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Commentary on Ezra 10 verses 1–5
We are here told,
I. What good impressions were made upon the people by Ezra's humiliation and confession of sin. No sooner was it noised in the city that their new governor, in whom they rejoiced, was himself in grief, and to so great a degree, for them and their sin, than presently there assembled to him a very great congregation, to see what the matter was and to mingle their tears with his, Ezr 10:1. Our weeping for other people's sins may perhaps set those a weeping for them themselves who otherwise would continue senseless and remorseless. See what a happy influence the good examples of great ones may have upon their inferiors. When Ezra, a scribe, a scholar, a man in authority under the king, so deeply lamented the public corruptions, they concluded that they were indeed very grievous, else he would not thus have grieved for them; and this drew tears from every eye: men, women, and children, wept very sore, when he wept thus.
II. What a good motion Shechaniah made upon this occasion. The place was Bochim - a place of weepers; but, for aught that appears, there was a profound silence among them, as among Job's friends, who spoke not a word to him, because they saw that his grief was very great, till Shechaniah (one of Ezra's companions from Babylon, Ezr 8:3, Ezr 8:5) stood up, and made a speech addressed to Ezra, in which,
1.He owns the national guilt, sums up all Ezra's confession in one word, and sets to his seal that it is true: "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, Ezr 10:2. The matter is too plain to be denied and too bad to be excused." It does not appear that Shechaniah was himself culpable in this matter (if he had had the beam in his own eye, he could not have seen so clearly to pluck it out of his brother's eye), but his father was guilty, and several of his father's house (as appears Ezr 10:26), and therefore he reckons himself among the trespassers; nor does he seek to excuse or palliate the sin, though some of his own relations were guilty of it, but, in the cause of God, says to his father, I have not known him, as Levi, Deu 33:9. Perhaps the strange wife that his father had married had been an unjust unkind step-mother to him, and had made mischief in the family, and he supposed that others had done the like, which made him the more forward to appear against this corruption; if so, this was not the only time that private resentments have been over ruled by the providence of God to serve the public good.
2.He encourages himself and others to hope that though the matter was bad it might be amended: Yet now there is hope in Israel (where else should there be hope but in Israel? those that are strangers to that commonwealth are said to have no hope, Eph 2:12) even concerning this thing. The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease is threatening, but not incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented and all will be well. Now there is hope; now that the disease is discovered it is half-cured. Now that the alarm is taken the people begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus humbling themselves before God for it, now there is hope that God will forgive, and have mercy. The valley of Achor (that is, of trouble) is the door of hope (Hos 2:15); for the sin that truly troubles us shall not ruin us. There is hope now that Israel has such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra to manage this affair. Note, (1.) In melancholy times we must see and observe what makes for us, as well as what makes against us. (2.) There may be good hopes through grace, even when there is the sense of great guilt before God. (3.) Where sin is seen and lamented, and good steps are taken towards a reformation, even sinners ought to be encouraged. (4.) Even great saints must thankfully receive seasonable counsel and comfort from those that are much their inferiors, as Ezra from Shechaniah.
3.He advises that a speedy and effectual course should be taken for the divorcing of the strange wives. The case is plain; what has been done amiss must be undone again as far as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance. Let us put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, Ezr 10:3. Ezra, though he knew this was the only way of redressing the grievance, yet perhaps did not think it feasible, and despaired of ever bringing the people to it, which put him into that confusion in which we left him in the foregoing chapter; but Shechaniah, who conversed more with the people than he did, assured him the thing was practicable if they went wisely to work. As to us now, it is certain that sin must be put away, a bill of divorce must be given it, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it, though it be dear as the wife of thy bosom, nay, as a right eye or a right hand, otherwise there is no pardon, no peace. What has been unjustly got cannot be justly kept, but must be restored; but, as to the case of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now; such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made, but they are not null. Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet - That which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide. Our rule, under the gospel, is, If a brother has a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, Co1 7:12, Co1 7:13.
4.He puts them in a good method for the effecting of this reformation, and shows them not only that it must be done, but how. (1.) "Let Ezra, and all those that are present in this assembly, agree in a resolution that this must be done (pass a vote immediately to this effect: it will now pass nemine contradicente - unanimously), that it may be said to be done according to the counsel of my lord, the president of the assembly, with the unanimous concurrence of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, which is the description of those that were gathered to him, Ezr 9:4. Declare it to be the sense of all the sober serious people among us, which cannot but have a great sway among Israelites." (2.) "Let the command of God in this matter, which Ezra recited in his prayer, be laid before the people, and let them see that it is done according to the law; we have that to warrant us, nay, that binds us to what we do; it is not an addition of our own to the divine law, but the necessary execution of it." (3.) "While we are in a good mind, let us bind ourselves by a solemn vow and covenant that we will do it, lest, when the present impressions are worn off, the thing be left undone. Let us covenant, not only that, if we have strange wives ourselves, we will put them away, but that, if we have not, we will do what we can in our places to oblige others to put away theirs." (4.) "Let Ezra himself preside in this matter, who is authorized by the king's commission to enquire whether the law of God be duly observed in Judah and Jerusalem (Ezr 7:14), and let us all resolve to stand by him in it (Ezr 10:4): Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better." See what God said to Joshua in a like case, Jos 7:10, Jos 7:11.
III. What a good resolution they came to upon this good motion, Ezr 10:5. They not only agreed that it should be done, but bound themselves with an oath that they would do according to this word. Fast bind, fast find.
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SUMMARY
Ezra 10:3 encapsulates a pivotal moment in the post-exilic community's spiritual renewal, detailing Shechaniah's bold proposal for a radical covenant to address the pervasive sin of intermarriage with foreign peoples. Emerging from Ezra's profound lament and the people's collective conviction, this verse outlines a solemn commitment to divorce foreign wives and their children, aligning the community's actions with divine law and the counsel of revered leaders. This painful yet necessary act underscores a deep commitment to spiritual purity, covenant fidelity, and the restoration of Israel's distinct identity as God's holy people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices to convey its solemnity and decisive nature. Direct Address ("let us make a covenant") immediately draws the audience into the proposed action, fostering a sense of collective responsibility and urgency. The phrase "tremble at the commandment of our God" is an example of Metonymy, where the physical act of trembling represents the profound reverence, awe, and obedient fear of God's word. The entire proposal functions as a form of Exhortation, a strong urging to action born out of spiritual conviction and a desire for corporate restoration. The structure of the verse, moving from a general call to covenant to specific, painful actions, and then to the guiding principles, creates a sense of Logical Progression that undergirds the severity and necessity of the proposed solution.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 10:3 stands as a stark reminder of the gravity of spiritual compromise and the radical demands of covenant faithfulness. Theologically, it underscores God's unwavering expectation of holiness from His people, a theme deeply rooted in the Old Testament. Intermarriage, in this context, was not merely a social issue but a direct assault on Israel's unique identity as a holy nation, threatening to dilute their faith and lead them into idolatry. The painful act of putting away wives and children, while difficult to reconcile with modern sensibilities, was seen as a necessary surgical procedure to preserve the spiritual life and future of the entire community, prioritizing the purity of the covenant over individual preferences or social norms. It highlights the tension between God's grace and the human responsibility to respond with costly obedience when confronted with sin, demonstrating that true repentance often requires radical, painful measures to align with God's perfect will.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezra 10:3, though set in a specific historical and cultural context, offers enduring principles for believers today. While the literal command to "put away wives" is not applicable in the New Covenant era, the underlying call to radical obedience and separation from spiritual compromise remains profoundly relevant. We are continually challenged to examine our lives for "foreign wives"—any relationships, commitments, or practices that draw us away from our singular devotion to God and His revealed will. True repentance often involves difficult, costly decisions that prioritize God's standards above personal comfort, societal acceptance, or even deeply ingrained habits. This verse reminds us that genuine reverence for God's Word ("trembling at the commandment of our God") compels us to act decisively against anything that defiles our walk with Him, demonstrating that holiness is not merely a theological concept but a lived reality that may require painful sacrifice for the sake of spiritual purity and fidelity to our covenant with Christ. It prompts us to consider what aspects of our lives might be hindering our full devotion to God and to courageously take steps, however difficult, to align ourselves completely with His righteous demands.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was this act of putting away wives and children just?
Answer: This is one of the most challenging passages in the Old Testament, raising significant ethical questions from a modern perspective. From the perspective of the Mosaic covenant, the intermarriages themselves were a direct violation of God's explicit command (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:3-4), given to preserve Israel's spiritual purity and prevent idolatry. The community viewed this act as a necessary, though agonizing, measure to restore their covenant relationship with God and prevent further spiritual decay. While the human cost was immense and heart-wrenching, the priority was the survival and holiness of the entire covenant community, which was God's chosen instrument for salvation. It was seen as an act of corporate repentance and radical obedience to a divine imperative, rather than an arbitrary act of cruelty. The justice, in this context, was understood through the lens of covenant fidelity and the preservation of God's unique people, ensuring their distinct identity to fulfill their redemptive purpose for all nations, as highlighted in passages like Genesis 12:3.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezra 10:3, with its emphasis on covenant renewal, radical obedience, and the painful separation from sin for the sake of holiness, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. While the Old Covenant demanded a physical separation from foreign nations to maintain purity, Christ establishes a new covenant, not based on ethnic lineage or external rituals, but on an internal transformation of the heart through faith in Him (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Jesus himself perfectly fulfilled the Law and its demands for holiness, becoming the ultimate sacrifice that "put away" sin once for all, not by divorcing individuals, but by His atoning death on the cross (Hebrews 9:26). Through Him, believers are called to a spiritual separation from the "world" and its ungodly influences (2 Corinthians 6:17-18), becoming a purified bride for Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27). The "trembling at the commandment of our God" in Ezra finds its echo in the New Testament call to fear God and obey His commands, empowered by the Holy Spirit who enables us to live righteously and walk in newness of life, fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law not by our own strength, but by His indwelling presence (Romans 8:4). Thus, the radical obedience and pursuit of holiness seen in Ezra 10:3 are ultimately realized in the believer's union with Christ and the transformative power of the New Covenant, leading to a life consecrated to God in Spirit and truth, as Jesus taught in John 4:23-24.