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Ezra 10

Ezr 10


Ezra 10

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

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

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

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

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

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

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Summary and the Meaning of Chapter 10 of the Book of Ezra

The book of Ezra is a historical account of the return of the Jews from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple. Chapter 10 is the final chapter of this book and it deals with the issue of intermarriage among the returning exiles. The main themes of this chapter include repentance, obedience to God's law, and the importance of maintaining the purity of the Jewish people. This chapter serves as a reminder for the Jews to stay faithful to God and to follow His commandments, as well as a warning against the consequences of disobedience.

The Context

Before we dive into the summary and meaning of chapter 10, it is important to understand the context in which this chapter takes place. The book of Ezra begins with King Cyrus of Persia issuing a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. A group of exiles, led by Zerubbabel, return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the temple. However, they face opposition from the people living in the land and the construction is halted for many years. It is not until the reign of King Darius that the temple is finally completed.

In the meantime, Ezra, a scribe and priest, is sent to Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes to teach the people the law of God. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra is dismayed to find out that the Jews have been intermarrying with the people of the land, which goes against God's commandments. This is where chapter 10 begins.

The Repentance of the People

Chapter 10 opens with Ezra weeping and mourning over the sin of the people. He gathers the people together and they confess their sin of intermarriage. They acknowledge that they have been unfaithful to God and have disobeyed His commandments. This is an important step in the process of repentance – recognizing and acknowledging one's sin.

The people then make a covenant with God, promising to put away their foreign wives and children and to follow the law of God. This is a significant decision as it shows their commitment to repent and turn back to God. They also ask for forgiveness for their sin and for guidance in carrying out their promise.

The Obedience to God's Law

After making their covenant with God, the people take action to fulfill their promise. They gather together and make a proclamation throughout all the cities of Judah and Benjamin, commanding all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem within three days. This shows their determination to make things right with God and to follow His law.

Once all the people have gathered in Jerusalem, Ezra addresses them and reminds them of God's commandment to not intermarry with the people of the land. He also reminds them of the consequences of their disobedience, which includes the anger of God and the potential for the entire nation to be destroyed.

The people then take action by separating themselves from the foreign wives and children. This was a difficult decision for many of them, as it meant breaking up families and possibly losing their loved ones. However, they understand the importance of obeying God's law and are willing to make this sacrifice.

The Importance of Maintaining Purity

Chapter 10 ends with a list of the names of those who had intermarried and had to put away their foreign wives. This may seem like a mundane list of names, but it serves as a reminder of the seriousness of this issue. The names are listed in detail to show that every individual is accountable for their actions and that God's law applies to everyone, regardless of their status or position in society.

Furthermore, this list serves as a warning for future generations to not make the same mistake. By including the names of those who had intermarried, it serves as a record of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of maintaining the purity of the Jewish people.

The Meaning of Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of the book of Ezra teaches us several important lessons. First and foremost, it reminds us of the importance of repentance. The people of Israel recognized their sin and turned back to God, asking for forgiveness. This shows us that no matter how far we have strayed from God, there is always a chance for us to repent and turn back to Him.

Secondly, this chapter emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's law. The people of Israel understood that their disobedience had consequences and were willing to make the necessary sacrifices to obey God's commandments. This serves as a reminder for us to always put God's will above our own desires and to follow His commandments with obedience.

Lastly, chapter 10 highlights the significance of maintaining purity. The people of Israel were commanded to not intermarry with the people of the land in order to maintain the purity of their nation. This not only refers to physical purity, but also spiritual purity. As Christians, we are called to maintain purity in all aspects of our lives, including our thoughts, actions, and relationships.

In conclusion, chapter 10 of the book of Ezra is a powerful reminder for us to stay faithful to God and to follow His commandments. It serves as a warning against the consequences of disobedience and the importance of maintaining purity in our lives. As we read this chapter, let us be encouraged to repent, obey God's law, and strive for purity in all that we do.



This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.

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