Ezra Chapter 10 — The Covenant of Repentance
Ezra leads the people of Israel in a public confession, resulting in a communal decision to separate from foreign wives and follow the Law of Moses.
1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.
2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
3Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.
4Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”
5Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
6Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.
7They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;
8and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.
9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.
10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.
11Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.
13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.
14Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”
15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women:
19They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.
20Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24Of the singers: Eliashib.
25Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
38Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.
44All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Ezra 10:4
“Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”
This verse highlights the encouragement Ezra received from the people to lead the difficult process of community reform.
Ezra 10:11
“Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
This verse captures the central command given by Ezra to the assembly to restore their religious and cultural identity.
Chapter Summary
Ezra 10 details the collective response of the returning exiles to the issue of intermarriage with the surrounding peoples. While Ezra prays and weeps before the house of God, a large assembly gathers, sharing in his grief. Shecaniah proposes a formal covenant to put away foreign wives and their children to restore the community's holiness. Ezra commissions the leaders and the people to take action, requiring an oath from the priests and Levites. A proclamation is sent throughout Judah for all exiles to gather in Jerusalem within three days under threat of property forfeiture. Despite heavy rain and the logistical challenges of the large crowd, the people agree to a structured process of examination led by officials. The chapter and the book conclude with a detailed list of specific priests, Levites, and laypeople who were found to have married foreign women, noting their commitment to offer guilt offerings and separate from these unions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ezra was mourning because many of the Israelites, including priests and leaders, had been unfaithful to God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding lands. His public display of grief led to a large assembly of people joining him in bitter weeping and confession.
Leaders issued a decree that all the returned exiles must gather in Jerusalem within three days. Anyone who failed to appear would have their possessions forfeited and be excluded from the community of the captivity.
Because of the large number of people and the heavy rain, the assembly decided to appoint judges and elders in every city to examine each case individually. This organized process took three months to complete, ensuring every instance was documented and addressed.
Study Note
The mention of 'much rain' in the ninth month (Kislev) aligns with the historical climate of Israel, where heavy winter rains are common during the month of December.
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