Ezra 10:5

5 So Ezra got up. He made the leading priests and Levites and all of the people of Israel take an oath. He made them promise they would do what Shecaniah had suggested. And they took the oath.

Ezra 10:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 10:5

Then arose Ezra
From the ground where he lay:

and made the chief priests, and the Levites, and all Israel, to swear
that they should do according to this word:
he took an oath of all that were present to do what was proposed, namely, to put away strange wives and their children:

and they sware;
by means of which they were kept to their word of promise, an oath being a solemn, sacred, thing.

Ezra 10:5 In-Context

3 So let's make a covenant in the sight of our God. Let's promise to send away all of those women and their children. That's what you have advised us to do. Those who respect our God's commands have given us the same advice. We want to do what the Law says.

4 "Get up, Ezra. This matter is in your hands. Do what you need to. We will be behind you all the way. Be brave and do it."

5 So Ezra got up. He made the leading priests and Levites and all of the people of Israel take an oath. He made them promise they would do what Shecaniah had suggested. And they took the oath.

6 Then Ezra left the house of God. He went to Jehohanan's room. Jehohanan was the son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he didn't eat any food. He didn't drink any water. That's because he was filled with sadness. He sobbed because the people weren't faithful to the LORD's commands. Those people were the ones who had returned from Babylonia.

7 Then an announcement was sent all through Judah and Jerusalem. All those who had returned were told to gather together in Jerusalem.