INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 10
Upon Ezra's prayer and confession, it was proposed by Shechaniah, that
those who had married strange wives should put them away with their
children, which they swore to do, Ezra 10:1, and proclamation was made
throughout the land for all to meet at Jerusalem in three days' t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN EZRA HAD PRAYED, AND WHEN HE HAD CONFESSED, WEEPING,.... Had
confessed the sins of the people in prayer and supplication, with many
tears:
AND CASTING HIMSELF DOWN BEFORE THE HOUSE OF GOD; in the outward court
before the temple, his face turned towards it, where he lay prostrate:
THERE AS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHECHANIAH THE SON OF JEHIEL, ONE OF THE SONS OF ELAM, ANSWERED
AND SAID UNTO EZRA,.... This man seems to be one of those that now
came with Ezra from Babylon, see Ezra 8:3,
WE HAVE TRESPASSED AGAINST OUR GOD, AND HAVE TAKEN STRANGE WIVES OF
THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND; not that he had taken any him... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE LET US MAKE A COVENANT WITH OUR GOD,.... Renew our
covenant with him, and lay ourselves under fresh obligation by promise
and oath, and unanimously agree
TO PUT AWAY ALL THE WIVES, AND SUCH AS ARE BORN OF THEM; he means all
the strange wives, such marriages being unlawful; and such wi... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE,.... From the ground, where he lay prostrate:
FOR THIS MATTER BELONGETH UNTO THEE; as a priest and scribe of the
law, well versed in it, and therefore could direct what was to be done
according to it; and as a ruler under the king of Persia, and a
commissioner of his, to inquire whether the l... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN AROSE EZRA,.... From the ground where he lay:
AND MADE THE CHIEF PRIESTS, AND THE LEVITES, AND ALL ISRAEL, TO SWEAR
THAT THEY SHOULD DO ACCORDING TO THIS WORD: he took an oath of all
that were present to do what was proposed, namely, to put away strange
wives and their children:
AND THEY SWAR... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN EZRA ROSE UP FROM BEFORE THE HOUSE OF GOD,.... Departed from
thence:
AND WENT INTO THE CHAMBER OF JOHANAN THE SON OF ELIASHIB; who was of
the family of the high priest. Eliashib was grandson of Joshua the
high priest, and succeeded his father Joiakim as such; but though
Johanan was never high... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY MADE PROCLAMATION,.... By the voice of an herald:
THROUGHOUT JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE
CAPTIVITY; who were returned from it:
THAT THEY SHOULD GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER UNTO JERUSALEM; within a
time after mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT WHOSOEVER WOULD NOT COME WITHIN THREE DAYS,.... Or at the end
of three days, as Jarchi, this was the space of time allowed, and
which was decided upon for the quick dispatch of this affair, to
prevent any schemes that might be formed to obstruct it, and lest
those who had agreed to it, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ALL THE MEN OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN,.... And such of the ten tribes
that returned and dwelt among them:
GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER UNTO JERUSALEM WITHIN THREE DAYS; the
time fixed: which they were the more careful to observe, since it was
enjoined by the authority of princes and elders, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EZRA THE PRIEST STOOD UP,.... In the midst of the assembly to make
his speech, acquainting them with the reason of their meeting
together:
AND SAID UNTO THEM, YE HAVE TRANSGRESSED; the law of God in the
following instance:
AND HAVE TAKEN STRANGE WIVES; of the people of the land and others,
ido... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE MAKE CONFESSION TO THE LORD GOD OF YOUR FATHERS,.... Of
their sin, and express their detestation of it, and repentance for it:
AND DO HIS PLEASURE; obey his will, and particularly in this case:
AND SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND; the Canaanites,
c. have no fellowship... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ALL THE CONGREGATION ANSWERED AND SAID WITH A LOUD VOICE,....
That they might be heard, and to show that they were willing and ready
to comply with what was proposed:
AS THOU HOST SAID, SO MUST WE DO; being convinced of their sin, they
saw it was a duty incumbent on them to put away their stra... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE PEOPLE ARE MANY,.... Who have been guilty of this evil:
AND IT IS A TIME OF MUCH RAIN, AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO STAND WITHOUT:
in the street, because of the rain:
NEITHER IS THIS A WORK OF ONE DAY OR TWO; to inquire into this affair,
who they are that have taken strange wives, and to persuad... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOW OUR RULERS OF ALL THE CONGREGATIONS STAND,.... Let the great
sanhedrim, or court of judicature at Jerusalem, be fixed and
continued, and others:
AND LET ALL THEM WHICH HAVE TAKEN STRANGE WIVES IN OUR CITIES COME AT
APPOINTED TIMES; to the court at Jerusalem, at certain and fixed known
times... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY JONATHAN THE SON OF ASAHEL, AND JAHAZIAH THE SON OF TIKVAH, WERE
EMPLOYED ABOUT THE MATTER,.... To see that this affair was conducted
in the manner proposed; that the magistrates of every city brought the
persons that had been delinquents, in their turns, of which they gave
them notice, and too... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY DID SO,.... Put away their strange
wives:
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; from all their other business, and gave themselves up to
attend to this wholly:
AND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY MADE AN END WITH ALL THE MEN THAT HAD TAKEN STRANGE
WIVES,.... Finished their inquiry and examination of them:
BY THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH; the month Nisan, answering to
part of March and April; so that they were three months about this
work.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AMONG THE SONS OF THE PRIESTS THERE WERE FOUND THAT HAD TAKEN
STRANGE WIVES,.... So that it need not be wondered at that this evil
should spread among the people, when those who understood the law, and
should have instructed the people in it, set such an example: namely,
OF THE SONS OF JESHUA T... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 19-43. AND THEY GAVE THEIR HANDS THAT THEY WOULD PUT AWAY THEIR
WIVES,.... They proposed to do it, and actually did it:
AND BEING GUILTY; of which they were fully convinced:
THEY OFFERED A RAM OF THE FLOCK FOR THEIR TRESPASS; to make atonement
for it, and thereby set an example to others to d... [ Continue Reading ]
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ALL THESE HAD TAKEN STRANGE WIVES,.... In all about one hundred and
thirteen:
AND SOME OF THEM HAD WIVES BY WHOM THEY HAD CHILDREN; and yet they put
them away, which made it the more difficult for them to do; and those
that had none, it is thought to be a mark of God's displeasure at such
marriages... [ Continue Reading ]