Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 10

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages.
6  Ezra assembles the people.
9  The people repent, and promise amendment.
15  The care to perform it.
18  The names of them which had married strange wives.
Verse 1

Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, 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.
when Ezra
Daniel 9:3,4,20, Acts 10:30
when he had
Leviticus 26:40,41, Psalms 32:5, Hosea 14:2, 1 John 1:8-10
weeping
Psalms 119:136, Jeremiah 9:1, 13:17, Zechariah 12:10, Luke 19:41, Romans 9:2
before the house
1 Kings 8:30, 9:3, 2 Chronicles 20:9
a very great
Deuteronomy 31:12, 2 Chronicles 20:13, Nehemiah 10:28, Joel 2:16-18, Acts 21:5
very sore
Heb. a great weeping.
Judges 2:4,5, Nehemiah 8:9
Verse 2

And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Shechaniah
26, Nehemiah 3:29
Elam
2:7,31, Nehemiah 7:12,34
We have trespassed
Shechaniah here speaks in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable; for he is not in the following list.
Compare
James 2:9, Exodus 34:12, Nehemiah 13:27
yet now there is hope
Exodus 34:6,7, Isaiah 55:6,7, Jeremiah 3:12,13, 1 John 1:7-9
Verse 3

Now 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 tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
let us make
Nichrath berith, "let us cut a covenant:"
Deuteronomy 29:12, Joshua 9:6, 2 Kings 11:17, 2 Chronicles 29:10, 34:31,32, Nehemiah 9:38, Nehemiah 10:29-39
put away
Heb. bring forth. according to the counsel.
2 Chronicles 30:12
of those that
9:4, 2 Chronicles 34:21,27, Psalms 119:59,120, Isaiah 66:2, Ezekiel 9:4
at the commandment
Deuteronomy 7:2,3, Joshua 23:12,13
let it
Nehemiah 8:14, 13:1-3, Isaiah 8:20; Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now: such marriages, it is certain, are contrary to the will of God, and ought not to be made; but they are not null. Our rule under the gospel is {Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet,} "That which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide." See; 1 Corinthians 7:12,13
Verse 4

Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
Arise
Joshua 7:10-26, 1 Chronicles 22:16,19, Ecclesiastes 9:10
for this matter
By the decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was authorised to do every thing that the law of God required.
7:23-28, Mark 13:34
we also will
Joshua 1:16-18, 1 Chronicles 28:10,21
be of good
Isaiah 35:3,4, Hebrews 10:24, 12:12,13
Verse 5

Then 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.
arose
Proverbs 1:5, 9:9, 15:23, 25:11,12, 27:9
made
3, Nehemiah 5:12, 10:29, 13:25, Matthew 26:63
Verse 6

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
the chamber
Nehemiah 13:5
Johanan
Nehemiah 3:1,20, 12:10,22, 13:28
he did eat
Deuteronomy 9:18, Job 23:12, John 4:31-34
he mourned
9:4, Isaiah 22:12, Daniel 9:3
Verse 7

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
they made
1:1, 2 Chronicles 30:5
Verse 8

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
And that whosoever
7:26, Judges 21:5, 1 Samuel 11:7
forfeited
Heb. devoted.
Leviticus 27:28, Joshua 6:19
himself separated
Nehemiah 13:3, Matthew 18:17, John 9:22,34, 16:2, 1 Corinthians 5:13
Verse 9

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
the ninth month
That is, some time in December, which is the coldest and most rainy time of the year in Palestine. Dr. Russel, in his account of the weather at Aleppo, which very much resembles that in Judea, says, that the natives reckon the severity of the winter, which they call marbania, to last but forty days, beginning from the 12th of December, and ending the 20th of January, and that this computation comes in fact very near the truth: and that the air during this time is excessively piercing, even to those that are just come from a cold climate.
7:8,9, Esther 2:16
trembling
1 Samuel 12:17,18, Jeremiah 10:10,13
great rain
Heb. showers.
Verse 10

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
taken
Heb. caused to dwell. or, brought back. to increase.
9:6, Numbers 32:14, Joshua 22:17,18, 2 Chronicles 28:13, Matthew 23:32
Verse 11

Now therefore make 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.
make confession
Leviticus 26:40-42, Joshua 7:19, Psalms 32:5, Proverbs 28:13, Jeremiah 3:13, 1 John 1:7-9
do his
Isaiah 1:16-18, 56:4, Romans 12:2, Colossians 1:10, Hebrews 13:21
separate
9:1, Nehemiah 13:3, 2 Corinthians 6:17
and from the
Deuteronomy 7:3,4, 1 Corinthians 2:12-14
Verse 12

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
As thou hast said
They all resolved to do what Ezra had commanded; and they did put away their wives, even those by whom they had children, (ver. 44,) each of whom doubtless received a portion according to the circumstances of her husband, and was not turned away desolate. Humanity must have dictated this, and no law of God is contrary to humanity.
so must we do
3,4, Nehemiah 13:23, Psalms 78:37,57
Verse 13

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
the people
18-44, Matthew 7:13,14
we are many that have transgressed in this thing
or, we have greatly offended in this thing.
Verse 14

Let 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 elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
our rulers
Deuteronomy 17:9,18,19, 2 Chronicles 19:5-7
the fierce
Numbers 25:4, Deuteronomy 13:17, Joshua 7:26, 2 Chronicles 29:10, 30:8, Psalms 78:38, Isaiah 12:1
for this matter be turned from us
or, be turned from us, till this matter be dispatched.
Verse 15

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
were employed
Heb. stood. Meshullam.
Nehemiah 3:6, 10:20, 12:33
Shabbethai
Nehemiah 11:16
Verse 16

And 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 tenth month to examine the matter.
to examine the matter
Deuteronomy 13:14, Job 29:16, John 7:51
Verse 17

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
A. M. 3548. B.C. 456. the first day. The cases brought before the council were either so many, or so complicated, that, though they separated themselves from other employments, yet they were three whole months in examining into their affairs, and making the necessary separations required by the law
Verse 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.
the sons
9:1, Leviticus 21:7,13-15, 1 Samuel 2:22-24, Nehemiah 13:28, Jeremiah 23:11,14, Ezekiel 44:22, Malachi 2:8,9, 1 Timothy 3:11
Jeshua
2:2, 3:2, 5:2, 1 Chronicles 6:14,15, Nehemiah 12:10, Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 3:1
Joshua
Maaseiah.
Nehemiah 8:4,7
Verse 19

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.
gave their hands
They bound themselves in the most solemn manner to do as the rest of the delinquents had done, and make and acknowledgment to God of their iniquity, by offering each a ram for a trespass offering.
2 Kings 10:15, 1 Chronicles 29:24, 2 Chronicles 30:8; *marg:; Lamentations 5:6, Galatians 2:9
a ram
Leviticus 5:15,16, 6:4,6
Verse 20

And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
Immer
2:37, 1 Chronicles 24:14, Nehemiah 7:40
Verse 21

And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
Harim
2:39, 1 Chronicles 24:8, Nehemiah 7:42
Verse 22

And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Pashur
2:38, 1 Chronicles 9:12, Nehemiah 7:41
Verse 23

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Jozabad
8:33, Nehemiah 11:16
Kelita
Nehemiah 10:10
Verse 25

Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
Moreover of Israel
That is, as Calmet observes, simple Israelites; thus distinguished from the priests, Levites, and singers, mentioned in ver. 18, 23, 24.
sons of Parosh
2:3, Nehemiah 7:8
Verse 26

And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
Elam
2, 2:7,31, 8:7, Nehemiah 7:12,34
Jehiel
Verse 27

And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
Zattu
2:8, Nehemiah 7:13
Verse 28

Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
Bebai
2:11, 8:11, Nehemiah 7:16
Verse 29

And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
Bani
2:10, Nehemiah 7:15
Binnui
Malluch.
Nehemiah 10:4
Verse 30

And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
Pahath-moab
2:6, 8:4, Nehemiah 7:11
Verse 31

And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Harim
2:32, Nehemiah 7:35
Malchiah
This variation only exists in the translation, the original being uniformly Malchijah, or rather, Malkeeyah.
Nehemiah 3:11
Malchijah
Verse 33

Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
Hashum
2:19, Nehemiah 7:22
Verse 34

Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
Bani
Verse 40

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
Machnadebai
or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies.
Verse 43

Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
Nebo
2:29, Nehemiah 7:33
Verse 44

All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
strange wives
Proverbs 2:16, 5:3,20
and some of them
This observation was probably intended to shew that only a few of them had children, and also how rigorously the law was put in execution. According to a passage in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew, Ezra offered a paschal lamb on this occasion, and addressed the people thus: "And Ezra said to the people, This pass-over is our Saviour and our Refuge; and if ye will be persuaded of it, and let it enter into your hearts, that we are to humble to Him in a sign, and afterwards shall believe in Him, this place shall not be destroyed for ever, saith the Lord of hosts; but, if ye will not believe in Him, nor hearken to his preaching, ye shall be a laughing-stock to the Gentiles." This was probably a marginal note added by some early Christian.

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