Ezra 10:22

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

And of the sons {H1121} of Pashur {H6583}; Elioenai {H454}, Maaseiah {H4641}, Ishmael {H3458}, Nethaneel {H5417}, Jozabad {H3107}, and Elasah {H501}.

Complete Jewish Bible

of the sons of Pash'chur: Elyo'einai, Ma'aseiyah, Yishma'el, N'tan'el, Yozavad and El'asah.

Berean Standard Bible

From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

American Standard Version

And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 10:22 meticulously lists six individuals from the priestly family of Pashur—Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah—who had taken foreign wives in violation of God's law. This verse is part of a comprehensive register documenting the men who participated in the painful but necessary spiritual reform initiated by Ezra, highlighting both the widespread nature of the sin of intermarriage among the returned exiles, including the priestly class, and their communal commitment to repentance and covenant fidelity.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezra 10:22 is situated within the final chapter of the book of Ezra, which details the practical implementation of the covenant made in response to the widespread sin of intermarriage. Following Ezra's profound prayer of confession and lament in [Ezra 9](/ezra/9 "Ezra 9 - Ezra's Prayer of Confession"), the people, led by Shecaniah, confessed their sin and proposed a covenant to put away their foreign wives and children ([Ezra 10:1-5](/ezra/10-1 "Ezra 10:1-5 - The People's Confession and Covenant")). Chapter 10 then describes the assembly convened to address the issue, the formation of a commission to investigate each case, and ultimately, the detailed lists of those who had committed this sin and agreed to the separation. This verse, like others in the latter half of the chapter, serves as a solemn record, underscoring the gravity of the offense and the thoroughness of the communal repentance.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Ezra 10 unfold in Jerusalem during the post-exilic period, roughly in the mid-5th century BC, after the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. The community was striving to re-establish itself as a holy nation, distinct from the surrounding pagan peoples. A central tenet of their covenant with God, reiterated throughout the Mosaic Law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage")), was the prohibition against intermarriage with foreign nations. This was not a matter of racial prejudice but a crucial safeguard against idolatry and the dilution of their unique spiritual identity as God's chosen people. The intermarriage threatened the very purity and purpose of their restoration. The family of Pashur, mentioned in this verse, was a prominent priestly lineage ([Nehemiah 11:12](/nehemiah/11-12 "Nehemiah 11:12 - Priestly Families in Jerusalem")), making their involvement in this sin particularly egregious and their subsequent repentance a powerful example for the entire community.

* **Key Themes:** This verse, and indeed the entire chapter, powerfully illustrates several key themes. The most prominent is **Radical Obedience**, as the decision to separate from foreign wives and children was an incredibly painful and socially disruptive act, yet it demonstrated a profound commitment to God's commandments, highlighting that true repentance often demands costly actions. This act was driven by the pursuit of **Spiritual Purity**, as intermarriage was seen as a direct threat to Israel's unique covenant relationship with Yahweh and a gateway to idolatry, thus jeopardizing the very purpose of their return from exile. The detailed listing of names, including those in [Ezra 10:22](/ezra/10-22 "Ezra 10:22 - Sons of Pashur with Foreign Wives"), emphasizes **Accountability and Confession**, showcasing both individual and communal responsibility for sin and the public nature of their repentance. Finally, the involvement of prominent priestly families like Pashur's underscores the theme of **Leadership by Example**, demonstrating that spiritual leaders were not exempt from the sin and were required to model adherence to God's law and repentance. Ezra's initial distress ([Ezra 9:3](/ezra/9-3 "Ezra 9:3 - Ezra's Distress")) and the subsequent covenant ([Ezra 10:3](/ezra/10-3 "Ezra 10:3 - The Covenant to Put Away Foreign Wives")) set the stage for this painful but necessary reform.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Pashur (Hebrew, _Pašḥūr_):** This name identifies a significant priestly family, descendants of Immer, who served in the Temple. Their prominence is noted in other biblical texts (e.g., [Jeremiah 20:1](/jeremiah/20-1 "Jeremiah 20:1 - Pashur, Son of Immer"), [Nehemiah 11:12](/nehemiah/11-12 "Nehemiah 11:12 - Priestly Families")). The inclusion of individuals from such a distinguished lineage underscores that the sin of intermarriage was widespread, affecting even those in positions of spiritual leadership, and that the reform required accountability from all levels of society.
* **Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, Elasah:** These are six distinct Hebrew names. While their individual meanings (e.g., Elioenai, "unto Yahweh are my eyes"; Maaseiah, "work of Yahweh") are interesting, their collective significance in this context lies in the act of being named. This public listing serves as a testament to their personal involvement in the sin and their subsequent participation in the covenant of repentance. It highlights the meticulous record-keeping and the personal, rather than merely corporate, nature of the accountability demanded by Ezra's reform.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And of the sons of Pashur;":** This phrase identifies the specific priestly clan from which the listed individuals originated. The inclusion of a prominent priestly family emphasizes that the sin of intermarriage was not confined to the general populace but had infiltrated the very spiritual leadership of Israel. Their participation in the reform was crucial for its legitimacy and impact.
* **"Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.":** This is a direct enumeration of the six men from the Pashur family who had taken foreign wives and were now committing to put them away. The act of listing names, repeated throughout [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - The Reform of Intermarriage"), underscores the personal nature of the sin and the individual accountability required. It also serves as a historical record, demonstrating the thoroughness and seriousness with which the community addressed this critical issue of covenant fidelity.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Ezra 10:22, and indeed throughout much of [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - The Reform of Intermarriage"), is the **List** or **Register**. This meticulous cataloging of names serves several purposes: it provides a historical record, emphasizing the factual nature and thoroughness of the reform; it underscores the widespread nature of the problem, demonstrating that many individuals, even from prominent families, were involved; and crucially, it highlights individual **Accountability**. Each name represents a person who had violated the covenant and was now participating in the painful act of repentance. The **Repetition** of such lists throughout the chapter reinforces the pervasive nature of the sin and the comprehensive scope of the purification process. While not a direct literary device, the act of naming also carries a symbolic weight, representing the painful but necessary act of cutting off that which compromises spiritual purity, a theme that resonates throughout the book.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 10:22, though a simple list of names, is deeply significant for its theological implications regarding covenant fidelity, holiness, and the nature of true repentance. The intermarriage with foreign peoples was not merely a social transgression but a direct violation of God's covenant commands, which were designed to preserve Israel's distinct identity as a holy people set apart for Yahweh. The painful decision to put away foreign wives and children underscores that obedience to God sometimes requires radical, costly, and personally agonizing choices. This act was a communal confession of sin and a collective commitment to restore spiritual purity, recognizing that compromise with pagan practices threatened the very existence and purpose of the restored community. It teaches us that genuine repentance involves not just sorrow for sin, but concrete actions to rectify wrong and re-align one's life with divine will, even when those actions are profoundly difficult.

* [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage") - The foundational Mosaic prohibition against intermarriage, explaining its purpose to prevent idolatry.
* [2 Corinthians 6:14](/2_corinthians/6-14 "2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do Not Be Unequally Yoked") - A New Testament principle echoing the need for spiritual separation from unrighteousness, though not in the same literal context.
* [Malachi 2:10-16](/malachi/2-10 "Malachi 2:10-16 - Condemnation of Intermarriage and Divorce") - A prophetic condemnation of intermarriage and divorce, reinforcing the seriousness of covenant breaking.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The stark reality presented in Ezra 10:22, where individuals from esteemed families are named for their sin and their costly act of repentance, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. While the specific cultural and covenantal context of intermarriage with foreign nations is unique to ancient Israel, the underlying principles are timeless. We are called to a radical obedience that prioritizes God's will above personal comfort or social norms. This often involves making difficult choices to separate from influences, relationships, or practices that compromise our spiritual integrity or dilute our commitment to Christ. True repentance is not passive; it demands active steps to turn away from sin and align our lives with God's Word, acknowledging that personal sin impacts the purity and witness of the entire community of faith. The naming of individuals in Ezra reminds us that our faith journey is both deeply personal and communally accountable, requiring each of us to guard our hearts and lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "foreign wives" or compromising influences might I need to "put away" in my own life to ensure spiritual purity and undivided devotion to God?**
* **How willing am I to make costly, painful decisions for the sake of radical obedience to God's commands?**
* **In what ways does my personal walk with God impact the spiritual health and purity of my local church community?**
* **What does true repentance look like in my life, beyond mere sorrow for sin, involving concrete actions of turning and re-alignment?**

### FAQ

**Why was intermarriage considered such a severe sin in ancient Israel?**

Answer: Intermarriage was not condemned for racial reasons, but for spiritual and theological ones. God had chosen Israel to be a distinct, holy people, a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" ([Exodus 19:6](/exodus/19-6 "Exodus 19:6 - A Kingdom of Priests")). The primary danger of intermarriage with the surrounding pagan nations was the inevitable assimilation of their idolatrous practices and the dilution of Israel's unique covenant relationship with Yahweh. As explicitly stated in [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage"), the concern was that foreign spouses would "turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods." This compromise threatened the very spiritual identity and purity of the nation, jeopardizing their purpose as God's witness to the world.

**Does Ezra 10:22 imply that God condones divorce, or that divorce is always the solution to spiritual compromise?**

Answer: This passage must be understood within its specific historical and covenantal context. The "putting away" of foreign wives was a unique, drastic measure taken in a specific post-exilic situation to rectify a widespread, systemic violation of the Mosaic covenant that threatened the very spiritual survival of the community. It was an act of corporate repentance and a re-establishment of covenant purity, not a general endorsement of divorce. The Law itself provided for divorce, but it was never God's ideal ([Malachi 2:16](/malachi/2-16 "Malachi 2:16 - God Hates Divorce")). In the New Testament, Jesus clarifies God's original intent for marriage ([Matthew 19:6](/matthew/19-6 "Matthew 19:6 - What God Has Joined Together")) and sets a higher standard for believers. The principle for Christians today, as seen in [2 Corinthians 6:14](/2_corinthians/6-14 "2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do Not Be Unequally Yoked"), is to avoid being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers, which implies that believers should marry other believers to ensure spiritual unity and support in their walk with Christ, not necessarily to dissolve existing marriages.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The painful but necessary purification described in Ezra 10:22, where the people of Israel separated themselves from defiling foreign influences to restore their covenant purity, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate work of purification accomplished by Jesus Christ. Just as Ezra led Israel to cleanse itself from spiritual compromise, Christ, our great High Priest and perfect "Ezra," came to cleanse His people from the far deeper defilement of sin itself. The separation from foreign wives symbolized the cutting off of anything that would compromise God's relationship with His chosen people. In the New Covenant, Christ achieves this spiritual purity for His bride, the Church, not through a painful physical separation from human relationships, but through His atoning sacrifice on the cross. He "loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and blameless" ([Ephesians 5:25-27](/ephesians/5-25 "Ephesians 5:25-27 - Christ's Love for the Church")). The blood of Christ cleanses our consciences from dead works to serve the living God ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - The Blood of Christ Cleanses")). Through faith in Him, we are made a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession" ([1 Peter 2:9-10](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9-10 - A Chosen People")), fulfilling the very purpose of Israel's separation and purity in a spiritual and eternal way.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.