Ezra 10:9-11

9 Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.

10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.

11 Now honor^[a] the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”

Ezra 10:9-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 10

Upon Ezra's prayer and confession, it was proposed by Shechaniah, that those who had married strange wives should put them away with their children, which they swore to do, Ezr 10:1-5, and proclamation was made throughout the land for all to meet at Jerusalem in three days' time, and accordingly they did, Ezr 10:6-9 when, at the exhortation of Ezra, all agreed to it, and persons were appointed to see it done, and the work was finished in the space of three months, Ezr 10:10-17 and a list of the names of those is given who had married such wives, and now put them away; of the priests, Ezr 10:18-22, of the Levites, Ezr 10:23,24, of the other Israelites, Ezr 10:24-44.

Cross References

• 1. S Ezra 1:5
• 2. Ezra 7:21
• 3. 2 Chronicles 28:13
• 4. ver 3; S Deuteronomy 24:1; Nehemiah 9:2; Malachi 2:10-16

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Now make confession to"