Ezra 10:12

12 The whole community answered with a loud voice. They said, "You are right! We must do as you say.

Ezra 10:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 10:12

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice,
&c.] That they might be heard, and to show that they were willing and ready to comply with what was proposed:

as thou host said, so must we do;
being convinced of their sin, they saw it was a duty incumbent on them to put away their strange wives, and that there was a necessity of it, to avert the wrath of God from them.

Ezra 10:12 In-Context

10 Then the priest Ezra stood up. He said, "You haven't been faithful to the Lord. You have gotten married to women from other lands. So you have added to Israel's guilt.

11 Admit to the LORD that you have sinned. Tell the God of your people what you have done. Then do what he wants you to do. Separate yourselves from the nations that are around you. Send away your wives from other lands."

12 The whole community answered with a loud voice. They said, "You are right! We must do as you say.

13 But there are a lot of people here. And it's the rainy season. So we can't stand outside. Besides, this matter can't be taken care of in just a day or two. That's because we have sinned terribly by what we've done.

14 "Our officials can act for the whole community. Have everyone in our towns who has married a woman from another land come at a certain time. Tell them to come together with the elders and judges of each town. Then our God will turn his burning anger away from us concerning this whole matter."