EZRA

Ezra 10

1Shechaniah encourageth Ezra to reform the abuse of the foreign marriages. 6Ezra by proclamation assembleth the people. 9The people at the exhortation of Ezra promise amendment. 15The business is carried into execution. 18The names of those who had married foreign wives.


1NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had 1confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

1 Of the sins of all the people in general, and this flagrant sin of marriages made and contracted with the idolatrous pagans in particular.

2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, 2answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and 3have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is 4hope in Israel concerning this thing.

2 That is, he rose to address, began to speak. See Judges 18 on verse 14.

3 That is, have married, or taken them into matrimonial society and cohabitation; also verses 10, 14, 17, 18; Neh. 13:23, 27.

4 Namely this, that we endeavor by true repentance to escape God’s judgment; whereof in the sequel.

3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that 5tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

5 As Ezra 9:4.

4Arise; for this matter 6belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

6 Or, lieth upon thee, that is, it concerns you, it is your office, your duty; as being priest, and having charge and commission from the king of Persia.

5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

6¶Then Ezra rose up from 7before the house of God, and 8went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no 9bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them 10that had been carried away.

7 Out of the place of the people’s court.

8 There to advise and deliberate concerning a sure way and order for the execution of what is mentioned in the sequel.

9 That is, he took no sustenance at all, neither meat nor drink.

10 See Ezra 9:4; also in the sequel.

7And they made 11proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

11 That is, publish a command, make a declaration, as Ezra 1:1.

8And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be 12forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those 13that had been carried away.

12 That is, he should be held as an excommunicated person, being cut off, or banished from the congregation.

13 Hebr. carrying away.

9¶Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the 14ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the 15street of the house of God, 16trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

14 Called Chisleu, answering to part of November and part of December.

15 See Neh. 2:8; from which some do gather that there is meant the place of the court of the temple, which at this time was still open and not walled.

16 Through consciousness of their sin and for fear of God’s punishment.

10And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to 17increase the trespass of Israel.

17 Hebr. to add unto the guilt of Israel.

11Now therefore 18make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

18 Hebr. give.

12Then all the congregation answered and said with a 19loud voice, As thou hast said, so 20must we do.

19 Hebr. greater.

20 Compare verse 4.

13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are 21not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are 22many that have transgressed in this thing.

21 Hebr. no power is in us to stand.

22 Hebr. we have multiplied to transgress.

14Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the 23elders 24of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God 25for this matter be turned from us.

23 As having particular knowledge of the inhabitants of their places, and being able to inform the great council at Jerusalem of all that happened.

24 Hebr. of city and city.

25 Other, during this matter; or, until the matter be ended; likewise: concerning this matter.

1526Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this 27matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

26 It seems that these alone among the priests were not guilty of this offence. Compare herewith that which follows.

27 This is thus supplied from the previous verse.

16And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the 28tenth month to examine the matter.

28 Called Tebeth, answering partly to December and partly to January.

17And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the 29first month.

29Abib or Nisan; answering to a part of March and to a part of April.

18¶And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19And they 30gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock 31for their trespass.

30 That is, they promised by touching the hand. Compare 2 Kings 10:15.

31 See Lev. 4:3, etc., where the priests as well as the common people are enjoined, besides the confession of their sin, to bring their offering.

20And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

21And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25Moreover of 32Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

32 Hitherto have been related the guilty ones in the ecclesiastical state, who pertained to the ministry and service of the temple; now follow those who were outside among the people.

26And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

27And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

30And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

34Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

35Benaiah, Bedeiah, 33Chelluh,

33 Or, Cheluhi.

36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

4034Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

34 Or, Madnadbai.

41Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, 35Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.

35 Or, Jaddau.

44All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives 36by whom they had children.

36 Hebr. and they had set sons or children. Intimating that they left their pagan wives, as well those who had children, as those who had none, as is affirmed in verse 3. Other, and among them were wives that had brought forth children.