1Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and falling prostrate before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; for the people wept with a great weeping. 2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and are dwelling with foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. 3Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to bring out all these women and those who have been born to them, according to the counsel of the Lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the Law. 4Arise, for this matter is up to you. We also are with you. Be strong, and do it. 5Then Ezra arose, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear an oath that they would do according to this word. So they swore. 6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity. 7And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the captivity, to assemble at Jerusalem, 8and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the rulers and elders, all his property would be destroyed, and he himself would be excluded from the assembly of those from the captivity. 9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have transgressed and have dwelt with foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. 11Now therefore, make confession to Jehovah the God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women. 12Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, Yes! As you have said, so we need to do. 13But there are many people; it is the season for heavy rain, and we are not able to stand outside. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for there are many of us who have transgressed in this matter. 14Please, let our rulers be appointed out of the whole assembly; and let all those in our cities who have dwelt with foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the fierce wrath of our God in this matter is turned away from us. 15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah stood against this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them. 16And the sons of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest set apart some of the men, heads of fathers, according to the houses of their fathers, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17By the first day of the first month they finished investigating all the men who had dwelt with foreign women. 18And among the sons of the priests who had dwelt with foreign women, the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19And they gave their hands that they would put away their women; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their sin. 20Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah; 21of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah; 22of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. 25And others of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; 26of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah; 27of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza; 28of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; 29of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth; 30of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh; 31of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; 33of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; 34of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasau, 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; 43of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah. 44All these had taken foreign women, some being women with whom they brought forth children.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge 1 Ezra 10:1 Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages.
Ezra 10:6 Ezra assembles the people.
Ezra 10:9 The people repent, and promise amendment.
Ezra 10:15 The care to perform it.
Ezra 10:18 The names of them which had married strange wives.
when Ezra.
Dan 9:3 Dan 9:4 Dan 9:20 Acts 10:30when he had.
Lev 26:40 Lev 26:41 Ps 32:5 Hos 14:2 1John 1:8 -
1John 1:10weeping.
Ps 119:136 Jer 9:1 Jer 13:17 Zech 12:10 Luke 19:41 Rom 9:2before the house.
1Kgs 8:30 1Kgs 9:3 2Chr 20:9a very great.
Deut 31:12 2Chr 20:13 Neh 10:28 Joel 2:16 -
Joel 2:18 Acts 21:5very sore. Heb. a great weeping.
Judg 2:4 Judg 2:5 Neh 8:9 2 Shechaniah.
Ezra 10:26 Neh 3:29Elam.
Ezra 2:7 Ezra 2:31 Neh 7:12 Neh 7:34We have trespassed. Shechaniah here speaks in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable; for he is not in the following list.
Compare.
Jas 2:9 Exod 34:12 Neh 13:27yet now there is hope.
Exod 34:6 Exod 34:7 Isa 55:6 Isa 55:7 Jer 3:12 Jer 3:13 1John 1:7 -
1John 1:9 3 let us make.
Nichrath berith, "let us cut a covenant:"
Deut 29:12 Josh 9:6 2Kgs 11:17 2Chr 29:10 2Chr 34:31 2Chr 34:32 Neh 9:38 Neh 10:29 -
Neh 10:39put away. Heb. bring forth. according to the counsel.
2Chr 30:12of those that.
Ezra 9:4 2Chr 34:21 2Chr 34:27 Ps 119:59 Ps 119:120 Isa 66:2 Ezek 9:4at the commandment.
Deut 7:2 Deut 7:3 Josh 23:12 Josh 23:13let it.
Neh 8:14 Neh 13:1 -
Neh 13:3 Isa 8:20Shechaniah'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
1Cor 7:12 1Cor 7:13 4 Arise.
Josh 7:10 -
Josh 7:26 1Chr 22:16 1Chr 22:19 Eccl 9:10for this matter. By the decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was authorised to do every thing that the law of God required.
Ezra 7:23 -
Ezra 7:28 Mark 13:34we also will.
Josh 1:16 -
Josh 1:18 1Chr 28:10 1Chr 28:21be of good.
Isa 35:3 Isa 35:4 Heb 10:24 Heb 12:12 Heb 12:13 5 arose.
Pro 1:5 Pro 9:9 Pro 15:23 Pro 25:11 Pro 25:12 Pro 27:9made.
Ezra 10:3 Neh 5:12 Neh 10:29 Neh 13:25 Matt 26:63 6 the chamber.
Neh 13:5Johanan.
Neh 3:1 Neh 3:20 Neh 12:10 Neh 12:22 Neh 13:28he did eat.
Deut 9:18 Job 23:12 John 4:31 -
John 4:34he mourned.
Ezra 9:4 Isa 22:12 Dan 9:3 7 they made.
Ezra 1:1 2Chr 30:5 8 And that whosoever.
Ezra 7:26 Judg 21:5 1Sam 11:7forfeited. Heb. devoted.
Lev 27:28 Josh 6:19himself separated.
Neh 13:3 Matt 18:17 John 9:22 John 9:34 John 16:2 1Cor 5:13 9 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.
Ezra 7:8 Ezra 7:9 Esth 2:16trembling.
1Sam 12:17 1Sam 12:18 Jer 10:10 Jer 10:13great rain. Heb. showers.
10 taken. Heb. caused to dwell. or, brought back. toincrease.
Ezra 9:6 Num 32:14 Josh 22:17 Josh 22:18 2Chr 28:13 Matt 23:32 11 make confession.
Lev 26:40 -
Lev 26:42 Josh 7:19 Ps 32:5 Pro 28:13 Jer 3:13 1John 1:7 -
1John 1:9do his.
Isa 1:16 -
Isa 1:18 Isa 56:4 Rom 12:2 Col 1:10 Heb 13:21separate.
Ezra 9:1 Neh 13:3 2Cor 6:17and from the.
Deut 7:3 Deut 7:4 1Cor 2:12 -
1Cor 2:14 12 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
Ezra 10:44,) 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.
Ezra 10:3 Ezra 10:4 Neh 13:23 Ps 78:37 Ps 78:57 13 the people.
Ezra 10:18 -
Ezra 10:44 Matt 7:13 Matt 7:14we are many that have transgressed in this thing. or, we have greatly offended in this thing.
14 our rulers.
Deut 17:9 Deut 17:18 Deut 17:19 2Chr 19:5 -
2Chr 19:7the fierce.
Num 25:4 Deut 13:17 Josh 7:26 2Chr 29:10 2Chr 30:8 Ps 78:38 Isa 12:1for this matter be turned from us. or, be turned from us,till this matter be dispatched.
15 were employed. Heb. stood. Meshullam.
Neh 3:6 Neh 10:20 Neh 12:33Shabbethai.
Neh 11:16 16 to examine the matter.
Deut 13:14 Job 29:16 John 7:51 17 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.
Ezra 10:17 18 the sons.
Ezra 9:1 Lev 21:7 Lev 21:13 -
Lev 21:15 1Sam 2:22 -
1Sam 2:24 Neh 13:28 Jer 23:11 Jer 23:14 Ezek 44:22 Mal 2:8 Mal 2:9 1Tim 3:11Jeshua.
Ezra 2:2 Ezra 3:2 Ezra 5:2 1Chr 6:14 1Chr 6:15 Neh 12:10 Hag 1:1 Zech 3:1Joshua. Maaseiah.
Neh 8:4 Neh 8:7 19 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.
2Kgs 10:15 1Chr 29:24 2Chr 30:8*marg:
Ezra 10:19 Lam 5:6 Gal 2:9a ram.
Lev 5:15 Lev 5:16 Lev 6:4 Lev 6:6 20 Immer.
Ezra 2:37 1Chr 24:14 Neh 7:40 21 Harim.
Ezra 2:39 1Chr 24:8 Neh 7:42 22 Pashur.
Ezra 2:38 1Chr 9:12 Neh 7:41 23 Jozabad.
Ezra 8:33 Neh 11:16Kelita.
Neh 10:10 24 Ezra 10:24 25 Moreover of Israel. That is, as Calmet observes, simple Israelites; thus distinguished from the priests, Levites, and singers, mentioned in ver. 18, 23, 24.
Ezra 10:18,
Ezra 10:23,
Ezra 10:24.
sons of Parosh.
Ezra 2:3 Neh 7:8 26 Elam.
Ezra 10:2 Ezra 2:7 Ezra 2:31 Ezra 8:7 Neh 7:12 Neh 7:34Jehiel.
Ezra 10:2 27 Zattu.
Ezra 2:8 Neh 7:13 28 Bebai.
Ezra 2:11 Ezra 8:11 Neh 7:16 29 Bani.
Ezra 2:10 Neh 7:15Binnui. Malluch.
Neh 10:4 30 Pahath-moab.
Ezra 2:6 Ezra 8:4 Neh 7:11 31 Harim.
Ezra 2:32 Neh 7:35Malchiah. This variation only exists in the translation, the original being uniformly Malchijah, or rather, Malkeeyah.
Neh 3:11Malchijah.
32 Ezra 10:32 33 Hashum.
Ezra 2:19 Neh 7:22 34 Bani.
Ezra 10:29 35 Ezra 10:35 36 Ezra 10:36 37 Ezra 10:37 38 Ezra 10:38 39 Ezra 10:39 40 Machnadebai. or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies.
41 Ezra 10:41 42 Ezra 10:42 43 Nebo.
Ezra 2:29 Neh 7:33 44 strange wives.
Pro 2:16 Pro 5:3 Pro 5:20and 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.
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF EZRA.
This book details the events of a very interesting period of the Sacred History, when, according to the decree of Providence, the Jewish people were to be delivered from their captivity, at the expiration of seventy years, and restored to the land of their fathers. This book informs us how the Divine goodness accomplished this most gracious design, and the movers and agents He employed on the occasion. Ezra was undoubtedly the chief agent under God in effecting this arduous work; and his zeal, piety, knowledge, and discretion, appear here in a most conspicuous point of view, and claim our utmost admiration. Descended from Seraiah, in a direct line from Aaron, he seems to have united all the requisites of a profound statesmen with the functions of the sacerdotal character. He appears to have made the Sacred Scriptures, during the captivity, his peculiar study; and, perhaps assisted by Nehemiah and the great synagogue, he corrected the errors which had crept into the Sacred Writings, through the negligence or mistake of transcribers; he collected all the books of which the Sacred Scriptures then consisted, disposed them in their proper order, and settled the canon of Scriptures for his time; he occasionally added, under the dictation of the Holy Spirit, whatever appeared necessary for the purpose of illustrating, completing, or connecting them; he substituted the modern for the ancient names of some places, which had now become obsolete; and transcribed the whole of the Scriptures into the Chaldee character. He is said to have lived to the age of 120 years, and, according to Josephus, was buried in Jerusalem; but the Jews believe he died in Persia, in a second journey to Artaxerxes, where his tomb is shown in the city of Zamusa. Though not styled a prophet, he wrote under the Divine Spirit; and the canonical authority of his book has never been disputed. It is written with all the spirit and fidelity that could be displayed by a writer of contemporary times; and those parts which chiefly consist of letters, decrees, etc., are written in Chaldee, because it seemed more suitable to the fidelity of a sacred historian to give these official documents, as they may be termed, in the original language, especially as the people, recently returned from the captivity, were familiar, and perhaps more conversant with the Chaldee, than with the Hebrew.