Ezra10

Ezra 10 details the resolution of the issue of foreign wives among the returned exiles. Following Ezra's prayer and the people's confession, a covenant was made to put away these wives and their children. A commission was established to systematically investigate and resolve the matter, culminating in a list of those who had transgressed.

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Response to Ezra's Prayer and Confession

¶ Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

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 that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

Ezra Calls for a General Assembly

¶ Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

The People Agree to Systematic Reform

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.

Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.

¶ Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

The Investigation Commission Established

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

The List of Those Who Married Foreign Wives

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.

All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Study Notes for Ezra 10

Verse 1

This verse shows the immediate, widespread impact of Ezra's prayer (Ch 9), demonstrating the repentance and profound grief of the entire assembly, including women and children.

Verse 2

Shechaniah’s speech is pivotal, moving the narrative from despair to action. He acknowledges the sin but introduces the theological concept of 'hope in Israel,' suggesting that correction and repentance are still possible.

Verse 3

The covenant involves removing not only the foreign wives but also the children born of them. This drastic measure was deemed necessary to prevent assimilation and maintain the distinct religious and ethnic identity of the covenant people.

Verse 5

The requirement of an oath formalized the covenant among the leaders, ensuring accountability and commitment to the difficult task ahead.

Verse 6

Ezra’s continued mourning and fasting, even after the people agreed to repent, emphasized the severity of the transgression and the depth of his spiritual burden for the repatriated community.

Verse 8

Forfeiture of substance and separation from the congregation were severe penalties, indicating that maintaining the spiritual purity and covenant status of the community was prioritized over individual prosperity.

Verse 9

The assembly gathered in the ninth month (Kislev/December), a time of heavy rain. The difficulty of standing outside underscored the urgency and commitment of the people despite the challenging conditions.

Verse 13

The people recognized the scale of the sin was too vast for an immediate, chaotic resolution. They proposed a practical, systematic, and legal process involving appointed judges across the cities.

Verse 15

The phrase 'Only... were employed' suggests that some leaders or officials may have resisted the reform or tried to avoid involvement in this painful process.

Verse 17

The investigation took exactly three months (from the 10th month, 1st day, to the 1st month, 1st day of the new year), highlighting the methodical and thorough nature of the process undertaken by the commission.

Verse 18

The list begins with the priests, especially the family of Jeshua the High Priest. The involvement of the priestly class was particularly grievous, as they were meant to uphold the highest standards of holiness.

Verse 19

Offering a ram as a trespass offering (or guilt offering) was mandatory for sins committed against God that required atonement and formal restoration to the community’s covenant status.

Verse 44

This summary conclusion reminds the reader that the consequence of these unions was not merely legal separation but the tragic breakup of families where children were involved, emphasizing the high cost of disobedience.

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Ezra10

Response to Ezra's Prayer and Confession

Ezra Calls for a General Assembly

The People Agree to Systematic Reform

The Investigation Commission Established

The List of Those Who Married Foreign Wives

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