And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezra marvels that God has "punished us less than our iniquities deserve," highlighting a profound truth: God's mercy often holds back the full weight of our sin's consequences, leaving a "remnant"—a sliver of hope—even when we deserve utter destruction. This mercy isn't a license to sin, but a powerful testament to God's enduring grace that should inspire awe, not presumption.
And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezra is confessing a serious sin: the Israelites who have returned from exile are intermarrying with the local Canaanite peoples, directly disobeying God's commands. He acknowledges that God has been merciful, punishing them less than their many wrongdoings deserve and allowing a remnant to survive and return to Jerusalem. This verse sets the stage for Ezra's plea that God not completely abandon them now, even though they've added this new sin to their record.
We've all messed up, right? But have you ever considered that God's discipline might be less than you truly deserve? Ezra grapples with this profound idea.
Ezra is overwhelmed by God's incredible restraint. He acknowledges the severe hardships his people have faced—exile, loss, and distress—as a direct consequence of their 'evil deeds' and 'great guilt.' Yet, he confesses that these punishments, harsh as they were, haven't reached the full measure of what their sins warranted. This isn't about minimizing sin, but about marveling at God's sovereign decision to withhold complete destruction. It's a recognition that even when God justly punishes, His mercy often means the penalty is not as severe as our sin deserves.
After immense failure and facing deserved judgment, Ezra marvels at something incredible: a 'remnant.' What does this fragile survival truly signify?
The concept of a 'remnant' is central here. Despite their repeated unfaithfulness, God hasn't wiped out His people entirely. He has allowed a 'remnant'—a small group—to survive and return. Ezra sees this not as a reward for their goodness, but as an astonishing act of grace following severe judgment. This deliverance is proof that God's covenant faithfulness, though tested, endures. It's a lifeline thrown to those who deserved to be lost, highlighting God's persistent love and His long-term redemptive plan, even when His people falter.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A breach of the covenant, a moral failure, or a deliberate act of rebellion against God's known standards. It denotes actions that are ethically and spiritually wrong in the eyes of God.
ashmah · Hebrew Noun
The objective state of having violated the law of God, incurring a debt or status of condemnation that requires atonement. It involves both the act of wrongdoing and the resulting accountability.
peletah · Hebrew Noun
A relatively small group of people who survive a judgment or disaster, preserved by the grace of God to carry on His purposes. It serves as a testimony to God's faithfulness despite His judgment.
Ezra's prayer reflects the deep shame and desperation of the returned exiles, who, after suffering devastating consequences for past disobedience and then being shown mercy through restoration, were falling into the same sins, particularly intermarriage with surrounding peoples, which had led to their downfall.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites and scattering of the population.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Southern Kingdom of Judah is conquered by the Babylonian Empire, its capital Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed, and a large portion of the population is exiled.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, conquers Babylon, which leads to a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, the Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed, marking a significant step in the restoration of Jewish worship and community.
c. 458 BC— this verse
Ezra's Return to Jerusalem
Ezra, a scribe and priest, leads a group of exiles back to Jerusalem. He discovers widespread intermarriage between the returned Jewish men and non-Jewish women, which he views as a grave violation of God's law.
This Psalm echoes Ezra's sentiment, declaring that God does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities, highlighting God's merciful restraint even in the face of persistent sin.
Isaiah 5:4This prophetic passage from Isaiah is a direct parallel to Ezra's contemplation, questioning what more God could have done for His vineyard (Israel) that He hasn't done, underscoring the frustration of unreciprocated grace and the inevitable consequences of continued disobedience.
Luke 13:8-9Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree, which is given another year to bear fruit after its initial barrenness, to illustrate God's patience and the opportunity for repentance. This connects with Ezra's awe at God's continued provision and mercy despite Israel's unfaithfulness.
Romans 2:4Paul reflects on the 'richness of God's kindness, tolerance, and patience,' noting that it is this goodness that leads people to repentance. Ezra's prayer reveals a similar astonishment at God's enduring kindness, which should inspire genuine remorse.
Lamentations 3:22The book of Lamentations, born from national catastrophe, proclaims 'The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.' This resonates deeply with Ezra's confession of God's punishment being less than deserved and His continued mercy in preserving a remnant.
clarkeEzra 9:13: "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 us less than our iniquities - Great, numerous, and oppressive as our calamities have been, yet merely as temporal punishments, they have been much less than our provocations have deserved.
barnesEzra 9:13: "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;"
Deliverance - Or, "remnant," as in Ezra 9:8 .
Ezra marvels that God has "punished us less than our iniquities deserve," highlighting a profound truth: God's mercy often holds back the full weight of our sin's consequences, leaving a "remnant"—a sliver of hope—even when we deserve utter destruction. This mercy isn't a license to sin, but a powerful testament to God's enduring grace that should inspire awe, not presumption.
Ezra is confessing a serious sin: the Israelites who have returned from exile are intermarrying with the local Canaanite peoples, directly disobeying God's commands. He acknowledges that God has been merciful, punishing them less than their many wrongdoings deserve and allowing a remnant to survive and return to Jerusalem. This verse sets the stage for Ezra's plea that God not completely abandon them now, even though they've added this new sin to their record.
Ezra is confessing a serious sin: the Israelites who have returned from exile are intermarrying with the local Canaanite peoples, directly disobeying God's commands. He acknowledges that God has been merciful, punishing them less than their many wrongdoings deserve and allowing a remnant to survive and return to Jerusalem. This verse sets the stage for Ezra's plea that God not completely abandon them now, even though they've added this new sin to their record.
"And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this," — Ezra marvels that God has "punished us less than our iniquities deserve," highlighting a profound truth: God's mercy often holds back the full weight of our sin's consequences, leaving a "remnant"—a…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026