Ezra 10:3

3 Now then let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise:

Ezra 10:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 10:3

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God
Renew our covenant with him, and lay ourselves under fresh obligation by promise and oath, and unanimously agree

to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them;
he means all the strange wives, such marriages being unlawful; and such wives might the more easily be put away, since bills of divorce were in frequent use with the Jews, and the children of such also being illegitimate; and the rather they were to be put away, lest they should corrupt other children, or get into the affections of their fathers, which might lead on to receive their mothers again, and especially this was to be done as a punishment of their sin: though no doubt but a provision was to be made, and was made, for the maintenance both of wives and children:

according to the counsel of my Lord;
either of Ezra, whom he honours with this title, being a ruler under the king of Persia; or of the Lord God, according to his will declared in his words, which is his counsel:

and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God;
feared to break it, and dreaded the effect of such a breach; and who no doubt would follow the counsel of the Lord, and join in their advice to act according to the proposal made:

and let it be done according to the law;
as that directs in such cases.

Ezra 10:3 In-Context

1 So when Esdras prayed, and when he confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel came together to him, men and women and youths; for the people wept, and wept aloud.

2 And Sechenias the son of Jeel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Esdras, We have broken covenant with our God, and have taken strange wives of the nations of the land: yet now there is patience to Israel concerning this thing.

3 Now then let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise:

4 arise, and alarm them with the commands of our God; and let be done according to the law. Rise up, for the matter upon thee; and we with thee: be strong and do.

5 Then Esdras arose, and caused the rulers, the priests, and Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word: and they swore.