Ezra 10:26

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

And of the sons {H1121} of Elam {H5867}; Mattaniah {H4983}, Zechariah {H2148}, and Jehiel {H3171}, and Abdi {H5660}, and Jeremoth {H3406}, and Eliah {H452}.

Complete Jewish Bible

of the descendants of 'Eilam: Mattanyah, Z'kharyah, Yechi'el, 'Avdi, Yeremot and Eliyah;

Berean Standard Bible

From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

American Standard Version

And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 10:26 meticulously records the names of six men from the "sons of Elam" who had taken foreign wives, a practice strictly forbidden by God's Law. This verse is part of a larger, solemn register in Ezra 10, documenting the individuals who, in a profound act of national repentance and obedience, confessed their sin of intermarriage and committed to severing these unholy alliances. It highlights the deeply personal and communal cost of spiritual purification in post-exilic Judah, underscoring the gravity of their covenant with God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezra 10:26 is embedded within the climactic narrative of repentance and reform that dominates the final chapter of the book of Ezra. Following Ezra's profound prayer of confession and lament in [Ezra 9](/ezra/9 "Ezra 9 - Ezra's Prayer of Confession"), the people, moved by his anguish, resolve to make a covenant with God to put away their foreign wives and children (e.g., [Ezra 10:3](/ezra/10-3 "Ezra 10:3 - The Covenant to Put Away Foreign Wives")). This resolution leads to the establishment of a judicial process to investigate and address the widespread intermarriage. Verses [Ezra 10:18-44](/ezra/10-18 "Ezra 10:18-44 - List of Those Who Intermarried") then provide an exhaustive and somber list of the men who were found guilty of this transgression, organized by their family lines. Our specific verse, [Ezra 10:26](/ezra/10-26 "Ezra 10:26 - Sons of Elam"), contributes to this detailed roster, emphasizing the thoroughness of the reform and the extent of the problem within the community. The inclusion of specific names underscores the personal accountability and the public nature of their repentance.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Ezra 10 unfold in Jerusalem during the post-exilic period, likely around 458 BC, following the return of a significant group of Jewish exiles from Babylon under Ezra's leadership. The Jewish community had only recently re-established itself in Judah after seventy years of captivity, a punishment largely attributed to their ancestors' idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. The command against intermarriage with pagan nations was ancient and foundational, articulated clearly in texts like [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition Against Intermarriage"), because such unions invariably led to syncretism, idolatry, and the dilution of Israel's unique identity as God's chosen people. In the precarious post-exilic era, maintaining this distinct identity and spiritual purity was paramount for the survival of the covenant community and the preservation of their faith. The surrounding nations, with their polytheistic practices and different moral codes, posed a constant threat to the spiritual integrity of the fragile Jewish remnant.
* **Key Themes:** The listing of names in [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - The Reform of Intermarriage") and specifically in [Ezra 10:26](/ezra/10-26 "Ezra 10:26 - Sons of Elam") powerfully reinforces several key themes central to the book of Ezra and the broader Old Testament narrative. First, **Obedience to God's Law** is paramount; the people's willingness to undertake such a painful separation demonstrates a renewed commitment to the Torah, even when it demands immense personal sacrifice. Second, **Spiritual Purity and Separation** from pagan influences is highlighted as essential for the covenant community's survival and spiritual health, reflecting God's desire for a holy people (e.g., [Leviticus 11:44](/leviticus/11-44 "Leviticus 11:44 - Be Holy, For I Am Holy")). Third, the narrative underscores the theme of **Repentance and Restoration**, showing that genuine repentance involves not just sorrow but concrete actions to rectify sin and restore right relationship with God. Finally, the communal nature of the sin and the public listing of names emphasize **Community Accountability and Corporate Responsibility**, illustrating that the spiritual well-being of the whole body is dependent on the faithfulness of its individual members, as seen in the communal confession in [Ezra 9:6-7](/ezra/9-6 "Ezra 9:6-7 - Corporate Confession of Sin").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Elam (Hebrew, _‘Êlām'_):** This refers to a specific tribal or family line within the Jewish community that had returned from Babylonian exile. The "sons of Elam" indicates a distinct clan or ancestral group. Its inclusion here signifies that the problem of intermarriage was not isolated but pervasive, affecting various established families within the returning remnant, and that the reform was systematically applied across these family units.
* **Mattaniah (Hebrew, _Mattanyāh'_):** Meaning "gift of Yahweh" or "gift of the Lord." This is a common Hebrew name, appearing multiple times in the Old Testament. The irony here is that a man bearing a name signifying God's gift was involved in a practice that defiled the covenant relationship with that very God. The inclusion of such a name emphasizes that even those with seemingly pious names were caught in this transgression, highlighting the depth of the spiritual compromise.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And of the sons of Elam;":** This phrase serves as a heading, identifying the specific family or clan from which the following individuals originated. It structures the list of offenders by their ancestral lineage, indicating the organized and thorough nature of the investigation and the subsequent record-keeping. This detail emphasizes that the problem of intermarriage was not random but affected specific, identifiable segments of the community.
* **"Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.":** This is a simple enumeration of six male names. Each name represents an individual who had taken a foreign wife and was now publicly identified as part of the group committing to the painful act of separation. The listing of names, rather than a general statement, lends a sense of solemnity, accountability, and historical precision to the record, making the repentance concrete and personal for each man involved.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Ezra 10:26, and indeed throughout the entire list in Ezra 10:18-44, is **Enumeration** or **Cataloguing**. The meticulous listing of names serves to underscore the pervasive nature of the sin of intermarriage and the thoroughness of the community's response. This detailed enumeration transforms an abstract problem into a concrete reality, demonstrating the painful but necessary extent of the reform. It also functions as a form of **Public Record**, serving as a testament to the community's corporate repentance and commitment to covenant fidelity. The very act of naming each individual emphasizes **Accountability**, ensuring that no one's transgression or subsequent act of obedience went unacknowledged. The names themselves, many of which are theophoric (containing a divine element, like "Yah" for Yahweh), create a subtle **Irony**, as individuals bearing names that honor God were found to be in direct violation of His commands.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 10:26, as part of the larger Ezra 10 narrative, profoundly illustrates the Old Testament emphasis on covenant fidelity and the sanctity of Israel's distinct identity. The drastic action of putting away foreign wives, while culturally specific to ancient Israel's unique role as a holy nation, underscores a timeless theological principle: God demands holiness and separation from anything that compromises one's relationship with Him. This event serves as a stark reminder that true repentance often requires painful, costly actions that align one's life with God's revealed will, prioritizing divine commands over personal comfort or societal norms. It highlights the corporate dimension of sin and repentance, where the actions of individuals impact the spiritual well-being of the entire community, and collective action is necessary for corporate restoration.

* [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition Against Intermarriage")
* [Nehemiah 13:23-27](/nehemiah/13-23 "Nehemiah 13:23-27 - Nehemiah's Action Against Intermarriage")
* [Malachi 2:11-12](/malachi/2-11 "Malachi 2:11-12 - God Hates Divorce and Intermarriage")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The stark record of Ezra 10:26, listing men who put away their foreign wives, confronts us with the challenging demands of true obedience and the profound cost of spiritual purity. While the specific command against intermarriage was unique to ancient Israel's covenant identity, the underlying principles resonate deeply with the Christian call to holiness. We are challenged to examine areas in our lives where compromise with worldly values or ungodly influences might be subtly eroding our spiritual integrity. This verse calls us to a radical commitment to God's Word, even when it requires us to make difficult, counter-cultural choices that may involve personal pain or sacrifice. It reminds us that genuine repentance is not merely an emotional feeling but a decisive turning away from sin, often requiring tangible actions to align our lives with Christ's Lordship. Our spiritual health, both individually and corporately, depends on our willingness to separate ourselves from anything that would defile our devotion to God and compromise our witness in the world.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "foreign alliances" or compromises with worldly values might be subtly eroding my spiritual purity today?**
* **In what areas of my life am I being called to a deeper level of obedience that might require significant personal sacrifice?**
* **How does my commitment to God's holiness impact my relationships, choices, and priorities?**
* **What concrete steps can I take to demonstrate genuine repentance and a renewed commitment to Christ's Lordship in my life?**

### FAQ

**Why was intermarriage such a serious sin for the Israelites?**

Answer: For ancient Israel, intermarriage with people from surrounding pagan nations was strictly forbidden by God's Law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition Against Intermarriage")) primarily because it posed an existential threat to their spiritual identity and covenant relationship with Yahweh. These foreign wives would inevitably introduce their idolatrous practices and gods into Israelite homes, leading the Israelites away from the worship of the one true God. This spiritual defilement had historically been a major cause of Israel's apostasy and subsequent divine judgment, including the Babylonian exile from which they had just returned. In the post-exilic period, maintaining spiritual purity was crucial for the survival and distinctiveness of the fragile Jewish remnant.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezra 10:26 details a specific act of Old Covenant obedience and purification, it points forward to the ultimate and perfect separation achieved through Christ. The painful putting away of foreign wives foreshadows the radical call of the New Covenant to separate from the "world" not by physical divorce, but by spiritual transformation and allegiance to Christ alone. Jesus himself calls for a similar radical commitment, stating that those who would follow Him must [deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him](/matthew/16-24 "Matthew 16:24 - Take Up Your Cross"). The New Testament church is called to be a holy people, set apart for God, not unequally yoked with unbelievers (as seen in [2 Corinthians 6:14-18](/2_corinthians/6-14 "2 Corinthians 6:14-18 - Do Not Be Unequally Yoked")), but rather to live as lights in the darkness, reflecting the purity of Christ. Ultimately, Christ is the true "temple" in whom God dwells, and through His sacrifice, He provides the means for radical cleansing and reconciliation, making us a holy people, a spiritual house built on Him (as described in [1 Peter 2:5](/1_peter/2-5 "1 Peter 2:5 - A Spiritual House")). The painful separation in Ezra points to the joyous reality that in Christ, we are made truly pure and united to God, no longer needing to physically separate from specific people groups, but spiritually separating from sin and the world's system to live for Him who bought us with His precious blood (as in [1 Peter 1:18-19](/1_peter/1-18 "1 Peter 1:18-19 - Redeemed by Christ's Blood")).

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.