Ezra 10:7

And they made proclamation&c. The phrase for making a proclamation is peculiar; it occurs also in chap. Ezra 1:1, where see note.

The authors of this proclamation are not mentioned. But we are evidently intended to understand the princes and the chiefs of the people (Ezra 10:5) who had taken the oath administered by Ezra. That some little interval of time elapsed between the events just narrated and the issue of this proclamation is a natural supposition. The policy advocated by Shecaniah (Ezra 10:2-3) had been approved. But time and deliberation were needed to determine upon the best method of putting it into execution (see note on Ezra 9:1).

throughout Judah and Jerusalem That is to say, in every district in southern Palestine and in every quarter of the capital. Cf. -Jerusalem and Judah" (Ezra 2:1), -Judah and Jerusalem" (Ezra 4:6; Ezra 5:1; Ezra 9:9).

unto all the children of the captivity Cf. notes on this phrase Ezra 2:1; Ezra 4:1; Ezra 6:16; Ezra 6:19; Ezra 8:35.