Ezra 10:3

let us make a covenant&c. Compare other covenants undertaken by the people, e.g. 2 Chronicles 15:12; 2 Chronicles 29:10; 2 Chronicles 34:31-32; Nehemiah 10:29; Jeremiah 34:15.

to put away the wives&c. Either legal divorce or the annulling of the marriages by public decree. The marriages had been valid, but were now declared sinful. The method of separation was forcible expulsion. The case of the wives and of their children, who had become -proselytes" and embraced the Israelite religion, is not taken into account. The words -and such as are born of them" probably refer to the children of tender years.

according to the counsel of my lord so R.V. text: R.V. Marg. Or, - the Lord". The Hebrew text is -Adonai", -my Lord", and the Vulgate accordingly renders -juxta voluntatem Domini". It is objected, (1) that the word -counsel" (as in Ezra 10:8) seems in this context to imply human counsel, as generally. (2) Used of the Divine purpose, it is found chiefly in poetry and prophecy (e.g. Psalms 33:11; Isaiah 5:19; Isaiah 19:17; Jeremiah 49:20; Jeremiah 50:45). (3) The name -Adonai" (Lord) as a Divine title only occurs elsewhere in these books, Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 4:14; Nehemiah 8:10; Nehemiah 10:30. (4) The expression -the counsel of the Lord and of those that tremble at the word of God" is harsh. The rendering -my lord" requires us to read -Adoni", a very slight change. This was apparently read by the LXX. and by 1 Esdr., where there is no mention of the Divine name. The application of the title -my lord" to Ezra is peculiar (but see Nehemiah 3:5), and the allusion to his -counsel", which can only refer to the substance of Ezra's prayer, is not very natural. It is not easy to decide between the two readings. On the whole the R.V. text rendering is to be preferred. The tendency of Jewish scribes would be rather to introduce the Divine Name, if it was not in the text, than to alter it, if it was in the text, into a common word: and this tendency would be assisted, in this case, by the use of -Adonai" in Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 4:14. If the rendering of the R.V. marg. be adopted, then the -counsel of the Lord" will refer to the teaching of the law. The combination of the Divine name -with those who trembled at the commandment of our God" may be paralleled by Ezra 6:14, or Acts 15:28.

of those that tremble at&c. Cf. note on Ezra 9:4.

and let it be done according to the law or -and according to the law it shall be done". The clause is not very definitely expressed. And it has been differently understood to mean either that the general law forbidding marriage with the heathen should now be observed, or that this particular act of -putting away the strange wives" should be performed in accordance with the regulations for divorce contained in the law (e.g. Deuteronomy 24:1-4).