Ezra 10:28

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

Of the sons {H1121} also of Bebai {H893}; Jehohanan {H3076}, Hananiah {H2608}, Zabbai {H2140}{H2079}, and Athlai {H6270}.

Complete Jewish Bible

of the descendants of B'vai: Y'hochanan, Hananyah, Zabai and 'Atlai;

Berean Standard Bible

From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

American Standard Version

And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 10:28 is a specific entry within a comprehensive register in Ezra chapter 10, meticulously listing men who had taken foreign wives and were now committing to put them away as part of a profound national act of repentance and purification. This verse names Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai, highlighting the pervasive nature of the intermarriage problem and the painful yet indispensable steps taken by the post-exilic Jewish community under Ezra's leadership to restore their covenant purity and distinct identity before God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezra 10:28 is situated within the latter half of Ezra chapter 10, which meticulously lists the names of men who had transgressed by taking foreign wives and subsequently agreed to divorce them. This detailed roster, spanning [Ezra 10:18-44](/ezra/10-18-44 "Ezra 10:18-44 - List of Men Who Put Away Foreign Wives"), serves as the tangible outcome of the solemn covenant made earlier in the chapter ([Ezra 10:1-17](/ezra/10-1-17 "Ezra 10:1-17 - The Covenant to Put Away Foreign Wives")), following Ezra's profound prayer of confession and lament in [Ezra 9](/ezra/9 "Ezra 9 - Ezra's Prayer of Confession"). The inclusion of specific names, like those in Ezra 10:28, underscores the personal accountability and the widespread nature of the problem, demonstrating that the reform was not merely a verbal agreement but a painful, systematic implementation of God's law to restore the community's spiritual integrity. The very act of listing these names signifies the seriousness with which the community approached this covenant renewal.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of Ezra 10 unfold during the post-exilic period, approximately 458 BC, under the spiritual leadership of Ezra the scribe and priest. The Jewish community had returned from Babylonian exile, dedicated to rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple, and re-establishing their national and religious identity. However, they faced significant internal challenges, chief among them the widespread practice of intermarriage with the surrounding pagan peoples. This practice was explicitly forbidden by the Mosaic Law, as seen in [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3-4 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage"), because it posed a severe threat to Israel's unique covenant identity, leading to idolatry, spiritual assimilation, and the potential loss of their distinctiveness as God's chosen people. The decision to "put away" these foreign wives and their children, though socially and personally devastating, was deemed a necessary, radical measure to preserve the spiritual purity and distinctiveness of the nascent covenant community.
* **Key Themes:** The verse, as an integral part of [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - Reform of Intermarriage"), contributes significantly to several major themes. Foremost is the theme of **Covenant Purity and Holiness**, emphasizing Israel's calling to be a set-apart people for God, uncorrupted by pagan influences. Intermarriage was seen as a direct violation of this sacred trust, threatening to defile the "holy seed" (cf. [Ezra 9:2](/ezra/9-2 "Ezra 9:2 - Defilement by Intermarriage")). Secondly, the chapter highlights **National Repentance and Restoration**, illustrating a corporate turning from sin, initiated by Ezra's fervent intercession and embraced by the people. The detailed listing of names, including those in [Ezra 10:28](/ezra/10-28 "Ezra 10:28 - Men Who Put Away Foreign Wives"), signifies the personal accountability within this communal act of obedience. Finally, it powerfully conveys **The Cost of Disobedience and the Necessity of Radical Obedience**, demonstrating that genuine repentance often demands painful sacrifices to realign with God's will and secure His blessing on the restored nation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **sons (Hebrew, _bên_):** This foundational Hebrew term, derived from a root meaning "to build," signifies a son as a builder of the family name. In this context, it emphasizes the familial lineage and the continuity of the community. The "sons of Bebai" points to a recognized family unit within the returned exiles, underscoring that the issue of intermarriage was not confined to a marginalized group but affected established families, making the reform a community-wide imperative.
* **Jehohanan (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôwchânân_):** Meaning "Jehovah-favored" or "Yahweh is gracious," this theophoric name incorporates the divine name "Yahweh." The presence of such a name among those who had sinned by intermarrying adds a layer of poignant irony. These individuals, whose very names proclaimed God's grace and favor, were in desperate need of that grace due to their disobedience, highlighting the ongoing tension between human failure and divine faithfulness. It serves as a reminder that even those blessed by God can fall into sin.
* **Zabbai (Hebrew, _Zabbay_):** This name is noted in Strong's as "probably by orthographical error for זַכַּי" (Zakkay, H2140), which means "pure." If indeed related to "pure," the presence of such a name among those who had defiled themselves through intermarriage creates a striking paradox. It underscores the profound spiritual impurity that had infiltrated the community, even among those whose names might have suggested a different character, thereby amplifying the necessity and urgency of Ezra's purification efforts.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Of the sons also of Bebai;":** This introductory phrase precisely identifies the familial origin of the men who follow. It connects these individuals to a known lineage within the returned exiles, emphasizing that the issue of intermarriage was widespread and affected various segments of the community, not just a few isolated cases. This detail reinforces the communal nature of the sin and the subsequent, painful act of corporate repentance, highlighting that no family was exempt from the need for purification.
* **"Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, [and] Athlai.":** These are the specific personal names of the four men from the family of Bebai who were identified as having taken foreign wives and who committed to putting them away. The meticulous listing of individual names throughout [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - Reform of Intermarriage") serves to authenticate the account, demonstrating the thoroughness of the purification process and the personal accountability of each man involved in this significant act of national repentance and covenant renewal. It transforms an abstract problem into a concrete reality, underscoring the personal cost of obedience.

#### Literary Devices
The most prominent literary device in Ezra 10:28, and indeed throughout the latter half of the chapter, is the **List**. The detailed **list** of names serves multiple crucial functions. Firstly, it provides a powerful sense of authenticity and historical veracity, indicating the painstaking effort involved in documenting the individuals who participated in this painful but necessary reform. Secondly, the sheer volume and specificity of the names, including those in [Ezra 10:28](/ezra/10-28 "Ezra 10:28 - Men Who Put Away Foreign Wives"), underscore the widespread nature of the sin of intermarriage within the post-exilic community, demonstrating that it was a deeply entrenched problem that permeated various families and social strata. Finally, the list emphasizes the principle of **personal accountability** within a communal context, highlighting that while the repentance was corporate, it required individual action and sacrifice from each man named. The **repetition** of the pattern "Of the sons of [family name]; [individual names]" throughout the list further reinforces the pervasive nature of the transgression and the systematic, comprehensive approach to its rectification, leaving no doubt about the extent of the problem or the thoroughness of the solution.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 10:28, as part of the broader narrative of national repentance, profoundly connects to the theological themes of covenant fidelity, corporate responsibility, and the nature of true holiness. The painful act of dissolving these marriages, though culturally specific to ancient Israel's unique covenant relationship with God, embodies the enduring principle that radical surgery is sometimes necessary to preserve spiritual health and identity. It underscores that loyalty to God's commands must supersede all other loyalties, even those that are deeply personal and costly. This Old Testament emphasis on ethnic and ritual purity foreshadows the New Covenant's call to spiritual purity and separation from worldly defilement, albeit with a transformed understanding of "foreignness" from an ethnic to a spiritual sense, where the focus shifts from external markers to internal transformation and alignment with Christ.

* [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3-4 "Prohibition Against Intermarriage")
* [Nehemiah 13:23-27](/nehemiah/13-23-27 "Nehemiah's Confrontation Over Intermarriage")
* [2 Corinthians 6:14](/2_corinthians/6-14 "Do Not Be Unequally Yoked")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific cultural context of Ezra 10:28—the command to put away foreign wives—is unique to ancient Israel's covenant identity, the underlying principles of spiritual purity, radical obedience, and corporate accountability remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This passage challenges us to honestly examine our own lives for areas where we might have compromised our faith, allowed worldly influences to take root, or formed "unequal yokes" that pull us away from Christ. Genuine repentance, as exemplified here, is not merely sorrow over sin but involves concrete, often painful, actions to turn away from disobedience and align fully with God's will. The meticulous listing of names also reminds us of the importance of transparency and accountability within the believing community, where we are called to support one another in pursuing holiness and righteousness, even when the path is difficult. Our commitment to God must be paramount, demanding that we prioritize His commands above all personal comforts or societal pressures, recognizing that true flourishing comes from unreserved devotion to Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be "unequally yoked" or allowing influences that compromise my spiritual purity and devotion to Christ?**
* **What difficult, costly steps might genuine repentance require of me today, moving beyond mere sorrow to tangible action?**
* **How can I better participate in and contribute to the spiritual purity and accountability of my faith community?**

### FAQ
**Was the act of putting away foreign wives a just or compassionate solution?**

Answer: This is a complex and often debated ethical question. From the perspective of the biblical narrative in Ezra, the act was presented as a necessary, albeit painful, measure to restore the spiritual purity and covenant integrity of the post-exilic community. Intermarriage with pagan peoples was explicitly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3-4 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Prohibition of Intermarriage")), primarily because it led to idolatry and the corruption of Israel's unique identity as God's chosen people. The leaders, including Ezra, viewed these marriages as a direct violation of God's covenant, threatening the very survival of their faith and the spiritual future of the nation. While undoubtedly causing immense personal suffering for all involved, the text frames it as a radical surgery required to prevent the spiritual death of the nation. It highlights the severe consequences of disobedience and the high cost of genuine repentance and covenant fidelity. The focus is on the communal spiritual health and the preservation of God's covenant people above individual marital arrangements that were seen as illegitimate in the eyes of God's law for His set-apart nation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The painful and radical purification undertaken by the community in Ezra 10, exemplified by the individuals listed in [Ezra 10:28](/ezra/10-28 "Ezra 10:28 - Men Who Put Away Foreign Wives"), finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant's emphasis on external and ethnic purity, maintained through strict adherence to the Law and separation from "foreign" influences, pointed forward to the deeper, internal, and spiritual purity offered through Christ. While Ezra's reform required the painful "putting away" of foreign wives to restore a ceremonial and covenantal purity, Christ's sacrifice on the cross accomplished a perfect and permanent purification for His people, cleansing not just the outward defilement but the very conscience (cf. [Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Christ's Blood Purifies Conscience")). The radical obedience demanded in [Ezra 10](/ezra/10 "Ezra 10 - Reform of Intermarriage") foreshadows the radical call of Christ to "put off" the old self and its sinful desires (cf. [Ephesians 4:22-24](/ephesians/4-22-24 "Ephesians 4:22-24 - Putting Off the Old Self")) and to "be holy, as I am holy" (cf. [1 Peter 1:15-16](/1_peter/1-15-16 "1 Peter 1:15-16 - Be Holy")). In Christ, the "foreignness" we are called to separate from is no longer an ethnic identity but the spiritual defilement of the world and its systems, as believers are called to be set apart for God as His holy temple (cf. [1 Corinthians 3:16](/1_corinthians/3-16 "1 Corinthians 3:16 - You Are God's Temple")). Jesus Himself is the ultimate embodiment of covenant fidelity, and through His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice, He enables His followers to live lives of genuine purity and radical devotion, not by external legalism, but by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

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.

Cross-References

Nehemiah 7:16

The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.

Ezra 8:11

And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.

Ezra 2:11

The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.