Ezra 10:7

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.

(7-17) Conference of the people and commission to try individual cases. (8) Forfeited.—This, as also what precedes and what follows, again recalls the express commission of Ezra 7. But “according to the counsel” removes all appearance of arbitrariness on the part of Ezra. (9) Within three days.—From the time of hearing the summons. No town was more than forty miles distant; and of course only those would come that were able, and who came within the scope of the proclamation, the precise terms of which are not given. They were not more than could assemble “in the street,” or open court of the Temple. The minute specifications of date, and the two reasons for the trembling of the people, and the whole strain of the narrative, bear witness to the veracity of an eye-witness. It was the ninth month.—Chisleu, our December, the rainy month in Palestine. (10) Ezra the priest.—He stood up, not as the commissioner of Artaxerxes, not at this moment as the scribe, but as the representative of God. (11) Do his pleasure.—This procedure, humanly severe, is connected with the Divine will. From the people of the land, and from the strange wives.—The marriages were but a subordinate branch, though a very important one, of the wider sin: that of confederacy with idolators. (13) We are many.—Better, we have greatly offended in this thing. The greatness of the offence of course implied the number of the offenders. (14) Stand.—As a representative body in session.

Until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.—A difficult verse, owing to a slight peculiarity in the original. The meaning seems to be: until the fierce wrath of our God—fierce while this matter lasts—be turned away from us. (15) Were employed about.—Rather, stood against. Nothing is said as to the reason for opposition on the part of these and the two who abetted them. But the reason is obvious enough. Some modern expositors are of their mind, and regard the act of Ezra as remedying one sin by another still greater. They bring Malachi (Ezra 2:15) to their support; but nothing in his prediction about “the wife of thy youth,” rightly understood, tends to condemn the conduct here described. (16) By their names.—As in Ezra 8:20, the names were before the writer, but are not given. And sat down.—That is, held a session. This was ten days after the general assembly. (17) And they made an end.—Though the number of transgressors was only one hundred and thirteen, two months were occupied, which shows the care taken to do justice, especially to the claims of the women put away.

Verse 7. - They made proclamation. Literally, "they made to pass a voice" ( παρήνεγ καν φωνήν - LXX.). They sent criers to make the matter known. To all the children of the captivity . i.e. to all those who, having returned from the captivity, were now in the land. The expression is a favourite one with Ezra (see Ezra 2:1 ; Ezra 4:1 ; Ezra 6:16, 19 ; Ezra 8:35 , etc.). Ezra 10:7

The "chamber of Johanan" was probably one of those attached externally to the temple (see 1 Kings 6:5-6 ). Eliashib was the grandson of Jeshua Ezra 3:2 , and was high priest under Nehemiah Neh 3:1. He could assign chambers in the temple to whomever he pleased (see Nehemiah 13:4-5 ).

5-8. Then Ezra … went into the chamber of Johanan—At a private council of the princes and elders held there, under the presidency of Ezra, it was resolved to enter into a general covenant to put away their foreign wives and children; that a proclamation should be made for all who had returned from Babylon to repair within three days to Jerusalem, under pain of excommunication and confiscation of their property.

7 . And they made proclamation &c.] The phrase for making a proclamation is peculiar; it occurs also in chap. Ezra 1:1 , where see note. The authors of this proclamation are not mentioned. But we are evidently intended to understand the princes and the chiefs of the people ( Ezra 10:5 ) who had taken the oath administered by Ezra. That some little interval of time elapsed between the events just narrated and the issue of this proclamation is a natural supposition. The policy advocated by Shecaniah ( Ezra 10:2-3 ) had been approved. But time and deliberation were needed to determine upon the best method of putting it into execution (see note on Ezra 9:1 ). throughout Judah and Jerusalem ] That is to say, in every district in southern Palestine and in every quarter of the capital. Cf. ‘Jerusalem and Judah’ ( Ezra 2:1 ), ‘Judah and Jerusalem’ ( Ezra 4:6 , Ezra 5:1 , Ezra 9:9 ). unto all the children of the captivity ] Cf. notes on this phrase Ezra 2:1 , Ezra 4:1 , Ezra 6:16 ; Ezra 6:19 , Ezra 8:35 .

The resolution carried into execution. - Ezra 10:7 , Ezra 10:8 . A proclamation was sent forth throughout Judah and Jerusalem (קול העביר, comp. Ezra 1:1 ) to all the children of the captivity to assemble at Jerusalem under pain of the punishment, that whoever should not come within three days, all his substance should be forfeited and himself excluded from the congregation, according to the decision of the princes and elders, who, as the heads of the community, had taken the matter in hand, and made this announcement. The forfeiture of substance is not its destruction, as prescribed Deuteronomy 13:13-17 in the case of a city fallen into idolatry, but its appropriation to the benefit of the temple, after the analogy of Leviticus 27:28 .