Ezra 10

Sending Away Foreign Wives

1 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.

2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra: "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this.

3 Let us therefore make a covenant before our God to send away all the [foreign] wives and their children, 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.

4 Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!"

5 Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath.

6 Ezra then went from the house of God, walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.^[a] He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7 They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.

8 Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions, according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth [day] of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt.

11 Therefore, make a confession to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and [your] foreign wives."

12 Then all the assembly responded with a loud voice: "Yes, we will do as you say!

13 But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don't have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn't something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter.

14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our God concerning^[b] this matter."

15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

16 The exiles did what had been proposed. Ezra the priest selected men^[c] who were family leaders, all [identified] by name, to represent^[d] their ancestral houses. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter,

17 and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Married to Foreign Wives

18 [The following] were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 They pledged^[e] to send their wives away, and being guilty, [they offered] a ram from the flock for their guilt;

20 Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer's descendants;

21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim's descendants;

22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur's descendants.

23 The Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 The singers: Eliashib. The gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 The Israelites: Parosh's descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah,^[f] and Benaiah;

26 Elam's descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;

27 Zattu's descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;

28 Bebai's descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;

29 Bani's descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;

30 Pahath-moab's descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;

31 Harim's descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;

33 Hashum's descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;

34 Bani's descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;

43 Nebo's descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All of these had married foreign women, and some of the wives had borne children.

Ezra 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Ezra encourages to reformation. (1-5) He assembles the people. (6-14) Reformation effected. (15-44)

Verses 1-5 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.

Verses 6-14 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.

Verses 15-44 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Esdras 9:2, Syr; MT, Vg read he went
• [b]. Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss read until
• [c]. 1 Esdras 9:16, Syr; MT, Vg read priest and men were selected
• [d]. Lit name, for
• [e]. Lit gave their hand
• [f]. Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 9:26 read Hashabiah

Chapter Summary

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.