things:

Exalted/Lifted Up: This is a possible translation from Greek. In this case, the verse implies that through this confession and acknowledgement of sin, Israel can now be exalted or raised up in the eyes of God.
Raised Up for Judgment: Some interpretations see "aloft" as meaning that Israel is now prominent or visible, potentially drawing God's attention for judgment. This aligns with the common theme in the Old Testament where sin leads to divine punishment.
Lofty Position of Sin: It could suggest that the whole of Israel is now elevated or standing out in their sin, meaning the sin is so great and widespread that it's impossible to ignore. They are now in a precarious position.

In essence, the verse describes a moment of public confession and repentance by an Israelite man named Jechonias. He acknowledges that the Israelites have sinned by marrying foreign women and expresses a sense of urgency or crisis about the situation, suggesting the entire nation is now elevated in their sin and thus facing significant consequences.