Ezra 10:10

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

And Ezra {H5830} the priest {H3548} stood up {H6965}, and said {H559} unto them, Ye have transgressed {H4603}, and have taken {H3427} strange {H5237} wives {H802}, to increase {H3254} the trespass {H819} of Israel {H3478}.

'Ezra the cohen stood up and addressed them: "You have acted treacherously by marrying foreign women and have thus increased Isra'el's guilt.

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.

Ezra 10:10 captures a pivotal moment in the post-exilic history of Israel, where the scribe and priest Ezra confronts the people about their widespread sin of intermarriage with foreign women. This verse highlights Ezra's bold leadership and the gravity of the transgression in the eyes of God.

Context

Following their return from Babylonian captivity, the Jewish exiles were tasked with rebuilding Jerusalem and re-establishing their spiritual identity. Ezra, a devout priest and scribe, arrived in Jerusalem with a mission to teach God's law. However, upon his arrival, he discovered that many, including priests and Levites, had taken "strange wives" from the surrounding pagan nations. This practice directly violated the Mosaic Law, which had been given to preserve Israel's spiritual purity and prevent them from succumbing to idolatry. The community was in a state of spiritual compromise, and Ezra's deep anguish and prayer over this sin are recorded in Ezra 9, leading up to this public confrontation.

Key Themes

  • Covenant Transgression: Ezra directly accuses the people of "transgressing" God's covenant. The taking of "strange wives" was not merely a social misstep but a direct disobedience to God's command to remain separate from the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations, as stipulated in Deuteronomy 7:3-4.
  • Spiritual Purity and Separation: The prohibition against intermarriage was fundamental to maintaining Israel's distinct identity as God's holy people. Intermarriage often led to the adoption of foreign gods and customs, thus corrupting the worship of the one true God.
  • Corporate Responsibility: Ezra emphasizes that their actions "increase the trespass of Israel." This highlights the communal impact of individual sin. The unfaithfulness of some members jeopardized the spiritual well-being and standing of the entire nation before God.
  • Courageous Leadership: Ezra, as a spiritual leader, stands firm in confronting this pervasive sin. His willingness to speak truth to power, even when it was unpopular, is a testament to his commitment to God's law and the spiritual health of his people.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "transgressed" is ma'al (מעל), which signifies an act of unfaithfulness, betrayal, or sacrilege against God, often involving a breach of trust or a violation of sacred things. It's a strong term indicating a serious offense.
  • "Strange wives" (Hebrew: nashim nokhriyot) specifically refers to foreign, non-Israelite women, whose cultural and religious practices were considered antithetical to the worship of Yahweh. The concern was not racial but religious and spiritual purity.
  • "Trespass" (Hebrew: ashmah) implies guilt, culpability, or an offense that requires expiation. It underscores the severity of the sin and the need for a remedy to restore the people's relationship with God.

Practical Application

Ezra 10:10 serves as a powerful reminder of several timeless principles:

  • The Seriousness of Compromise: Believers today are called to be set apart for God. While the specific injunction against "strange wives" had a unique covenantal context for Israel, the principle of not being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers remains relevant for spiritual purity and avoiding practices that compromise one's faith.
  • Individual Sin, Corporate Impact: This verse illustrates how the choices of individuals can have far-reaching consequences for the entire community of faith. It calls for a sense of collective responsibility and accountability.
  • The Necessity of Confronting Sin: Spiritual leaders and believers alike are called to address sin within the community, not ignore it. This requires courage, discernment, and a commitment to God's truth, always seeking restoration and repentance.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezra 9:6

    And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

  • Matthew 23:32

    Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

  • Numbers 32:14

    And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

  • 2 Chronicles 28:13

    And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD [already], ye intend to add [more] to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Israel.

  • Joshua 22:17

    [Is] the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,

  • Joshua 22:18

    But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, [seeing] ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
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