Ezra 10:1-8

1 Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together to him out of Yisra'el a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.

2 Shekhanyahu the son of Yechi'el, one of the sons of `Elam, answered Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Yisra'el concerning this thing.

3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the mitzvah of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

4 Arise; for the matter belongs to you, and we are with you: be of good courage, and do it.

5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the Kohanim, the Levites, and all Yisra'el, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.

6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Yehochanan the son of Elyashiv: and [when] he came there, he ate no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity.

7 They made proclamation throughout Yehudah and Yerushalayim to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Yerushalayim;

8 and that whoever didn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the Zakenim, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

Ezra 10:1-8 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.