EZRA 10:1 The People Agree to Dissolve the Marriages. Ezra prays, and the people confess their sin (vv. Ezra 10:1). They agree to do God’s will (vv. Ezra 10:3). Ezra seeks a solution (vv. Ezra 10:6), which is for them to separate from their wives (vv. Ezra 10:9), and the people obey (vv. Ezra 10:13)... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:2 SHECANIAH speaks for the whole gathering. JEHIEL. See also v. Ezra 10:26; Shecaniah’s own father may have had a mixed marriage. The word translated MARRIED means literally “we have given a home,” perhaps implying these were not actual marriages. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.ge... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:3 Shecaniah’s belief that “there is hope for Israel” (v. Ezra 10:2) depends on their making a COVENANT with GOD. In this case it means a binding promise to PUT AWAY the foreign WIVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. This is not the usual expression for “divorce” and may also imply that these... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:7 ASSEMBLE AT JERUSALEM. This was a special gathering. Survival of the community was at stake. BANNED FROM THE CONGREGATION. Anyone who refused to participate in the plan to renounce the foreign wives and children would also be removed from the community. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = doc... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:9 The NINTH MONTH, Chislev, is roughly December, the time of the so-called early rains. The people are TREMBLING partly for fear of God (as in Ezra 9:4) and partly because they are cold and wet in the HEAVY RAIN. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:10 INCREASED THE GUILT OF ISRAEL. The return from exile had signified that Israel’s past sins had been forgiven (Isaiah 40:1). Ezra now points to renewed sin, and possibly the renewed wrath of God. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=image... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:11 MAKE CONFESSION could also be translated in other contexts as “give thanks or praise” (compare Joshua 7:19 and esv footnote). Rightful confession is itself a kind of worship. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:14 WRATH OF OUR GOD. See note on v. 10. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 10:16 EXAMINE THE MATTER. Thorough inquiry was a part of judges’ duties (see Deuteronomy 17:4). The whole inquiry took three months. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA 10:18 List of Those Who Were Implicated. The list of around a hundred names may suggest a more limited problem than one might have expected. In that case, the severe reaction of Ezra and the community recognizes the danger they all could face because of the actions of a few (see Deuteronomy 17:... [ Continue Reading ]