Ezra 10:10

Ezra 10:1 INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 10 Upon Ezra's prayer and confession, it was proposed by Shechaniah, that those who had married strange wives should put them away with their children, which they swore to do, Ezra 10:1, and proclamation was made throughout the land for all to meet at Jerusalem in three days' time, and accordingly they did, Ezra 10:6 when, at the exhortation of Ezra, all agreed to it, and persons were appointed to see it done, and the work was finished in the space of three months, Ezra 10:10 and a list of the names of those is given who had married such wives, and now put them away; of the priests, Ezra 10:18, of the Levites, Ezra 10:23, of the other Israelites, Ezra 10:24. Ver. 1. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping,....

10:6-14 There is hope concerning people, when they are convinced, not only that it is good to part with their sins, but that it is necessary; we must do it, or we are undone. So rich is the mercy, and so plenteous the redemption of God, that there is hope for the vilest who hear the gospel, and are willing to accept of free salvation. When sinners mourn for their sins, and tremble at the word of God, there is hope that they will forsake them. To affect others with godly sorrow or love to God, we must ourselves be affected. It was carefully agreed how this affair should be carried on. That which is hastily resolved on seldom proves lasting.

And Ezra the priest stood up,.... In the midst of the assembly to make his speech, acquainting them with the reason of their meeting together: and said unto them, ye have transgressed; the law of God in the following instance: and have taken strange wives; of the people of the land and others, idolatrous persons: to increase the trespass of Israel; to add to former iniquities, which had been the cause of the captivity.

Verse 10. - Ezra the priest stood up . Now that the time had come for action, Ezra was not wanting to his duties. The chief authority had been put into his hands by the Persian king ( Ezra 7:25, 26 ), and he was bound to exercise it. Accordingly, the great bulk of the nation being assembled in obedience to the proclamation, Ezra came forward in person, and declared that the "strange wives" must be put away. Ye have taken strange wives . Literally, "have caused to dwell," i.e. have made them come and live with you in the holy land. Ezra 10:10

10-17. Ezra the priest stood up, and said—Having fully represented the enormity of their sin and urged them to dissolve their unlawful connections, he was gratified by receiving a prompt acknowledgment of the justice of his reproof and a promise of compliance with his recommendation. But as the weather was ungenial and the defaulters were too numerous to be passed in review at one time, it was resolved that a commission should be appointed to examine into the whole matter. These commissioners, assisted by the judges and elders of the respective cities, made a minute investigation into every case, and after three months' labor completely removed all traces of the abuse. Doubtless, an adequate provision was made for the repudiated wives and children, according to the means and circumstances of the husbands.

10 . Ezra the priest ] See note on Ezra 7:11 . Ye have transgressed ] R.V. Ye have trespassed , as in Ezra 10:2 ; Ezra 10:6 , Ezra 9:4 and Nehemiah 1:8 ; Nehemiah 13:27 . It is best to keep ‘transgress’ and ‘transgression’ for the Hebrew words ‘pâsha’ and ‘pesha’, which only once occur in this book ( Ezra 10:13 ) but are very frequent elsewhere. and have taken strange wives ] R.V. and have married strange women. See note on Ezra 10:2 . to increase the trespass of Israel ] R.V. to increase the guilt of Israel. The ‘guilt’ or ‘guiltiness of Israel’, see on Ezra 9:6 ; Ezra 9:15 . The fresh offence had added to the black account against Israel. 10–11 . Ezra’s address to the people: (1) the offence stated; (2) the reform commanded, consisting of ( a ) public confession, ( b ) practical amendment.

Ezra then stood up and reproved the assembled multitude, saying: You have brought home (הושׁיב, comp. Ezra 10:2 ) strange wives to increase the trespass of Israel (comp. Ezra's confession, Ezra 9:6-15 ), and exhorted them to give glory to God and to do His pleasure, (viz.) to separate themselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. On תודה תּנוּ, comp. Joshua 7:19 . Separation from the people of the land consisted, under the circumstances, in the dismissal of the strange wives.

Then one of the sons of Elam, Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, stood forth from amidst the assembly, and uttered the confession: "We have been unfaithful towards our God by marrying strange wives, but there is yet hope for Israel concerning this thing. We will now make a covenant with God to put away all the strange wives and their children from the congregation, according to the counsel of the Lord, and of those who fear the commandment of our God, that it may be done according to the law." Shecaniah, of the sons of Elam (comp. Ezra 2:7 ; Ezra 8:7 ), is a different person from the descendant of Zattu, mentioned Ezra 8:5 ; nor is Jehiel identical with the individual whose name occurs in Ezra 10:26 . ונּשׁב, and have brought home strange wives. הושׁיב, to cause to dwell (in one's house), said in Ezra 10:10 , Ezra 10:14 , Ezra 10:17 , Ezra 10:18 , and Nehemiah 13:23 , Nehemiah 13:27 , of bringing a wife home. Shecaniah founds his hope for Israel in this trespass upon the circumstance, that they bind themselves by a solemn covenant before God to put away this scandal from the congregation, and to act in conformity with the law. To make a covenant with our God, i.e., to bind themselves by an oath with respect to God, comp. 2 Chronicles 29:10 . הוציא, to put away - the opposite of הושׁיב. All the wives are, according to the context, all the strange women ( Ezra 10:2 ), and that which is born of them, their children.