Ezra 10

Ezra 10:15-44

In this chapter we have, 1. The deep humiliation of the people for marrying strong wives, ver. 1. 2. Shechonius’s prequel to put them away, ver. 2—4. 3. The oath whereby the great men bound them; see 2. And to it, ver. 5. 6. 4. A general assembly called, ver. 7—9. 5. Their agreement to the reformation, ver. 6 L 10—14.

Before Chich 477.

10—14. 6. Commitment appointed to modify with more policy in this respect, ver. 18—17. 7. A list of those names, ver. 18—44.

1. NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and calling himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him our of Israel, a very great congregation of men, and women, and children: for the people wept very soon. 2. And Shechanah the son of Israel, one of the sons of Edan, 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 comment 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. Arife: for this matter brought unto thee; we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priest, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they should do according to this word: and they were.

2. 1—5. Great is the influence of one good man. No sooner was Ezra’s deep concern noised abroad, than we find,

3. The congregation assembled before the house of God, men, women, and children, and whilst they behold him thus weeping over their sins, their eye affected their heart, and they wept sore for themselves, brought to a deep conviction of the great evil which they had committed. Note, It is very affecting when mindless weep over their flock; their tears are often more moving than their words.

4. When nothing but the sound of weeping is heard, as if there was no hope, the voice of Shechanah, like a good angel, revives the disconsolate hearts of Ezra and the people. He owns the guilt which was evidently upon them, and in which his own family, 6. 26. was deeply involved, but he encourages them not to despair. The case, though bad, was not utterly desperate; a remedy might yet be found for the inveterate disease, and God pardon their past transgressions. He advises therefore without delay, that they should solemnly engage to put away their strange wives, and the children begotten of them; and that if Ezra, with those who tremble at God’s word, zealously prosecuted the matter, as he exhorts them, they would find enough to support them, and the affair however difficult yet practicable. Note, (1.) In the deepest distress, let us never despair. (2.) When our sin is seen and felt, however terrible and discouraging the views, there is then hope. (3.) It is a great mercy in times of God-dejection, to have one to support our fainting hearts. (4.) However dear our sins are, we must not first at parting with them, else there is indeed no hope. (5.) That which seems desperate to the dejected, the spirit of a courageous Israelite can bring about. To have a good heart in times of disillusion, is more than half to have overcome them.

5. Ezra immediately struck in with the propolis so agreeable to his orders, and dishoned not to be encouraged by an inferior. On the spot he engaged the chief priests and Levites, and the assembled congregation, upon oath so stand by him, and therein they confessed: thus the matter got into a happy train for its accomplishment.

6. ¶ Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Elsafah: and when he came thither, he did ear no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgressions 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 if forfeited, and himself if 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 in the first three 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.

7. 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.

8. 6—14. Ezra, determined neither to eat nor drink till he saw this unhappy affair in a way to be redressed, went to Johanan’s chamber, a person of note who resided at the temple, and there probably a counsel was held, on the breaking up of which, the following proclamation went forth:

9. A general assembly of all the children of the captivity is summoned to attend within three days, on pass of forfeiture of lands and goods to the treasury of God, and accommodation from the church and congregation of Israel.

10. The summons was universally obeyed: the people assembled in the street that led to the temple, trembling for the penalties which might be indicted on them for their disobedience, and yet more deeply through fear of God’s displeasure, as the sign of which they interpreted the great and unusual rain that now fell; as if the angry heavens loaved over their guilty foals, and threatened a fresh deluge of wrath to sweep them away. Note, Trembling confidences are ready to interpret every providence as a token of evil.

11. Ezra addressed the assembled congregation, setting before them the heinous guilt they were under, each insisting to bring them to a penitent sense and confession of it, and engaging them to put away their strange and idolatrous wives. Note, That is no real repentance, which is extorted by force; it must proceed from conviction.

12. The people, convinced of the necessity of complying with his exhortations, confessed to the expedient; but as multitudes were culpable, and it would require none to examine every case, and the violent rain at present so greatly uncommoded them; therefore they propose, that persons be particularly appointed to take cognizance of the matter with their judges and elders of every city, that thus the matter might be thoroughly cured, and impartial justice done, in order that the wrath, which they acknowledge they had provoked, might be averted from them. Note, (1.) No man parts with his sins, till he free he is undone and lost if he perseveres in them. Conviction must precede conversion. (2.) When we truly return to God, he will return to us, and cause all his anger to cease.

13. ¶ Only Jonathan the son of Afanis, and Jubaziah the son of Tikeah, were employed about this matter: and Methullam, 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 let 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 Jethua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Mazeliah, and Eliezar, 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; Hananah, and Zebadiah. 21. And of the sons of Harim; Mazeliah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22. And of the sons of Fathur; Elioenai, Mazeliah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elaiah. 23. All of the sons of Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Keliaah, (the same is Kelia) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezar. 24. Of the singers also; Elsafah: and of the poopers; Shalhim, and Ickem, and Uri. 25. Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Paroth; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malkiah, and Mamum, and Eliezar, and Akhiah, Jafsiah, and Shea, and Ramoth. 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, Elsafah, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28. Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabba, and Ashlai. 29. And of the sons of Bani; Methullam, Malkiah, and Akhiah, Jafsiah, and Shea, and Ramoth. 30. And of the sons of Pabath-moah; Adna

Adna, and Chelai, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezae, and Binnui, and Manaffeh. 31. And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ifhijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32. Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33. Of the sons of Haifum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manaffeh, and Shimei. 34. Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35. Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheliah, 36. Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37. Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaffau, 38. And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, 39. And Shelamiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 40. Machnadebai, Shafhai, Sharai, 41. Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42. Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43. Of the sons of Nebo, Jehiel, Mattathiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. 44. All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Ezra having consented to the reasonable proposal of the people, they were dismissed for the time, and commissioners appointed to hear and determine.

1. The persons delegated to prepare the matter for the judges, were Jonathan and Jahaniah, assisted by two Levites; though the words will bear an opposite sense, that these stand against this matter; opposed it, either the separation designed, or the method of procedure.

2. Ezra, with the chief of the fathers, decided on the cases brought before them, wholly giving themselves up to this business, till in about three months they had completed it. Note, They who have the cause of God at heart, spare neither time nor pains to serve it.

3. They who were found guilty, submitted to put away their wives, no doubt taking becoming care for their provision. Among the offenders were found some even of the high-priest’s family, who, as especially guilty, solemnly engaged to divorce their strange wives; and, conscious of their sin, offered a trespass-offering, as confessing their iniquity, and crying for mercy. Many other priests and Levites, with other Israelites, to the amount of about 115, who were convicted of transgressing, put away their strange wives; and many of them had children by them, which made the separation more irksome. It is generally supposed, the children were not dismissed with their mothers, but educated in the knowledge of the God of Israel. Note, (1.) When they who should be patterns of goodness to others, offered themselves, their example is grievously infectious. (2.) The people of God may for a while, yea for a long season, backslide, but God will not suffer them to perish in their iniquities, but will pluck them as brands from the burning; tho’ such usually pass through the deepest distress of soul, when the backslider in heart is filled with his own way, and often go down to their graves in darkness, mourning over the bitter remembrance of their unfaithfulness.

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