Ezra10
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.
2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
3Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.
4Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”
5Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
6Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.
7They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;
8and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.
9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.
10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.
11Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.
13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.
14Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”
15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.
20Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
38Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.
44All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezra 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Ezra encourages to reformation. (1–5). He assembles the people. (6–14). Reformation effected. (15–44).
vv1-5
Shechaniah owned the national guilt. The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease threatening, but not incurable. Now that the people begin to lament, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out; now there is hope that God will forgive, and have mercy. The sin that rightly troubles us, shall not ruin us. In melancholy times we must observe what makes for us, as well as against us. And there may be good hopes through grace, even where there is the sense of great guilt before God. The case is plain; what has been done amiss, must be undone again as far as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance. Sin must be put away, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it. What has been unjustly got, must be restored. Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better. As to being unequally yoked with unbelievers, such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made; but now they are not null, as they were before the gospel did away the separation between Jews and Gentiles.
vv6-14
There is hope concerning people, when they are convinced, not only that it is good to part with their sins, but that it is necessary; we must do it, or we are undone. So rich is the mercy, and so plenteous the redemption of God, that there is hope for the vilest who hear the gospel, and are willing to accept of free salvation. When sinners mourn for their sins, and tremble at the word of God, there is hope that they will forsake them. To affect others with godly sorrow or love to God, we must ourselves be affected. It was carefully agreed how this affair should be carried on. That which is hastily resolved on seldom proves lasting.
vv15-44
The best reformers can but do their endeavour; when the Redeemer himself shall come to Zion, he shall effectually turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And when sin is repented of and forsaken, God will forgive it; but the blood of Christ, our Sin-offering, is the only atonement which takes away our guilt. No seeming repentance or amendment will benefit those who reject Him, for self-dependence proves them still unhumbled. All the names written in the book of life, are those of penitent sinners, not of self-righteous persons, who think they have no need of repentance.
Key Words
עֶזְרָא: Ezra, an Israelite
פָּלַל: to judge (officially or mentally); by extension, to intercede, pray
יָדָה: physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)
בָּכָה: to weep; generally to bemoan
נָפַל: to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
אֱלֹהִים: 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 deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
מְאֹד: properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated)
רַב: abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
Cross References
Ezra 10Ezra's authority to reform is rooted in the Persian king's decree detailed in chapter 7.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament marital instructions contrast with the absolute nullification/separation required under the Law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The reform is initiated by those who 'tremble' at the word of God, echoing Isaiah's description.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The guilty priests offer a ram as a trespass offering in accordance with Levitical law.
Supported by JFB
Proverbs warns against being joined to 'strange' women, the very transgression examined here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ezra's public confession and weeping parallel Daniel's model of corporate confession.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Mosaic Law explicitly forbade marrying Canaanite/idolatrous women.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The assembly is composed of those who trembled at God's words in the previous chapter.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Nehemiah addresses the recurring, deeply-rooted crisis of intermarriage with foreign wives.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The returned community later enters a solemn covenant oath to put away foreign wives.
Supported by JFB
The holy seed, specifically including priests and rulers, had mingled themselves with foreign peoples.
Supported by JFB
Giving/pledging their hands was an established cultural gesture of submitting and swearing fidelity.
Supported by JFB
Johanan/Jehohanan and Eliashib are prominent figures in the high-priestly lineage.
Supported by JFB
Forfeited property ('devoted') was permanently dedicated to the Lord under Levitical law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates the heavy, cold winter rains characteristic of the region during the ninth month.
Supported by JFB
Shechaniah's own relatives from the line of Elam are listed among the offenders.
Supported by Matthew Poole