Ezra 10:19

Context

The book of Ezra chronicles the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem and the challenging process of rebuilding their community and the temple. Ezra 10 focuses on a critical crisis within the nascent community: widespread intermarriage between the returning Israelites and foreign peoples. This practice was a direct violation of God's law, specifically forbidden in Deuteronomy 7:3-4, which aimed to preserve Israel's spiritual purity and identity as God's chosen people, preventing idolatry and spiritual compromise. After Ezra's profound distress and prayer, detailed in Ezra chapter 9, the people were convicted of their sin and resolved to take drastic action. Verse 19 describes the solemn commitment made by those who had intermarried.

Key Themes

• Solemn Commitment and Repentance: The phrase "gave their hands" signifies a binding pledge or oath, demonstrating a serious and public commitment to rectify their sin. This was not a casual decision but a profound act of repentance and a vow to obey God's commands.
• Atonement for Trespass: Offering "a ram of the flock for their trespass" highlights the requirement for atonement according to Mosaic Law. This act acknowledged their guilt and sought God's forgiveness for violating His covenant. It underscores the biblical principle that sin requires a sacrifice for propitiation.
• Obedience and Purity: The drastic measure of putting away their wives (and often, as implied, their children from these unions in subsequent verses) underscores the absolute priority of obedience to God's commands and the preservation of Israel's spiritual purity. This was seen as essential for their identity and future as God's covenant people.

Linguistic Insights

The act of "giving their hands" (Hebrew: natan yad) was a common ancient Near Eastern custom signifying a solemn and binding agreement, a pledge, or a solemn oath. It was a public and tangible sign of commitment, akin to a handshake or a formal vow in modern times, indicating that they would indeed carry out their promise to put away their wives. The term "trespass" (Hebrew: 'asham) refers specifically to a guilt offering or trespass offering, a type of sacrifice prescribed in the Mosaic Law for sins that involved a violation of God's holy things or the rights of others, often requiring restitution or compensation. In this context, it was a direct violation of God's covenant with Israel. The ram was the specified animal for such an offering, as detailed in Leviticus 5:15-16.

Reflection and Application

Ezra 10:19 offers powerful lessons on the nature of true repentance and the gravity of sin, even when it involves painful personal consequences:

• The Cost of Disobedience: This verse starkly illustrates the painful consequences of disobeying God's clear commands. The people faced a deeply difficult choice, highlighting that genuine repentance often involves significant personal sacrifice and breaking from comfortable but sinful patterns that compromise one's faith.
• Serious Repentance: Their actions demonstrate that true repentance is not merely feeling sorry but involves a decisive turning away from sin and taking concrete steps to make amends and realign with God's will. Their "giving of hands" was a public vow to change their behavior and prioritize God's law.
• God's Provision for Forgiveness: Despite the severity of their sin, God provided a way for atonement through the prescribed trespass offering. This Old Testament provision foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who became our perfect atoning sacrifice for all our trespasses, offering complete forgiveness and reconciliation to God.

This commentary on Ezra 10:19 reminds us of the enduring importance of spiritual fidelity, the seriousness of compromising faith, and the transformative power of genuine repentance coupled with God's gracious provision for forgiveness.