Now 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. Shecaniah 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. Now 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. Arise; for the matter belongs to you, and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”
Then 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. Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of their trespass of the captivity. They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem; and 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 himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.
Then 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.
Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel. Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.”
Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us. But 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. Now 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.”
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
The 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. They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.
Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.
Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.
Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.
Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,
and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah.
All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 19, 25, 30, 44 He confessed his sins, and the sins of the…
He confessed his sins, and the sins of the people.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 44 Ezr 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when…
Ezr 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
Ver. 1. Now when Ezra had prayed] Had presented himself as a suppliant (Hithpallel), and opened his cause to God the Judge, appealing to him, that he might determine.
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And when he had confessed] And begged pardon; deprecating the Divine displeasure, as the word signifieth.
Weeping] Of this we read not in the former chapter, but of other effects of his passion, as rending his garments, tearing off the hair of his head and beard, &c. His sorrow at first might be above tears, which afterwards came gushing out amain, as the blood doth out of a wound, but not till it hath first run back to the heart, to bear the news to it, as I may so say. It is said of Athanasius, that, by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaste vine, he cured the leprosy of that tainted age. May we not say the same of this good man?
And casting himself down before the house of God] Where all might see him, that their eyes might affect their hearts, and contribute some tears of compunction and compassion towards the filling of God’s bottle, as they had done sins toward the filling of his bag.
Of men, women, and children] Anashim, Venashim, &c. A woman is a man, cut short by the head, 1Co 11:3. Here was a general meeting of all sexes and sizes joined together, to cut sin’s cart ropes.
For the people wept very sore] They could not wash their hands in innocency, they, therefore, washed them in tears; they knew that as the sins of the old world, so of this little world, needeth a deluge. Their sins, therefore, are as so many Hazaels to them; their hearts as so many Hadadrimmons, the place they made to become a very Bochim; they wept with a great weeping, and so vented their sins at their eyes, as sick people do their ill-humours at the pores of their bodies.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 25, 44 Awakened by the words and example of this holy…
Awakened by the words and example of this holy priest and great potentate. So inexpressible is the good which is done by the good example, and the evil which is done by the bad example, of a great person, or of a minister. The fame of his great passion of grief, and of his many and public expressions thereof in the court before the temple, being in an instant dispersed over all the city, brought a great company together. The people wept very sore, being greatly affected with Ezra’s prayer, and with the common sin.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 6, 15 We are here told,
We are here told,
I. What good impressions were made upon the people by Ezra's humiliation and confession of sin. No sooner was it noised in the city that their new governor, in whom they rejoiced, was himself in grief, and to so great a degree, for them and their sin, than presently there assembled to him a very great congregation, to see what the matter was and to mingle their tears with his, Ezr 10:1. Our weeping for other people's sins may perhaps set those a weeping for them themselves who otherwise would continue senseless and remorseless. See what a happy influence the good examples of great ones may have upon their inferiors. When Ezra, a scribe, a scholar, a man in authority under the king, so deeply lamented the public corruptions, they concluded that they were indeed very grievous, else he would not thus have grieved for them; and this drew tears from every eye: men, women, and children, wept very sore, when he wept thus.
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II. What a good motion Shechaniah made upon this occasion. The place was Bochim - a place of weepers; but, for aught that appears, there was a profound silence among them, as among Job's friends, who spoke not a word to him, because they saw that his grief was very great, till Shechaniah (one of Ezra's companions from Babylon, Ezr 8:3, Ezr 8:5) stood up, and made a speech addressed to Ezra, in which,
1. He owns the national guilt, sums up all Ezra's confession in one word, and sets to his seal that it is true: "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, Ezr 10:2. The matter is too plain to be denied and too bad to be excused." It does not appear that Shechaniah was himself culpable in this matter (if he had had the beam in his own eye, he could not have seen so clearly to pluck it out of his brother's eye), but his father was guilty, and several of his father's house (as appears Ezr 10:26), and therefore he reckons himself among the trespassers; nor does he seek to excuse or palliate the sin, though some of his own relations were guilty of it, but, in the cause of God, says to his father, I have not known him, as Levi, Deu 33:9. Perhaps the strange wife that his father had married had been an unjust unkind step-mother to him, and had made mischief in the family, and he supposed that others had done the like, which made him the more forward to appear against this corruption; if so, this was not the only time that private resentments have been over ruled by the providence of God to serve the public good.
2. He encourages himself and others to hope that though the matter was bad it might be amended: Yet now there is hope in Israel (where else should there be hope but in Israel? those that are strangers to that commonwealth are said to have no hope, Eph 2:12) even concerning this thing. The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease is threatening, but not incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented and all will be well. Now there is hope; now that the disease is discovered it is half-cured. Now that the alarm is taken the people begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus humbling themselves before God for it, now there is hope that God will forgive, and have mercy. The valley of Achor (that is, of trouble) is the door of hope (Hos 2:15); for the sin that truly troubles us shall not ruin us. There is hope now that Israel has such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra to manage this affair. Note, (1.) In melancholy times we must see and observe what makes for us, as well as what makes against us. (2.) There may be good hopes through grace, even when there is the sense of great guilt before God. (3.) Where sin is seen and lamented, and good steps are taken towards a reformation, even sinners ought to be encouraged. (4.) Even great saints must thankfully receive seasonable counsel and comfort from those that are much their inferiors, as Ezra from Shechaniah.
3. He advises that a speedy and effectual course should be taken for the divorcing of the strange wives. The case is plain; what has been done amiss must be undone again as far as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance. Let us put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, Ezr 10:3. Ezra, though he knew this was the only way of redressing the grievance, yet perhaps did not think it feasible, and despaired of ever bringing the people to it, which put him into that confusion in which we left him in the foregoing chapter; but Shechaniah, who conversed more with the people than he did, assured him the thing was practicable if they went wisely to work. As to us now, it is certain that sin must be put away, a bill of divorce must be given it, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it, though it be dear as the wife of thy bosom, nay, as a right eye or a right hand, otherwise there is no pardon, no peace. What has been unjustly got cannot be justly kept, but must be restored; but, as to the case of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now; such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made, but they are not null. Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet - That which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide. Our rule, under the gospel, is, If a brother has a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, Co1 7:12, Co1 7:13.
4. He puts them in a good method for the effecting of this reformation, and shows them not only that it must be done, but how. (1.) "Let Ezra, and all those that are present in this assembly, agree in a resolution that this must be done (pass a vote immediately to this effect: it will now pass nemine contradicente - unanimously), that it may be said to be done according to the counsel of my lord, the president of the assembly, with the unanimous concurrence of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, which is the description of those that were gathered to him, Ezr 9:4. Declare it to be the sense of all the sober serious people among us, which cannot but have a great sway among Israelites." (2.) "Let the command of God in this matter, which Ezra recited in his prayer, be laid before the people, and let them see that it is done according to the law; we have that to warrant us, nay, that binds us to what we do; it is not an addition of our own to the divine law, but the necessary execution of it." (3.) "While we are in a good mind, let us bind ourselves by a solemn vow and covenant that we will do it, lest, when the present impressions are worn off, the thing be left undone. Let us covenant, not only that, if we have strange wives ourselves, we will put them away, but that, if we have not, we will do what we can in our places to oblige others to put away theirs." (4.) "Let Ezra himself preside in this matter, who is authorized by the king's commission to enquire whether the law of God be duly observed in Judah and Jerusalem (Ezr 7:14), and let us all resolve to stand by him in it (Ezr 10:4): Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better." See what God said to Joshua in a like case, Jos 7:10, Jos 7:11.
III. What a good resolution they came to upon this good motion, Ezr 10:5. They not only agreed that it should be done, but bound themselves with an oath that they would do according to this word. Fast bind, fast find.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 44 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had…
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:
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there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men, and women, and children; it was quickly spread abroad, both in Jerusalem and places adjacent, that such a great man, a commissioner from the king of Persia, and a priest of the Jews, was in the utmost distress, rending his garments, and plucking off his hair, and was crying and praying in a vehement manner; which brought a great concourse of people, who concluded some great sins were committed, and sore judgments were coming upon them:
for the people wept very sore; being affected with his confessions, cries, and tears, and fearing wrath would come upon them for their sins.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 14, 15, 16, 25, 44 The people mourn, ver. 1. Shechaniah encourages Ezra to…
The people mourn, ver. 1. Shechaniah encourages Ezra to put away the strange wives, ver. 2-4. All Israel swear to do it, ver. 5. Ezra, mourning assembles the people, ver. 6-9 They all, on his exhortation, agree to the reformation, ver. 10-14. They perform it, ver. 15-17. The names of them that had married strange wives, ver. 18-44.
There assembled - The account of his grief, and publick expressions thereof in the court before the temple, being in an instant dispersed over all the city, brought a great company together. See what an happy influence the example of great ones may have upon their inferiors!
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 17, 19, 25, 44 The people are greatly afflicted by Ezra's prayer, 1.
CHAPTER X
The people are greatly afflicted by Ezra's prayer, 1.
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Shechaniah proposes that all who have taken strange wives
should put them away, and the children they had by them; and
make a covenant to serve God, 2-4.
Ezra is encouraged; and make a proclamation to collect the
people, to find who had transgressed, 5-8.
They come together on the twentieth day of the ninth month, 9.
Ezra exhorts them to put away their strange wives, 10.
The people agree to it, and require time, 11-14.
This being granted, the business is completed by the first of
the first month, 15-17.
Some of the priests had taken strange wives; their names, and
the names of all who were in the same trespass, 18-44.
NOTES ON CHAP. X
Verse 1. The people wept very sore.] They were deeply affected at the thought of God's displeasure, which they justly feared was about to light upon them, because of their transgressions.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 25, 44 Ezr 10:1. There assembled unto him a very great…
Ezr 10:1. There assembled unto him a very great congregation — The account of his grief and public expressions thereof in the court before the temple, being in an instant dispersed over all the city, brought a great company together; of men, women, and children — Awakened by the words and examples of this holy priest and wise ruler. See what a happy influence the example of great ones may have on their inferiors!
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18 Before the house of God - i. e., in…
Before the house of God - i. e., in front of the temple, praying toward it 1Ki 8:30, 1Ki 8:35; Dan 6:10, and thus in the sight of all the people who happened at the time to be in the great court.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 25, 30, 44 God, in the court of the people, before the…
God, in the court of the people, before the eastern gate.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 I. The effect that Ezra’s prayer had upon Shechaniah,…
B.—THE REMOVAL OF THE ERROR, AND THE LIST OF THOSE WHO PURIFIED THEMSELVES FROM IT
Ezr_10:1-44
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I. The effect that Ezra’s prayer had upon Shechaniah, then upon the princes of the congregation
Ezr_10:1-8
1Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble 4at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away. 7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; 8And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
II. The Success of Ezra in the Assembly of the Congregation. Ezr_10:9-17
9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us. 15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. 16And the children of the captivity did so. 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, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
III. List of those who Separated Themselves from their Wives. Ezr_10:18-44
18And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 20And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. 21And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. 25Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. 27And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. 30And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, sand Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. 31, 32And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, 35Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37, 38, 39Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, And 40, 41Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azareel, 42and Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43Of the sons ofNebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. 44All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Ezr_10:1-8. This chapter from beginning to end treats of the great results attending the penitential prayer of Ezra in the congregation.
Ezr_10:1. Now when Ezra had prayed, etc.—Ezra’s prayer is properly designated as a confessing. הִתְוַדּוֹת, comp. notes on Ezr_9:15. מִתְנַפֵּל means: prostrating one’s self, lying on the knees, comp. Ezr_10:1.—Before the house of God,—elsewhere also “before the face of God,” in the court of the temple. That a great crowd gathered together unto him had its reason in the fact that the people wept very much, that is, for sorrow over the evil circumstances into which so many had plunged themselves, and especially were deeply moved with him also in view of the sins by which they had done it, and accordingly also desired assistance. בֶּכֶה, which form only occurs here, depends upon its verb, although it is separated from it by the adverb הַרְבֵּה in the manner of an infin. abs.
Ezr_10:2. And Shechaniah——answered,etc.—That Ezra himself did not step forth with a definite demand, that he waited until one of the congregation should make a proposition, did not have its reason in the fact that his position did not entitle him to make such a demand, but in the circumstance that the reformation could only be of worth and thoroughly carried out when it came forth from the congregation itself. Shechaniah here, the son of Jehiel, is to be distinguished from Shechaniah, the son of Jahaziel, in Ezr_8:5. And Jehiel, his father, is probably not identical with the one mentioned in Ezr_10:26. Were it so, Shechaniah would not have scrupled to make a proposition by which his own father would be compelled to dismiss his wife. The sons of Elam, to whom he belonged, occur in Ezr_2:7; Ezr_8:7, and again in Ezr_10:26. He was, and this is significant, no priest, nor prince, but one of the congregation, so that in and with him the congregation itself promptly arose to vindicate the law. הוֹשִׁיב, cause to dwell, is in our chapter (comp. Ezr_10:10; Ezr_10:14; Ezr_10:17-18), and so also in Neh_13:23; Neh_13:27, used for the taking home of wives. Shechaniah confesses: We have acted unfaithfully towards the Lord in taking home foreign women (comp. Ezr_10:10 and Neh_13:27), in order to justify Ezra for his strong condemnation of this intermarriage. At the same time he retains hope, עַל־זֹאת = at this transgression (comp. Ezr_9:15), or rather in spite of it. עַל in itself sensu medio, may readily have the meaning of “in spite of,” comp. Isa_53:9; Job_16:17. מִקְוֶה is here=תִּקְוָה. Shechaniah is of the opinion that a removal of the evil is still possible, and perhaps he already recognized also the fact that the resolution to carry out this difficult thing might give the impulse to a general reformation.
Ezr_10:3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God—that is, we will obligate ourselves by a solemn covenant and a sworn vow to God (comp. 2Ch_29:10) to put away.—הוֹצִיא is here the opposite of הוֹשִׁיב—all the wives—namely, as a matter of course, all foreign ones—and such as are born of them—also to send away the children. This resolution might almost seem to be unnecessarily severe, yet it is a matter of question whether it would not have been harder still to separate the mothers from their children. The little ones still needed their mothers, and the larger ones might easily be a support for their mothers. Moreover, it was to be feared that the children, if they were retained, would constitute a bond between the men and their banished wives that would soon again reassert its power and render possible the return of the wives. We are by no means to conclude from Ezr_10:11-19 that they contented themselves with reference to this proposition, with the removal of their wives. Comp. against this view Ezr_10:44 and Neh_13:23 sq. Moreover, however, that which Shechaniah here in his zeal so comprehensively proposes might yet not be so recognized and required, without exception. There was no sufficient ground for removing sons who were willing to live in accordance with the law, and who were not necessarily to be cast out on account of the mother.—According to the counsel of the Lord and of those that tremble at the commandment of our Lord.—That the Lord and those who tremble at His command should be brought together in this way is almost remarkable. The Sept. and Esdras, and after them also De Wette and Bertheau, read accordingly אֲדֹנִי, my Lord, which would be Ezra [so A. V. and Rawlinson.]1 But Ezra had not yet given any counsel at all, and besides, it is hardly conceivable that Shechaniah should here speak to him in such a reverent tone, and then in the verses immediately following so familiarly and cheeringly. Already the Vulgate has juxta voluntatem domini, and according to De Rossi, quite a number of MSS. read even יְהוָֹה. The connection of the two expressions, which is in itself somewhat remarkable, would probably say: according to the counsel of the Lord, as it is understood and vindicated by those who tremble at His commandments. Entirely parallel is Act_15:28 : “for it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us.” The עֵצָה of the Lord is often elsewhere His decree (comp. Isa_5:19; Isa_19:17; Psa_106:13); here, however, according to the context, the counsel, which He gives, as Psa_107:11; Pro_1:25; 2Ki_17:13. Thus mildly Shechaniah expresses himself, however, because a specific command to dismiss the wives, and likewise also their children, was not found in the law, and moreover also partly because the law, in so far as it yet gave an impulse thereto, had a counselling, that is, a precautionary significance with the good of the congregation in view. The clause כַּתּוֹרָה יֵעָשֶׁה is not to be taken in an optative sense [A. V.]—which would be weak—but as a promise: it shall happen according to the law. The fourth verse, moreover, passes over from the tone of comfort to that of promise.—Arise, for upon thee is the matter.—This can only mean: upon thee the matter has to depend; thou must carry it out according to thy judgment and conviction.—And we with thee.—This means in accordance with the foregoing. And we will be with thee, will help thee.
Ezr_10:5-8. Now Ezra made use of the favorable sentiment: he made the princes, etc.,to swear to doכַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה, that is, to carry out the proposition of Shechaniah, then however continued his sorrow, and thereby deepened the zeal that had been excited, until he saw the beginning of the execution of the reform.—Ezra arose from before the house of God, that is, he left the place in the court, where he had prayed, and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib, in order to fast and mourn there. This cell was certainly in the wing that the new temple had gained, and which served for the preservation of the garments of the priests and other articles, but likewise for the provisional abode of the priests and Levites; according to Neb. 13:4–9 the high-priest Eliashib had erected a cell for the use of the Ammonite Tobia, as his relative, which he used in his frequent visits to Jerusalem. The names of Johanan and Eliashib frequently occur (comp. Ezr_10:24; Ezr_10:27; Ezr_10:36), one of the twenty-four classes of priests had its name from a more ancient Eliashib, 1Ch_24:12. But that an apartment or cell of the temple should be named after a subordinate man of the name of Johanan, as Ewald supposes (Gesch. IV., S. 263), is impossible. It is very likely that we are to think of the later high-priest Johanan, and indeed the more so that he was not, it is true, as the one under consideration, a son, but a grandson of Eliashib. The order of high-priests from the time of Zerubbabel was as follows: Jeshua, Joiakim, Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, Jaddua, comp. Neh_12:10 sq., where it is true Jonathan stands in place of Jaddua; where however, according to Neh_12:22-23, Johanan is meant. In the time of Ezra, Joiakim or Eliashib was high-priest. We must probably suppose that the author used a later designation for the previous times as one more intelligible to his readers. The apartment might have been present already in the time of Ezra, which subsequently, perhaps in consequence of a re-building, was named after the high-priest Johanan. The second וַיִּלֶךְ is a needless repetition, and cannot be at all compared with the twice-repeated וַיָקָם in verses 5 and 6, which at any rate each time receives a special definiteness by an additional clause, (against Keil).2שָׁם is besides, at any rate very seldom used in the sense of “thither,” as it must be taken to be in connection with וַיִּלֶךְ. The supposition of Cler. and Berth. that we are to read instead of it יַיָּלֶן, and he passed the night or remained there, commends itself very much to our judgment. Already Ezr_9:1 has: κὰι αὐλισθεὶς ἐκε͂ι, the Syriac: and he sat or remained there; the Sept. however: κὰι ἐπορεύθη ἐκε͂ι.—Eat no bread nor drink water is to fast. Comp. Exo_34:28; Deu_9:9.
Ezr_10:7. Thus they, namely, the princes and elders, who according to Ezr_10:8 took the matter in hand—made proclamation.—הֶעֱבִיר קוֹל as Ezr_1:1,—and indeed probably whilst Ezra was still fasting and mourning, thus immediately after Ezra’s penitential prayer and Shechaniah’s proposition—that all the members of the congregation should assemble unto Jerusalem.
Ezr_10:8. According to the counsel or resolution of the princes and the elders,etc.—כַּעֲצַת belongs to the following clause—the ban should fall upon every one’s substance who should not come in after three days3 to Jerusalem, his possessions were to be forfeited for the benefit of the temple4 (Lev_27:28 and Neh_12:28), and he himself however should be at once cast forth from the congregation.
Ezr_10:9-17. The assembling took place on the twentieth day of the ninth month, namely, in the same year which Ezra had arrived in Jerusalem. (comp. Ezr_9:1), and indeed in the square (רְחוֹב) of the house of God, probably on the east or south-east side of the temple court, yet not before the water gate. Comp. notes on Neh_8:1. If already the affairs themselves, which naturally had not remained concealed from them, were calculated to excite them to the utmost, and depress them, the stormy weather that had set in made their situation utterly miserable. In December it is not only cold, but the rain is accustomed to fall in torrents. Comp. Robinson’s Phy. Geog., p. 287.
Ezr_10:10-11. When Ezra now held up before them their error and called upon them to give praise unto the Lord, that is, honor Him indeed by the separation from the people of the land, above all from the foreign wives—נָתַן תּוֹדָה as Jos_7:19—then the entire assembly (Ezr_10:12) announced with a loud voice, accordingly unreservedly resolved—קוֹל גָּדוֹל (the same as בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל3:12) is a closer designation, which is co-ordinated to the subject or the so-called acc. instrum., Gesen., S. 138, Anm. 3, comp. Psa_3:5, etc.—according as thy words to us we must do.—Already the Vulgate in accordance with the accents, connects עָלֵינוּ with the foregoing (juxta tuum verbum ad nos, sic fiat); we may however in accordance with Ezr_10:4, Neh_8:13; 2Sa_18:11, likewise connect עָלֵינוּ with what follows, so that the sense is: thus we are in duty bound to do.
Ezr_10:13-14. However, it could not be established in this way, namely, by a general declaration, whether many of the guilty would not be dissatisfied with the step concluded upon, and seek to withdraw from their obligation. If the separation was to be carried out energetically and surely, it must be established in detail who were united in marriage with strange women, and it was necessary that the elders or princes in question should undertake to take care that the resolution of the congregation should everywhere have its proper consequences. Thus it was necessary that there should be confirmations and explanations that demanded a long time. Those who had spoken accordingly continue:—But the people are many.—אֲבָל is an adversative particle of limitation. Their meaning is that on account of the large number of the assembly, it is not certain whether they all were really agreed.—And the time is violent rain.—This is briefly for: the time is that of the violent rain, just as “thine eyes are doves” Son_4:1.— And there is no strength to stand without = we cannot longer stand in the cold.—And the business is not for one day and not for two, etc.—There are so many cases that must be established and examined into.
Ezr_10:14. Let now our princes stand for the entire congregation,etc.—לְכָל־הַקָּחָל serves not as a closer designation of the princes as such who belonged to the entire congregation in distinction from the elders and judges of the separate cities (Berth.), as it has already been taken by the Sept., στήτωσαν δὴ ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν, and Esdras: στήτωσαν δὲ ὅ προηγόυμενοι τοῦ πλήθους. The ל is rather a designation of the dat. commodi, and here is equivalent to “in place of.” The sense is, let the princes remain in Jerusalem and advise with Ezra; especially however name to him the members of the congregation in question.—And let every one in our cities who has taken home strange wives, come at fixed times, and with them (for, with him) the elders of every city, and the judges thereof.—The princes are to fix the times for the guilty ones named by them to Ezra, when they have to appear with their elders and judges; the guilty are then to promise to dismiss the wives; the elders and judges however are intrusted with the duty of watching over the performance of their vows. Since the various local congregations might be called at different times, it was possible in this way to dispose of them in Jerusalem in a much shorter period. The article before הוֹשִׁיב again represents the relative as in Ezr_10:17; Ezr_8:25. עִתִּים מְזֻמָּנִים. are appointed terms, only here and Neh_10:35; Neh_13:31זִמֵּן is a Chaldaism.—Until they turn away the fierce wrath of our God from us with reference to this matter.—עַד in the sense of “until,” gives no difficulty. For it might be expected of a God who is ever so gracious, that with the cause of the wrath the wrath itself also would cease. The supposition of Betheau, that עַד with the following ל in the later language is used for the simple ל, thus stating the purpose, cannot be proved from Jos_13:5; 1Ch_5:9; 1Ch_13:5, compared with Num_13:21. Also in the clause עַד לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה after wrath, עַד retains its meaning; the sense is: which reaches even to this matter.5 Certainly, however, the simple לַדָּבָר הַוֶּה would have sufficed here (comp. Gen_19:21; 1Sa_30:24; Dan_1:14), just as עַד לְמֵרָחוֹק, 2Ch_26:15; Ezr_3:13, and לְמֵרָחוֹק, 2Sa_7:19 amount to the same thing. With the first words of the verse, “let our princes stand,” this clause cannot be connected in the sense of “so long as this matter lasts, (Keil); against this is not only the fact that it would be somewhat superfluous, but also that a new clause: And let every one—come—has come in between.
Ezr_10:15-17. Only Jonathan, etc.—If we follow the clear usage of the language we must regard this as in apposition. אַךְ properly “only” (then often it is true “in truth”) easily leads to an adversative limitation, and עָמַד עַל means 1Ch_21:1; 2Ch_20:23; Dan_8:25; Dan_11:14 :stand against any person or thing, as sometimes also קוּם עַל. Accordingly Jonathan and Jahaziah withstood the adopted resolution, whether they merely had some objection to the proposed method of dealing with the matter, or were also opposed to the banishment of strange wives itself. Only the circumstance that verse 16 is joined on, without an adversative particle, although it treats of the obedience of the congregation, seems to favor the view that here also an agreement is meant, as then already the Vulgate has: steterunt super hoc præfecti sunt huic negotio. But in truth, according to our conception, Ezr_10:16 is not in contrast with Ezr_10:15. All depends upon the emphasis placed upon “only” at the beginning of Ezr_10:15. Not notwithstanding that, but because only Jonathan, etc., withstood, the congregation did, as a whole, as had been proposed. The present reading in Ezr_10:16וַיִּבָּדְלוּ Ezra, the priest, men as heads of fathers’ houses were separated, is not only opposed by the fact that we should expect with the Sept. and Vulg. the copula before אֲנָשִׁים, since an asyndeton would here be very remarkable, but likewise by the fact that a separation of Ezra could hardly be spoken of, for he was already sufficiently set apart by his entire position. We may therefore with Ewald, Gesch. IV., S. 185 and Berth., in accordance with Esdras and the Peschito read יַיַּכְדֵּל לוֹ—And Ezra separated for himself, or at any rate also וַיִּבָּדְלוּ לָעֶזְרָא—there were separated unto Ezra. [So Rawlinson].—After the fathers’ house = so that every father’s house was represented by its head.—And they all with names, as Ezr_8:20.—And they held a session—so יַיִּשְׁבוּ here—on the first day of the tenth month, thus ten days after the general assembly of the people, to Investigate the matter.—Instead of דַּרְיוֹשׁ which is not a Hebrew formation, we are to read the infin. דְּרוֹשׁ.
Ezr_10:17. And they made an end with all, etc., אֲנָשִׁים (men who had taken home strange wives) can hardly be in apposition with בַּכֹּל as the more ancient interpreters would have it; the expression would be too peculiar; moreover the accentuation is against it. No more can אֲנָשִׁים be the object of וַיְּכֲלּוּ and בַּכֹּל be a designation of place; they brought to an end the men (the hearing of them) in every place (Berth.); אֲנָשִׁים in this case would certainly require the article. The same objection is to be made to the rendering of Keil, “with reference to the men,” which in itself moreover already misses the sense. The suspicion that the clause was a title of the following section in Ezr_10:18, and only by mistake was placed here is quite natural, but it is not confirmed by any ancient version. Thus we must regard the entire clause as a brief, loosely attached, closer designation of כֹּל, and understand: they were ready with the entire object incumbent upon them, that however was men who, etc.—[Rawlinson in loco: “In some cases, it may be presumed, they had to summon persons before them who did not wish to part with their foreign wives; in all they had to assure themselves that the wives were foreign; finally they had in every case where they decreed a divorce to make out the ‘writing of divorcement,’ to which the woman put away was entitled as evidence of her having been a wife and having become free.”—Tr.]—By the first day of the first month, namely, of the following year. The session thus lasted in all very nearly three months.
Ezr_10:18-44. Catalogue of the men, who had strange wives, and were obliged to dismiss them. First of all are the priests in Ezr_10:18-22, and indeed in Ezr_10:18-19 four of the house of the high-priest.—Of the sons of Jeshua,etc. This evidently means the high-priest Jeshua, who had come to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. The sons of his brother were probably only his distant relatives; according to Ezr_2:36, they were, if Jeshua there is the high-priest Jeshua, sons of Jedaiah, thus brother in a broader sense.
Ezr_10:19. They gave their hands, that is, they vowed in a solemn manner by striking hands (comp. 2Ki_10:15) to dismiss their wives. וַאֲשֵׁמִים might follow as epexegesis = and indeed as guilty. But it is more simple to supply: and they were guilty, that is, as they stood there guilty. The more general law of Lev_5:14 sq. comes into consideration. They must bring a guilt-offering, because they had committed a מַעַל against Jehovah, for which a satisfaction was possible, and hence must likewise be given; comp. the different opinions respecting the guilt-offering in Keil’s Archäol. I. S. 244. עֵיל־צֹאן is subordinated as an accusative of closer definition to the previous word. In connection with the following persons we are to supply in thought the promise to dismiss the wives and probably also the offering of a corresponding guilt-offering.—Of the names following in Ezr_10:20-22 some occur again in Neh_8:4; Neh_10:2-9, which perhaps designate the same persons. In all eighteen priests were guilty; none of the divisions that had returned with Zerubbabel had kept themselves free from the transgression (comp. Ezr_2:36-39).
In Ezr_10:23-24 ten Levites follow, among whom Kelaiah, usually called Kelita (comp. Neh_8:7; Neh_10:11); furthermore Jozabad, who again occurs in Neh_8:7.
Ezr_10:26-44 give the names from the rest of Israel. In all there are eighty-six, distributed among ten of the families named in chapter 2. It is singular that the sons of Bani are mentioned twice in Ezr_10:29 and Ezr_10:34, and probably there is an error in the second Bani, although it already occurs in the reading of the Sept. and Esdras. Whilst of every other family only four, six, seven or eight persons are enumerated in Ezr_10:34 sq. not less than twenty-seven are mentioned as of this family. Furthermore it is singular that the inhabitants of the cities adduced in Ezr_2:21-28 and Ezr_10:33-35 are not expressly mentioned, whilst yet in Ezr_10:7 sq. and Ezr_10:14 those outside the city come into consideration as well as the Jerusalemites. Probably the twenty-seven men mentioned in Ezr_10:34-41 belonged to the different districts of Judah.
Ezr_10:44 concludes the entire catalogue with a summary statement.—All these had taken strange wives.—נשׂאי must be taken as a participle; probably, however, we should read as the perfect נָשְׂאוּ. for the expression נָשָׁא נָשִׁים, comp. Ezr_9:2. No admissible sense can be derived from the last words of the verse; the translation: And there were among them women, and they had, or which had brought sons into the world, by which the masc. suffix of מֵהֶם, and so also the masc. form וַיָּשִׂימוּ, is referred to the wives, gives a statement, which is too self-evident to be correct. But a change which Bertheau proposes: “And there were among them those who sent away wives and sons,” does not commend itself, partly because it is in too little connection with the text as we have it, partly because such a clause would likewise be too self-evident after Ezr_10:3.—[Rawlinson adopts the former interp. and says: “The fact is noted as having increased the difficulty of Ezra’s task.”—Tr.]
thoughts upon the history of redemption
Ezr_10:1 to Ezr_4:1. It is certainly worthy of remark that it is not narrated of Ezra that he, as we should expect, expressly and severely denounced the men married to strange Wives, but that we are only told of his prayer and confession of sin, in which he includes himself in the number of the guilty. Earnest sorrow for the sin to be denounced in others, and especially persevering prayer in their behalf, which in the nature of the case readily includes intercession, generally makes a deeper impression as well upon the persons themselves as their adherents, than castigating sermons, as then likewise here a great crowd of men, women, and children assembled. about the praying and sorrowing Ezra, deeply affected by his sorrow.
2. If a head of a community sorrows in true sympathy and anxiety for his people, the better class of the people do not lack the earnest wish to remove his sorrow, and especially its cause: the love and respect which they entertain for him very easily pass over into this wish, and then there is easily found in the congregation itself a spokesman, who, as here Shechaniah, openly acknowledges the guilt, and correctly expresses what it is necessary to do in order to be free from it. Such a voice, moreover, arising out of the congregation itself, such willingness, springing up of itself, is the best result and reward of the sorrowing one. The willingness of the congregation, thus testified, is thereby at the same time still further intensified and enlarged, and the improvement which then takes place as a free act, has a truly ethical significance.
3. Such a one, who stands in the midst of a congregation, has need not only of a strict conscientiousness, but also of great courage and alacrity, in order to openly designate a sin of which many have been guilty as a sin, and demand the putting of it away. But he who is first convinced that the sin in question is really sin, and that the putting it away is really God’s will, should not be frightened by any objection from expressing his conviction, and improving the others, who perhaps are only weak, but not hardened. A lack of conscientiousness and courage in this respect is truly lamentable; it is ominous and ruinous for those in question. Joy in God, on the other hand, has its great blessings under all circumstances, even when, instead of good resulting, at first only opposition, scorn, and persecution are reaped. Besides, a good transaction never remains entirely, at least never very long, wholly without results.
Ezr_10:5-8. It is indeed possible, yea, usually the case, that the first better feelings which dawn at a reformation are transitory. Many let themselves be carried away by the awakening voices of the better spirits, so that they to a certain extent outrun themselves, and regard themselves as capable of the severest self-sacrifices; but afterwards, when they come to realize the difficulties to be overcome, in all their magnitude, they shrink back from them as quickly as they had before resolved to overcome them. Even because they are so great, they deem themselves excused from carrying out their resolution. And the longer they hesitate the more grounds they find to justify the sins that were to be put away. He who would truly improve a congregation should therefore never be satisfied with a first good resolution on their part; his earnestness, his sorrow, his prayer must endure, and it must be felt by all, that he has no rest and no joy until the good resolution has become act and fact. But if anything, such a perseverance will have the power to deepen and render permanent the penitence of the congregation, so that, as in our history, it takes the steps with earnestness and zeal, that are necessary to carry out the good resolution.
Ezr_10:9-12. The wife was not in such a high station among the Israelites as among Christians. Polygamy was still allowed. Yet the true relation to God and the recognition of the truth, that the woman had been created in the divine image, already involved, that the position of the man towards the woman was much better than among the heathen Asiatics. The demand that wives and children should be dismissed was at any rate, for the most of the parties concerned, one of the hardest that could at all be made. But a true reformer should not hesitate to demand even the hardest things of the congregation of the Lord, and express his demand with clearness and definiteness. His rule is God’s word and will alone. Every modification, weakening, and rendering it easy on his part, renders his work of reformation all the more difficult. For it deprives him of his authority as an instrument of God; he thereby abandons the only safe foundation, besides passes over to act in his own name. It renders it difficult for the congregation to follow him. For to do God’s pure and clear will there is ever to be found fresh readiness, but to execute the will of a man, or what he may think proper, does not satisfy. The divine will often demands much
Very much—but its accomplishment has a corresponding blessing, but this fails if God’s demand is weakened by human devices.
Ezr_10:13-17. 1. We cannot blame the authorities for assembling the people without delay even in the cold and rainy season of the year. The removal of transgressions against God’s law and will admits of no delay. But again, it would not have been justifiable for Ezra to have prepared additional unnecessary burdens for the people, who already had besides enough to bear in the burden they had taken on themselves if He exposed them to the injuries of the storm, so to speak, punished them. Towards him who is willing to impose upon himself every self-denial, even the hardest, for the sake of the word of God, every possible forbearance has ever its proper place. And under all circumstances he who would carry out a difficult work of reformation has to take care that everything moves on in order.
2. From our point of view, the dismissal of strange wives with their children, seems extravagantly severe,—without doubt there were also many in the congregation of that time who found the demand of Ezra beyond measure hard, many who might be ruined by this proceeding. Notwithstanding, if we properly estimate all the circumstances of that period, and especially the great dangers that threatened the very existence of the congregation, we will be obliged to regard Ezra as in the right. We are not always to avoid that which may be a stumbling-block. The point of view which alone decides at last, is ever that the communion with the Lord must be re-established or furthered; all communion and friendship with men must stand in the background. If, when we let the latter retire to the background we be regarded as destitute of consideration and the like, we may easily put up with it. Even the opinion of men already prepares a martyrdom, to which Peter’s word may be applied, “happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” 1Pe_4:14. What a thorough success his proceeding without regard to consequences had is clear from Nehemiah 8-10; for it certainly already gave an important impulse to the renewal of the covenant there narrated,—it is clear then moreover from Psalms 111, 112, which praise the Lord still for the redemption given to the people, at the same time, however, already are full of praise of the law and the disposition in accordance with the law, especially also from Psalms 119, if it originated already in this period where the poet, just as Ezra in chap. 9, refers to deadly peril, from which the Lord only has delivered him, or removed him, and the one thought that only in the keeping of the divine commandments is salvation, is given with variation, comp. especially Ezr_10:37 sq.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Ezr_10:1-4. The power of sorrow over sin (if it be a true, divine sorrow): 1) It moves the pious to sympathy and sorrow; 2) the more intelligent to the recognition of sin; 3) the guilty, at least in part, to the resolution to put away sin.—The possibility of hope in God: 1) In spite of what circumstances: eyen when the pious leaders sorrow, and the more intelligent are obliged to admit great transgression; 2) under what conditions: when we are ready to re-establish the communion with God by putting away sin, and again cheer those sorrowing for it.—Starke: If we have sinned and deserved punishment, we should not despair, or let go every hope, as if we were out and out ruined; but we should confess the sins committed, lament and grieve for them, and take our refuge with the mercy of God.
Ezr_10:5-8. How will it be better? 1) If he who has to represent the cause of God obligates superiors (fathers and teachers) to do their duty and suffers sorrow so long as they have not accomplished their work.—Searke: Preachers should be an example for the people (1Ti_4:12), that they should see their good works and be likewise incited to good.—In the example of the great is a great power for evil and also for good. 2) When the superiors earnestly and zealously take heed to remove the general transgression. 3) When those who would not follow are excluded from communion with the others.—Starke: Those who publicly sin should be publicly chastised, in order that others also may fear. Preachers should chastise with especial earnestness where there is loose conduct in matter of marriage.—In true conversion we must for God’s sake renounce that which is hard and difficult for us to renounce.
Ezr_10:9-12. True willingness to set aside that which separates from God: 1) on the side of the people—they follow the call of their superiors punctually, with zeal, in spite of external difficulties; 2) on the side of the teacher—he sincerely shows the people their sins, and requires of them also confidently the most difficult things; 3) on the side of those who have sinned—they vow to free themselves from their guilt.—The duty of loving God more than our nearest relatives. 1) When we are to follow it—always and under all circumstances, even when to fulfil it is especially difficult. 2) What it means—especially this, that we do wrong in letting our highest good be imperilled by relatives, by our wives or by our children,—that we are therefore bound to choose the wife, above all, with reference to the Lord; 3) upon what it is based—on our having to give the Lord praise and honor (comp. Ezr_10:11)—Brentius: Non est quidem matrimonium sine consensu et sine promissione, at illa non sufficiunt. In contractu matrimonii requiretur legis observatio.
[Scott: Genuine humiliation before God and sorrow for sin always produce works meet for repentance.—Fervent affections should not be allowed to subside till our most beloved sins have been renounced.—Henry: Our weeping for other people’s sins may perhaps set them a weeping for themselves, who otherwise would have continued senseless and remorseless.—Then there is hope of people when they are convinced not only that’ tis good to part with their sins, but that ’ tis indispensably necessary.—Wordsworth: Prayer may preach; the sighs and sobs of the penitent are sometimes the best sermons; but prayers and tears avail not without practice.—Tr.]
Footnotes:
[1][Rawlinson in loco “This expression shows the high position which Ezra occupied as the commissioner of the Persian king. His counsel does not appear to have been expressly given. but might be gathered from the general tone of his prayer.”—Tr]
[2][It may be as in the A.V., the protasis of a temporal clause, as “When he came thither.”—Tr]
[3][Rawlinson in loco “The brevity of this term indicates the narrowness of the area over which the returned Israelites were Spread.”—Tr]
[4][Rawlinson in loco “The Persians allowed generally to the conquered nations that they should be governed by their own laws. In the present case Ezra had had special permission to appoint magistrates and judges who should judge the people according to the law of his God (Ezr_7:25) and could enforce his views of the law of only by confiscation of goods, but even by death (Ezr_7:26),”—Tr]
[5][Rawlinson after Dathe and Maurer follows two MSS. Which read עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה—Tr]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 5, 9, 10, 18, 19 Shechaniah . . . answered and said unto Ezra,…
Shechaniah . . . answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed--This was one of the leading men, who was not himself a delinquent in the matter, for his name does not occur in the following list. He spoke in the general name of the people, and his conduct evinced a tender conscience, as well as no small fortitude in making such a proposal; for as his father and five paternal uncles (Ezr 10:26) were involved in the guilt of unlawful marriages, he showed, by the measure he recommended, that he deemed it better to obey God than to please his nearest relatives.
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing--This hope, however, depended on timely measures of reformation, and therefore, instead of surrendering themselves to despair or despondency, he counselled them to amend their error without delay, relying on God's mercy for the past. Though the proposal may seem harsh and cruel, yet in the peculiar circumstances of the Jews it was just as well as necessary; and he urged the duty of seeing it executed on Ezra, as the only person competent to carry it into effect, being possessed of skill and address for so delicate and difficult a work, and invested by God, and under Him by the Persian king (Ezr 7:23-28), with the requisite authority to enforce it.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 25, 44 PUTTING AWAY THE STRANGE WIVES, Ezr_10:1-17.
PUTTING AWAY THE STRANGE WIVES, Ezr_10:1-17.
To us, with our Christian sentiments and feelings respecting the inviolability of the marriage relation, this procedure of Ezra in enforcing the separation of these Jews from their wives seems exceedingly harsh and severe. Nor is it to be reconciled, or reconcilable, with our Lord’s profound teaching that the marriage relation is closer and more inviolable than any other human relation, and never to be sundered except in the case of fornication. Mat_5:32; Mat_19:4-9. But Ezra’s action must be viewed and explained from the Mosaic standpoint. His mission was to reconstruct the Jewish state on the basis of the law of Moses, and that law, as we have seen, expressly prohibited marriages with the heathen.
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Exo_34:12-16; Deu_7:3. It was also well known that marriages with the heathen, and the consequent adoption of heathen abominations, has been the main cause of all the woes of Israel. And now, in reconstructing the Jewish state, it would be fatal to the permanence of the same to allow the precedent of extensive intermarriages of this kind to stand unrebuked. Ezra could not but see that such a precedent, if established, would govern the life and conduct of his people for the generations that were to follow, and it was plainly irreconcilable with Mosaic law. It was better, therefore, to check the evil then, though it cost great sorrow and trouble, than to let it alone to ruin all the holy seed.
1. There assembled… a very great congregation — It seems that Ezra’s prayer and his agonizing attitude had brought the most of them together. His position before the house of God, in the fore-court of the temple, at the time when many would naturally be resorting there for the worship of the evening sacrifice, (Ezr_9:4-5,) and his attitude of kneeling down and spreading out his bands towards heaven, would soon attract a multitude around him, and his touching prayer would naturally make them weep.
For the people wept very sore — Or, as the margin, wept a great weeping. And this helped further to call a large assembly to the spot.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 35, 37, 43, 44 Chap. Ezr_10:1-5. The People’s Confession and Oath
Chap. Ezr_10:1-5. The People’s Confession and Oath
1. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed] R.V. Now while Ezra prayed and made confession. The Hebrew shows that the people were assembling during Ezra’s prayer. The report of Ezra’s public grief would quickly spread, and he had maintained his attitude of shame and humiliation throughout the day (Ezr_9:4). The Vulgate ‘Orante Esra et implorante’ is more correct than the LXX. ὡς προσηύξατο Ἔσδρας καὶ ὡς ἐξηγόρευσε.
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It will be observed that the 1st person is here dropped, having been maintained since Ezr_7:27. Henceforward the Compiler only adapts instead of quoting Ezra’s memoirs, or perhaps he here makes use of other materials.
‘Made confession’. As in Neh_1:6; Neh_9:2-3; Dan_9:4; Dan_9:20; 2Ch_30:22; Lev_5:5; Lev_16:21; Lev_26:40; Num_5:7.
casting himself down before the house of God] In the agony of his confession he had ceased to kneel (Ezr_9:5) and had prostrated himself on the ground.
before the house of God] Ezra was probably in one of the outer courts of the Temple, and in prayer turned himself in its direction, cf. 1Ki_8:30; 1Ki_8:35; 1Ki_8:38, &c. 2Ch_20:9 ‘If evil come upon us … we will stand before this house and before thee (for thy name is in this house) and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save’, Dan_6:10. See on Ezr_9:15.
there assembled] R.V. there was gathered together, cf. Ezr_10:7 ‘gather themselves together’.
out of Israel] See Ezr_7:28. The word ‘Israel’ refers here as in Ezr_10:2; Ezr_10:10 to the whole community, not as in Ezr_10:5 to the laity.
a very great congregation … wept] Large numbers were of the same mind with Ezra.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 7, 18 (1-6) The covenant of repentance and amendment. Here the…
X.
(1-6) The covenant of repentance and amendment. Here the narrative assumes another form; and, in accordance with the solemnity of a great public transaction, Ezra adopts the third person.
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(1) Before the house of God.—Prostrating himself towards the Temple in the court, where all the people saw him and marked his distress.
Wept very sore.—The evil penetrated domestic life, and the punishment, as was already foreseen by “the women bringing the children with them,” brought special family distress.
(2) Shechaniah.—The son of one of the transgressors (Ezr_10:2), whose action as the representative of the people gives him an honourable memorial in Scripture.
There is hope in Israel.—A noble sentiment for a reformer even at the worst of times.
(3) Special covenants with God—general, as in 2Ki_23:3, and in regard to particular offences, as here, and in Jer_34:8—were familiar in Jewish history. And at all times of critical sin or danger the voluntary intervention of individuals was held in honour. (Comp. Num_25:12 seq.)
According to the counsel of my lord.—Better, according to, or in, the counsel of the Lord. Ezra would hardly be called “my lord,” nor had he given any counsel.
According to the law.—Which in Deuteronomy 24 prescribes the terms of divorce.
(4) Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee.—The commission given to Ezra (Ezr_7:11 seq.) seems specially referred to, and the deep prostration of his spirit renders the encouragement here given very appropriate. It had its effect: as Ezra’s grief had made the people sorrowful, so their vigour made him energetic.
(5) According to this word.—“According to” occurs three times, and each instance must be noted. First, it was “in the counsel of the Lord” as God’s law, rightly interpreted, demanded this measure, however seemingly harsh; secondly, it was to be done “according to the law;” and, thirdly, according to the present covenant, which, went beyond the law of Moses.
(6) The chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib.—Ezra retired for fasting and prayer into one of the chambers opening on the court. It seems impossible to identify these names with the Eliashib of Neh_12:10 and his grandson. Both names were common.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 44 REPENTANCE OF THE PEOPLE, AND COVENANT SWORN TO, ON…
REPENTANCE OF THE PEOPLE, AND COVENANT SWORN TO, ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF SHECHANIAH. (Ezr_10:1-5) While Ezra was uttering his prayer aloud, upon his knees, in front of the temple, where the evening sacrifice was being offered upon the great brazen altar, (Ezr_3:2) the people gathered about him, heard what he said, and had their feelings so stirred that numbers of them burst into tears and "wept very sore". (Ezr_10:1) When he had ended, Sheehaniah, the son of Jehiel (one of those who had married an idolatrous wife ver. 26), took the word, and suggested an immediate step towards that reformation which Ezra seemed to him to have had in his mind and to have tacitly recommended. This step was that all present should at once enter into a special covenant with God that they would do their utmost to have the mixed marriages dissolved, and the idolatrous wives, with their children, sent out of the country. The idea of such a special covenant was no new thing. One such had been made under Asa (2Ch_15:12) against idolatry; another, more general, under Josiah; (2Ki_23:3) a third, nearly parallel with this, since it touched a single point of the law only, under Zedekiah. (Jer_34:8) The proposition of Shechaniah approved itself to Ezra, who "arose, and made the chief priests and Levites" present and "all the people" present, to swear to this covenant. "And they swore." An engagement of a most sacred character was thus entered into by a number of influential persons, and the way was prepared for the actual reformation which followed.
When Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed. Rather, "As Ezra prayed, and as he confessed." (Vulg.: "Orante Esdra et implorante." LXX: Wv proshuxato Esdrav kaireuse Weeping and casting himself down. Ezra had knelt at first; (Ezr_9:5) but as he proceeded, and felt more and more the heinousness of the people"s transgression, he threw himself forward upon the ground, in the attitude of extremest humiliation. Before the house of God. So far as can be gathered from the context, Ezra was in the great court of the temple when the princes came to him with their information. (Ezr_9:1) He at once "sat down astonied" (ver. 8). So he remained until preparations began to be made for the evening sacrifice, when he arose, and took up a position directly in front of the altar and the holy place, towards which he proceeded to pray. Doubtless he had in his mind the words of Solomon, assented to by God, (1Ki_9:3) and pleaded by Jehoshaphat: (2Ch_20:9) "What prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands towards this place: then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do," etc.. (1Ki_8:38, 1Ki_8:39)
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Vers. 1-5.
A gleam of hope.
The only trace of comfort in Ezra"s previous prayer (Ezr_9:6-15) was of a negative kind. Notwithstanding all the aggravated evil which he had had to confess, the people were not destroyed. That, at least, could be said, "We remain yet escaped." That being the case, "who can tell". (see Jon_3:9) what it may please God to do for us? In the present passage this little suspicion of light becomes a positive ray of encouragement, gradually bringing before us
(1) hopeful feelings,
(2) hopeful thoughts, and
(3) hopeful resolves.
I HOPEFUL FEELINGS. There was something of this description
1. In Ezra himself From sitting originally in almost despairing astonishment, (Ezr_9:3, Ezr_9:4) he had afterwards knelt in prayer (ibid. ver. 5); and now, in the depth and intensity of his feelings, he seems to have cast himself prostrate before the house of God. The more he turns the matter over, the more he feels it. This is a good sign in repentance. (comp. Mar_14:72, "As he thought thereon, he wept;" and see Alford in loc. ) A good sign because a sign of sincerity, without which there is no possible room for any. (Eze_14:1-8)
2. In the people at large. Not only were more persons continually led to sympathise with his sorrow, until "there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation;" but this congregation was composed of persons of both sexes and various ages ("men and women and children") whose influence would tell respectively in the state, the home, and the future, and who were affected, also, with a degree of grief hardly less than his own (see end of ver. 1). In a case such as this, in which a national sin was involved, this was also a very good sign. The more numerous and varied the penitents, and the deeper their sorrow, the better, of course, the prospect of that thoroughly national repentance which was required in this case. So far, therefore, things were of such a nature as to give a ground of hope, though not more. It was something to find, in so many quarters, so much sorrow for sin.
II HOPEFUL THOUGHTS. One man, e.g. , out of the many present next expressed such thoughts for the rest. His words were all the more worthy of attention because the evil bewailed seems to have had place amongst his own family and connections; possibly in the household of his own father, Jehiel (comp. vers. 2 and 26). Yet even he felt, though so near the evil, that the case was not beyond hope. It was not a case, i.e. ,
(1) in which a remedy of any kind was impossible. There are some evils which, if once begun, must necessarily continue; but that was clearly not the case here. Besides the obvious fact that there was no necessity for any further marriages of this unhappy description, it was at least possible to think of a method of undoing, to some extent, the harm already accomplished. Wherever such forbidden wives had been "taken," or brought home to dwell (Lange), they might be again "brought forth" (margin), or brought out the exactly opposite course (Lange again). Even if children had been born to them a worse form of the evil no doubt on many accounts there was still a remedy conceivable, however distressing it might be, and however harsh it might seem. These children might be sufficiently provided for, and then sent away with their mothers, as at once the most salutary and the most natural course of proceeding. Only, in short, let all those concerned "covenant with their. God" to act in this manner, and it would evidently be possible for them to become free of this plague.
(2) The case was one in which such a remedy was quite lawful. They would not be endeavouring, by the proposed process, to get rid of one sin by another. The plan proposed, in fact, was the "counsel" of Ezra himself. Either he had taught as much beforehand in explaining generally the Law of Moses, or they understood as much now from his actions, or from some unrecorded words of his at this time. In any case, as being his counsel, it was the counsel of an adequate authority of one to be addressed as "my Lord on this subject. It was also the counsel of all those among the people who were known for their profound and even "trembling" reverence for the commandment of God. There could be no doubt, therefore, if this remedy should be adopted, that all "would be," or "would happen" (so Lange), according to the law.
(3) The proposed remedy was also feasible another capital point. There was a fitting person to undertake its application, viz., Ezra himself. "This matter belongeth unto thee." It is the kind of thing we expect from thee; it is within thy commission to do it. There were those also ready to assist him, when once the thing was begun even the speaker himself and his friends. One can imagine all that "great" and penitent "congregation" murmuring their willing assent at this point; and the speaker, in consequence, feeling enabled to assure him that he would be sure to succeed if he tried. "We also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it" (ver. 4).
III HOPEFUL RESOLVES. The proposal and declaration of Shechaniah were great points gained very great but they did not embrace all. The nail was driven through. It still required to be clenched. A mere vague and general willingness to assist in so extraordinarily difficult and invidious a task, and one affecting so many persons in so painful and (in their eyes, perhaps) so inquisitorial a manner, would never be sufficient to carry that task through. The people assembled, therefore, must be solemnly pledged and, as it were, bound over to the undertaking. What better time for so doing than that very moment before they dispersed? What better place than that very spot in front of God"s house? What better manner than with Jehovah as witness, and by a solemn oath in his name? Such, accordingly, was the next thing done. "Then arose Ezra then at last, so it seems to signify, as though feeling at last that he could exert himself to some purpose made them swear to do according to this word." "Chief priests, and Levites, and all Israel," he made them all swear, for they were all concerned in it; and were all required to help, also, in so great an enterprise. When he let them disperse, therefore, it was with the legitimate feeling, doubtless, that a beginning, at least, had been made. There was a great and dreadful evil, it was true, in their midst. But there was also among them a great and influential body who had been brought to feel it most acutely, and who had also been pledged to a distinct plan for removing it in the name of Jehovah himself. So far, in much sorrow, there was also some hope.
Observe here, in conclusion, how we find in all true repentance
1. The idea of cessation. "Repentance is that whereby we forsake sin." "If I have done iniquity, I will do so no more". (Job_34:32) A well-known children"s hymn teaches that, on this point, which many adults never learn
Repentance means to leave The sins we loved before; And show that we in earnest grieve, By doing so no more.
2. The idea of urgency and promptness. "I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments," etc.. (Psa_119:59, Psa_119:60)
3. The idea of restitution, or of undoing the evil done, so far as lies in our (Luk_19:8; Act_9:2, 22 19:19; Eph_4:28)
4. But not the idea, in any way, of propitiation or atonement thereby. It is noticeable, rather, how the language employed seems to avoid this idea. The evil done to Israel by contracting such marriages can be undone (in part) by dissolving them; but as to the position of the people, in consequence, before God, they have nothing to urge Ezr_9:15. See, also, as understood by some, Psa_49:7 Mat_16:26; Luk_7:42)
HOMILIES BY J.A. MACDONALD Vers. 1-5.
The speech of Shechaniah.
Ezra was a very remarkable man. He represented the Persian court as governor in Judaea. But this was the least feature of his distinction. He was a man of the most exemplary piety, a very profound scholar, and withal the subject of Divine inspiration. When it was noised in the city that such a man had rent his clothes, there was naturally a vast concourse of people. In the presence of this assembly he offered his prayer to God, in the whole of which there is not an expression of hope. This stirred the soul of Shechaniah to deliver his speech, which was eminently wise and most appropriate to the occasion.
I IT CONTAINED A FULL CONFESSION OF SIN (ver. 2).
1. This had been done before by/Ezra.
(1) He did this for himself, to express to God the grief of his soul that the Divine honour should have been so insulted; that his people should have been so wicked and foolish as to have exposed themselves to the vengeance of heaven.
(2) But not on the part of the people who Were involved in the crime. Ezra had no ground for hope; for without repentance a sinner has no plea for (Psa_66:18; Isa_1:11-15) To Ezra, therefore, the smokeof the evening sacrifice could only be a symbol of wrath.
2. Now it is done on behalf of the people. He does not appear himself to have been guilty; but his father and other members of his family were implicated (ver. 26). He was in a position to know that the "sore weeping" of the people, sympathetic with the weeping of Ezra (ver. 1), was the expression of a genuine contrition. Note By weeping for the sins of others we may set them weeping for themselves.
II IT PROPOSED A NATIONAL REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION (ver. 3).
1. They were to pledge themselves to put away all the strange wives and their issue.
(1) This extreme measure was required by the law. For in ancient times it was the duty of the children of Israel to exterminate the idolatrous people of the land. (Deu_7:1-3)
(2) The genius of the gospel is different. (see 1Co_7:12, 1Co_7:13) Now if there be one believing parent the offspring may receive baptism and Church recognition.
2. This was to be done in the most solemn manner.
(1) "Let us make a covenant," literally, let us cut (trk carath) a covenant.
The allusion is to the custom of dividing a victim, and laying the pieces over against each other, so that the people covenanting might pass between them. (see Gen_15:10)
(2) This ceremony on the part of the people expressed their willingness to be treated as the victim had been, viz., to be cut up by the sacrificing knife of Divine justice if they proved faithless to their pledges. (see Jer_34:18-20)
(3) This ceremony points to the gospel of Christ, who is our covenant or purification-sacrifice, securing to us all blessings if we comply with the terms of mercy. It also admonishes us that if we do not comply, then the sword of flame will be turned upon us, and we shall be made ourselves the sacrifices for our sin.
III IT SUGGESTED MEASURES FOR CARRYING OUT THE REFORMATION.
1. Ezra was himself to be the prime actor in this. "This matter belongeth unto thee.
(1) He had the moral qualifications for the work. His very soul was in it. His influence with his people was unequalled. He was the most eminent servant of God.
(2) He had the political qualifications. Governor, etc.
2. He was to associate with him as his council those that tremble at the commandment of God.
(1) These were the godly persons whose sympathies led them first to gather round him. (Ezr_9:4)
(2) With such a council the reformation would be the more likely to be carried out "according to the law.
3. The chiefs of the people pledged themselves to be with him.
(1) Surely then "there is hope in Israel." "The valley of Achor," i.e. of trouble, has ever been "the door of hope". (Hos_2:15) God promises to return to those who return to him (1Sa_7:8; Isa_55:7; Hos_6:1)
(2) This speech of Shechaniah was surely God"s answer to the prayer of Ezra. He was to Ezra what the angel was to Daniel. (comp. Dan_9:20)
(3) Now is the moment for action, and Ezra is equal to the occasion. "Then arose Ezra," etc. (ver. 5). "Them is a tide in the affairs of men," etc. J.A.M.
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON Vers. 1-8.
Things exceptional.
Human life is a river which flows evenly along from day to day; but it is a river like the Zambesi or the Congo (Livingstone), not without its rapids and its falls. Usually it flows silently, but sometimes it dashes along with impetuosity and uproar. So is it with our Christian life, with our religious course. There are things exceptional as well as things ordinary and regular, for which room must be made by ourselves and allowance by other people. There may be, as here at this juncture in the life of Ezra and the returned Jews, a time of exceptional
I EXHIBITION OF FEELING. "When Ezra had prayed weeping and casting himself down," etc. (ver. 1). Ezra "wept," i.e. made lamentation, audible and visible, in presence of all the people, and instead of standing or kneeling he cast himself down, and lay prostrate in the temple court, in order to impress on the multitude the strength of his feeling, and the critical character of the present emergency. And his example proved contagious, for all the people "wept very sore" (ver. 1), and there was a great and general outpouring of emotion. Ordinarily our feelings are wisely kept under control. In this country we are, indeed, apt to press this a few points too far, and let self-control pass into a chill or cold reserve. But self-control gives force and dignity to character, and almost anything is better than habitually giving way to tempestuous feeling. Men that are constantly violent in their expression of feeling are disregarded if not despised; they lose all influence over others; they expend themselves in trifles, and have nothing in reserve for large occasions. But there are times when feeling may be freely poured forth; when, as in Ezra"s case, there is
(1) urgent reason for exciting others to feel as we do; or when, as in the case of the people, there is
(2) general fervour in which it would be unsympathising or unpatriotic not to share. It is a very noble sight when a whole people mourns with an honourable repentance, or arises in holy indignation, or braces itself up to a generous struggle, or rejoices with a pure and holy joy. Then let feeling swell to its highest tide; let it pour itself forth as "the mighty waves of the sea.
II ATTESTATION. "Let us make a covenant with our God" (ver. 3). "Then arose Ezra, and made all Israel to swear that they should do according to his word" (ver. 5). Usually, as our Lord tells us, it is far better to speak simply without strengthening our word by protestation or oath; (Mat_5:33-37) but there are times when we feel called on to add to the word of promise which we make either to God or to man, something which shall confirm and secure it. We may
(1) make a formal covenant with God, as Shechaniah recommended (ver. 3); we may take upon us his vows, alone or in company,
(a) to do some duty which is binding on us, but which we are strongly tempted to leave undone; or
(b) to render some service which we may lawfully leave alone, but which, in our better hours, we are inspired to undertake; or
(c) to leave untouched that which is either wrong in itself or dangerous or hurtful to ourselves or those we have in charge. Or we may
(2) enter into a solemn and sacred pledge with our fellows. Ezra felt that this was an occasion on which it was of the utmost consequence that everything should be done thoroughly; not only begun in zeal, but carried out and perfected; and for this purpose he made the chief priests, Levites, and all Israel bind themselves with a solemn oath to sustain him (ver. 5), and they did so. It is right and wise, on occasion, to require something more than a word of promise. We do well to demand a written engagement, or even a declaration made before God that what is promised shall be done.
III SEVERITY. "When he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water" (ver. 6). "Whosoever would not come all his substance should be forfeited (ver. 8). Ezra showed some little
(1) severity toward himself: he neither ate nor drank (ver. 6). He allowed the public concerns so to occupy his mind and affect his heart that he gave himself no time or felt in himself no inclination for the ordinary comforts and refreshments of life. We, too, on occasion, if not only sincere but zealous for the public good, shall deny ourselves that which we usually and rightly allow ourselves. There are demons (iniquities, sins, propensities) only to be cast out with that intensity of thought, and feeling, and action which implies "prayer and fasting". (Mat_17:21) He also showed considerable
(2) severity toward others. With the concurrence of the leaders (princes), those who did not present themselves in three days were to suffer forfeiture of goods and excommunication (ver. 8) a heavy penalty for recusancy. Severe crises justify strong measures. There are times when leniency is only another name for cruelty. An Achan must perish that Israel may be saved; the immoral member of Corinth must be cast out that the Church may be pure. We must "make a difference" according to requirement. C. (Jud_1:22, 23)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 9, 13, 18 Now when Ezra had prayed.
Ezr_10:1-25
Now when Ezra had prayed.
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Prayer and confession
The former chapter did set down the humiliation of Ezra; this demonstrates the fruit and effect that it produced. When the people saw that he was so affected and afflicted, and that not so much for his own sins as for the sins of the people, they take it to heart. And first, there is a very great assembly gathered together; secondly, they weep sore; thirdly, one particular person, Shechaniah by name, confesseth the sins of the people; fourthly, they conceive hope of remission; fifthly, they resolve to put away their strange wives; lastly, they put their late resolution into execution. That which gives occasion to all these is laid down in the first words of the chapter, which contains: First, the actions of Ezra, and they be two, praying and weeping. Secondly, his manner of confessing, he cast himself down before the house of the Lord. Upon this follows the coming together of a great assembly of men, women, and children. We begin with his actions, and first for his praying, When Ezra had prayed. The commandment of God is for it (Psa_50:15), Call upon Me in the day of trouble, go in Jam_5:13, Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. And as God commanded it, so His children have practised it. First, pray sensibly. Be sensible of what thou sufferest. God loves not that men should be as so many Stoics. Secondly, a man must pray as feelingly as fervently (Jam_5:15). Thirdly, we must pray faithfully, that is, believing we shall receive what we implore God. Fourthly, we must pray constantly. First, we must aim at the glory of God in all the prayers we make. Secondly, a man must so pray to God that withal he use means to accomplish his desires. So much for Ezras first act. The second act performed by him is his confession, the text saith, When he had confessed. I desire you to practise this second act of Ezra. Do not only pray unto God, but likewise confess your sins unto Him. First, we must confess them with shame, thus did Job (Job_42:6). Secondly, we must do it ingenuously. It must not be extorted from us as it was from Achan, but we must willingly confess our iniquities. Thirdly, we must do it with sorrow and contrition of soul. Fourthly, with anger. Fifthly, with honest hearts; that is, with an assured purpose to leave our impieties. Lastly, we must confess our sins fully; there must be no retaining, excusing, or extenuating of sin. We come now to the manner of Ezras confession, laid down in these words, Weeping, and casting himself down before the house of the Lord. The first thing in it is his weeping, and this hath ever been a usual concomitant of prayer. See it in David (Psa_6:6). Mark, he made his prayer to God, and tears went along with it. First, because of the great good that sin deprives us of. We are apt to grieve for the loss of a father, a wife, or a child. And shall not we mourn for sin, which deprives us of the true God? Secondly, we have reason to weep for sin, because of the miseries which it brings on the sons of men. It should exhort us to weep and mourn for our sins. We spend tears in abundance for these secular things; but we should spare them there, and spend them here. Is it not a foolery to wish a stable with sweet water? Thy tears be the sweetest water in the world, therefore spend them on thy sins; I am sure thou canst not spend them better. The second thing in the manner is, He cast himself down before the house of the Lord. Where repentance is true inward, it will put itself outward. Those that find not this in themselves may suspect their repentance. He east himself down before the house of the Lord. Why so? It was the more to stir him up to humiliation. He seems to say, What? shall Thy people enjoy the privileges of Thy house? And shall they thus irritate and provoke Thee? (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
The influence of an eminent example
We come now to the firstfruit of Ezras humiliation; and that is the convening of a great congregation to him. So that Ezra hath here the glory of being an example of goodness to others. It is to stir us all up to this holy pride, to be the first in good actions. He that did first invent printing, his name will be famous to the end of the world. So now, to be the first that believes in a town, to be the first that puts a good law in execution, to lay the first stone in a pious work, this is no small, but a very great honour. We say he is an ill horse that will not lead the way but only follow; and I will not give a button for that Christian that will do no more than he sees others do. How do ye in your affairs in the world? It a commodity come from beyond the seas of which you stand in need, do you stay till others bid money for it? No; but with all speed you get it into your own hands. And shall there be such a moderation in spiritual things? Further, as Ezra had the honour to be an example to others in goodness, so now see the effect of it, A great company of men, women, and children assembled together. And why so? Doubtless for no other cause but to humble themselves as he had done. So efficacious and powerful is the example of goodness in great ones. It is said of Augustus that in his time Rome was full of scholars because he affected learning. In the time of Commodus it was full of fencers because he loved that exercise. And in Neros time it was full of musicians, for he took great delight in music. All men compose their manners to his who is their governor. The truth is, the example of great ones is the loadstone which draws inferiors after it; that is the compass by which most men sail. In the second place, let it be a use to those who are eminent in the Church, such as Ezra was. Let them not only preach, but live well. Where the sin is general and epidemical, good reason that all should be joined together in humiliation. When we shall see that the sins of the times do overflow and be grown up to heaven, as at this time they are, it shall be fit, though a public humiliation be not prescribed by authority, to make our humiliation general by every mans sorrowing for his own sins. Oh, say those in the city, those of the court are so horribly wicked that we are all like to smart for their profaneness. And saith the court, Such is the cheating of the citizens, that they will draw down judgments upon us all. Thus one accuses another; but in the meantime, who smites his hand on his breast and saith, What have I done? But mark the particular numeration which the Spirit of God makes, men, women, children. First, men; and good reason men should lead the dance and go before the rest in a good way. Abraham went first out of his country, and Sarah followed him. I press it no further than thus: you that are men, I confess you have more honour put upon you than women have, and I know you are apt enough to arrogate as much to yourselves; but take heed that whilst you go before them in honour that they prevent you not in the best things. The second sort of people spoken of are women, and indeed the service of God is charged upon them as well as upon men, as in 1Ti_2:10; 1Ti_2:15; 1Pe_3:4. Thirdly, the children came. What? the children join in humiliation? Yes; why not? for God was offended, and they had reason to be humbled for it. The second thing set down in this verse is that the people wept very sore. What was the reason? The reason shall be the observation. Great sins must have a great measure of sorrow. In Psa_6:6, David having committed great sins, made his bed to swim, and watered his couch with his tears. Sin must have sorrow at one time or another (Pro_29:6). (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
Helping the minister
What comfort it pleaseth God to give his ministers here in that happy fruit of peoples humiliation. So great is the comfort of this kind that there cannot be a greater. I do not think but at this very time the tears stood in Ezras eyes; yet when he saw tears distill from the peoples eyes it made him glad at the heart. Ministers know that if great persons be won to God they will win others by their example--so powerful is the example of great ones to inferiors. It should teach the ministers of the Word, like Ezra, to labour the conversion of great and eminent persons, and to do what they can to bring them to sorrow for their sins. How comfortable it is in good actions to have an assistant. Is it not lamentable that men should get good business on toot and have none to join with them? It is a happy thing when the priest and magistrate, the word and the sword, go hand in hand together. There will be no reformation till the word of Ezra and the sword of Shechaniah go together. But now what is it which Shechaniah saith? He speaketh that in a few words, which Ezra had delivered more largely, We have trespassed against our God. The penitent soul is more severe against itself than the most slanderous tongue in the world. But I pass by that and fall upon another observation, which naturally springs from Shechaniahs words, and it is this: Above all other griefs, this to a good soul is the chiefest, that he hath offended God. (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
Forgiveness for great sins
We descend now to another fruit of Ezra: his humiliation. Shechaniah confesseth the sin of the people, which was of the first magnitude; to wit, their joining themselves in marriage with heathens. Yet he despairs not of forgiveness from God, but saith, Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. From whence I ground this observation. The greatness of a sin, if there be repentance, is no impediment to the forgiveness of it. So saith Shechaniah. First, it may appear to be true by the charge that God gives men to repent (Isa_1:16). The second reason is drawn from the examples of those great sinners on whom God hath showed mercy. The third reason is drawn from the attributes of God. (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
Covenanting with God
Shechaniah is not only resolved to do as he saith, but he is willing to make a covenant with God, both in his own and the peoples behalf. The true penitent is desirous to tie himself by all possible bonds to keep that which God commands. Mark it in some proofs. First, the child of God knows that the service of God is a matter of special consequence. He knows it is as much as the salvation of his soul, and therefore he conceives he cannot perform it too strictly. Secondly, there is a desire in Gods child to show how willing he is to obey God. One meets with those which are afraid of these bonds. There be those that will not come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper because, they say, it is a sacred thing; and if they come there they must enter into a solemn covenant with God. I cannot but mourn for this, that they are afraid to tie themselves to God. In the second place, let us ever be willing to be tied to God as close as may be. Yea, if we know any way in the world to tie ourselves faster to Him, let us put it in practice. Now we are to examine the matter of this covenant. First, it was to put away their strange wives. Beyond doubt this to flesh and blood was a hard and grievous thing. When the soul is truly penitent, whatsoever it be that is pleasing to a man, if it displease God he will forego it. It serves to stir us up to this hard task. I call it a hard task because a man will be content to part with many sins rather than he will leave his beloved corruption. As it is in flaying a skin of a dead body, it comes off with ease till ye come to the dead, but there it sticks and comes not off without difficulty. Come to the covetous man, and he will easily be persuaded to avoid prodigality. Here you shall find him as tractable as may be, but yet all that you can say or do shall not work upon him to forsake his covetousness. Secondly, they put away the children born of them. What was the cause of this? Carthusian gives the reason, and it is a very good one, which will yield us the ground of an observation. Saith he, They cast out the children with their mothers, lest the wives having left their children behind them should take occasion to return again to fetch them. He that would avoid sin must make conscience of avoiding all the occasions of sin. For proof hereof see that place (Gen_39:10). Joseph was so resolute in goodness that he not only repels his mistress her unlawful request; but, saith the text, Though she spake to him day by day, yet he hearkened not unto her to lie with her or to be with her. First, if it be a sin that a man hath repented of before, then he must be so much the more careful to avoid not only the sin itself, but all occasions tending to it. Secondly, if it be an evil that a man was never engaged in before, yet he must avoid the occasion, for there is great need that our prayers strengthen our works, and that our works give vigour to our prayers. Nothing is truer than that proverb, Occasion makes a thief. If therefore we desire to overcome our lusts, let us avoid all the occasions of sin, which are as so many pandars waiting upon it. As for example, thou art an excessive person, and wouldest conquer that sin. First, get a hatred to this sin; secondly, avoid all occasions which tend this way: sit not long at wine, and beware of idleness and ill company. Thou art a contentious person, and desirest strength against that sin. Take heed of heat in holding arguments with others. Well, when Shechaniah and the rest had done this, what rule will they then walk by? According to the counsel of my lord. Now, if it were so that Shechaniah, who was a prince, thus said to Ezra the priest, take knowledge, then, of this much: what respect in times past was given to those whom God called to serve Him, as to be His priests! It is to be deplored in these days, when every base fellow thinks himself better than the minister. (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
Trembling at the Word of God
It should seem that there were others besides Ezra which advised the people to put away their strange wives, and they such as are said to tremble at the Word of God. And here observe the power of Gods Word. The power of Gods Word is such that it makes men tremble. To prove this look at Jer_23:29. Let us labour for this holy disposition of soul to tremble at Gods Word. A man that hath been exercised with the terrors of God, such a man is most fit to advise and counsel others. A man that knows a country by the map may be able to speak something of it, but it is nothing in comparison of what a traveller can say which hath been there. So a man that hath never felt the terrors of God may be able in part to advise and comfort those in such distresses; but not like him that hath been exercised with the same terror. Let it teach those that be teachers of others to lay things to their own hearts, and to make trial of them there before they prescribe them to others. Wilt thou teach the people how to conquer such a lust? Hast thou made trial of it thyself? But I go another way, and think that by those who trembled at Gods Word is meant such as had not been engaged in that common abomination of marrying strange wives; and if so, I cannot but note this much: When the times are most wicked God reserves some to Himself. Secondly, let us labour to keep ourselves from the corruptions of the times. When all others do that which is evil, do it not then. And that thou mayest do so, remember these things: First, David makes it a blessed thing not to walk in the way of sinners (Psa_1:1). Secondly, the purity of a mans religion stands in this, to keep himself unspotted of the world (Jam_1:27). Thirdly, remember for what end Christ died. He gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world (Gal_1:4). Fourthly, I would have a man to consider what a glory it is to God when he is good amidst a froward generation, to be as fish which retains its freshness in the salt sea. Fifthly, mark what a confusion it is to Satan when a man goes on in a good way where most men go wrong. Lastly, if we sort ourselves with the sinners of the time we hinder the conversion of the world. Whereas, when a man shall shun such a wicked mans company, he will begin to say with himself, Surely such a man sees something amiss in me, which makes him refrain my society. And by this means he may be reclaimed. The fear of God is the restraint of all sin. This is proved sufficiently (Pro_16:6). That man is most fit to advise others who is not engaged in the same transgression. The hand that must wash a thing clean, except it be clean will add to its pollution. (Hosiah Shute, B. D.)
The reformation proposed
I. The impression which Ezras condition and conduct by reason of their sin produced upon the people was--
1. Sympathetic.
2. Deep.
II. The proposal of reformation made.
III. The proposal of reformation accepted. Learn--
1. The manifestation of intense feeling is sometimes commendable, and very influential for good.
2. A. deep feeling of the guilt of sin is a strong encouragement to hope for forgiveness, amendment, etc. (verse 2).
3. That repentance only is genuine which leads to restitution and reformation (verse 3).
4. It is of the utmost importance to translate religious feeling into corresponding action without delay.
5. Great leaders may receive valuable aid from even their humblest followers.
6. It is sometimes wise to fortify good resolutions by a solemn covenant with God, or by a serious pledge to men. (William Jones.)
Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee.
True loyalty
True loyalty is marked--
I. By genuine respect. In the commonwealth of Israel at that moment there was great need of reform. The people had not long returned from captivity. They were powerless and few. Yet the very evil which had previously occasioned their captivity had begun to reappear. Steps had been taken which if not retraced would certainly bring that evil about. Many in high places--some of the speakers own relatives--were in fault (Ezr_10:26). The matter therefore was pressing. He felt it so. He desired reform very earnestly; he recommended it very strongly (Ezr_10:2-3). Yet he would not take it upon him to be the first to move in this matter. He would not set aside those whose office it was to do this. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee. You see exactly the state of his mind. Notwithstanding the depth of his zeal and convictions, he would sooner do nothing than be disrespectful to Ezra. No change, in his judgment, would be proper reform that should set proper authority on one side.
II. By sincere sympathy. This is shown here in the words that come next: We will also be with thee: be of good courage and do it. It is possible to defer to authority in a cold and unfriendly spirit, to leave too much on the hands of our rulers, and to fail in taking our proper share of odium in supporting them and their measures. If we wish to be truly loyal we are bound to encourage them openly in their righteous efforts. We are bound also to promise them our support and assistance. We may apply these lessons--
1. To the laws of our land. Except where religious principle is in question, these should be the laws of our lives. It is the object of the criminal classes to try to evade them. It should be the object of God-fearing persons to try and observe them. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars (Mat_22:21; Rom_13:1-2; Rom_13:7). All this should be regarded by us as part of our duty towards God. This also should be applied by us carefully to all the points it embraces; e.g., our income-tax returns; our action towards contraband trade; our respect for the administrators of justice; our support of its officers, and so on. A bad citizen will never make a good Christian.
2. To the laws and officers of our Church. Ezra was acting here ecclesiastically as much as politically; of the two, perhaps, rather more so. In all things in regard to which a Church hath power to ordain, in all matters where its ministers have a right to be consulted, let us not only acquiesce, but encourage; not only encourage, but support. The English word leader signifies both a commander and a guide. Therefore never be many steps behind your Leader; never be one step in front. (W. S. Lewis, M. A.)
Pastor and Church
Three general remarks--
I. That the Christian minister is the chief instrument in the moral renovation of society. Four things show this.
1. He is originally endowed with powers which specially qualify him for his work.
2. He has been educated for his high vocation,
3. He has more time than others for such an end.
4. It is to the Christian minister that the world looks for moral and spiritual help.
II. That the true church gladly co-operates with the minister in his noble aim. The Church can co-operate with him--
1. By showing him practical sympathy.
2. By working out his flank.
3. By praying for him.
III. That the co-operation of the church is a source of joy and encouragement to the minister.
1. Co-operation is indicative of the spiritual health of the Church.
2. It shows that the Church appreciates the ministers exertions.
3. Co-operation is a necessary condition of success. (Homilist.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Ezra 10
THE HOME SACRIFICED TO THE CHURCH
Ezra 10
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EZRAS narrative, written in the first person, ceases with his prayer, the conclusion of which brings us to the end of the ninth chapter of our Book of Ezra; at the tenth chapter the chronicler resumes his story, describing, however, the events which immediately follow. His writing is here as graphic as Ezras, and if it is not taken from notes left by the scribe, at all events it would seem to be drawn from the report of another eye-witness, for it describes most remarkable scenes with a vividness that brings them before the minds eye, so that the reader cannot study them even at this late day without a pang of sympathy.
Ezras prayer and confession, his grievous weeping and prostrate humiliation before God, deeply affected the spectators, and as the news spread through the city, a very great congregation of men, women, and children assembled together to gaze at the strange spectacle. They could not gaze unmoved. Deep emotion is contagious. The man who is himself profoundly convinced and intensely concerned with his religious ideas will certainly win disciples. Where the soundest arguments have failed to persuade, a single note of sincere faith often strikes home. It is the passion of the orator that rouses the multitude, and even where there is no oratory the passion of true feeling pleads with irresistible eloquence. Ezra had not to speak a word to the people. What he was, what he felt, his agony of shame, his agony of prayer-all this melted them to tears, and a cry of lamentation went up from the gathered multitudes in the temple courts. Their grief was more than a sentimental reflection of the scribes distress, for the Jews could see plainly that it was for them and for their miserable condition that this ambassador from the Persian court was mourning so piteously. His sorrow was wholly vicarious. By no calamity or offence of his own, but simply by what he regarded as their wretched fall, Ezra was now plunged into heart-broken agony. Such a result of their conduct could not but excite the keenest self-reproaches in the breasts of all who in any degree shared his view of the situation. Then the only path of amendment visible before them was one that involved the violent rupture of home ties, the cruel severance of husband and wife, of parent and child, the complete sacrifice of human love on what appeared to be the altar of duty to God. It was indeed a bitter hour for the Jews who felt themselves to be offenders, and for their innocent wives and children who would be involved in any attempted reformation.
The confusion was arrested by the voice of one man, a layman named Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, who came to the assistance of Ezra as a volunteer spokesman of the people. This man entirely surrendered to Ezras view, making a frank and unreserved confession of his own and the peoples sin. So far then Ezra has won his point. He has begun to gain assent from among the offenders. Shecaniah adds to his confession a sentence of some ambiguity, saying, "Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing." {Ezr_10:2} This might be thought to mean that God was merciful, and that there was hope in the penitent attitude of the congregation that He would take pity on the people and not deal hardly with them. But the similarity of the phraseology to the words of the last verse of the previous chapter, where the expression "because of this" {Ezr_9:15} plainly points to the offence as the one thing in view, shows that the allusion here is to that offence, and not to the more recent signs of penitence. Shecaniah means, then, that there is hope concerning this matter of the foreign marriages-viz., that they may be rooted out of Israel. The hope is for a reformation, not for any condoning of the offence. It means despair to the unhappy wives, the end of all home peace and joy in many a household-a lurid hope surely, and hardly worthy of the name except on the lips of a fanatic. Shecaniah now proceeds to make a definite proposal. He would have the people enter into a solemn covenant with God. They are not only to undergo a great domestic reformation, but they are to take a vow in the sight of God that they will carry it through. Shecaniah shows the unreflecting zeal of a raw convert, an officious person, a meddler, he is too bold and forward for one whose place is the penitents bench. The covenant is to pledge the people to divorce their foreign wives. Yet the unfeeling man will not soften his proposal by any euphemism, nor will he hide its more odious features. He deliberately adds that the children should be sent away with their mothers. The nests are to be cleared of the whole brood.
Ezra had not ventured to draw out such a direful programme. But Shecaniah says that this is "according to the counsel of my lord," {Ezr_10:3} using terms of unwonted obsequiousness-unless, as seems less likely, the phrase is meant to apply to God, i.e., to be read, "According to the counsel of The Lord." Shecaniah evidently gathered the unexpressed opinion of Ezra from the language of his prayer and from his general attitude. This was the only way out of the difficulty, the logical conclusion from what was now admitted. Ezra saw it clearly enough, but it wanted a man of coarser fibre to say it. Shecaniah goes further, and claims the concurrence of all who "tremble at the words of the God of Israel." These people have been mentioned before as forming the nucleus of the congregation that gathered about Ezra. {Ezr_9:4} Then this outspoken man distinctly claims the authority of The Law for his proposition. Ezra had based his view of the heathen marriages on the general character of the teaching of the prophets; Shecaniah now appeals to The Law as the authority for his scheme of wholesale divorce. This is a huge assumption of what has never been demonstrated. But such people as Shecaniah do not wait for niceties of proof before making their sweeping proposals.
The bold adviser followed up his suggestion by rallying Ezra and calling upon him to "be of good courage," seeing that he would have supporters in the great reformation. Falling in with the proposed scheme, Ezra there and then extracted an oath from the people-both clergy and laity-that they would execute it. This was a general resolution. Some time was required and many difficulties had to be faced before it could be carried into practice, and meanwhile Ezra withdrew into retirement, still fasting and mourning.
We must now allow for an interval of some months. The chronological arrangement seems to have been as follows. Ezra and his company left Babylon in the spring, as Zerubbabel had done before him-at the same season as that of the great exodus from Egypt under Moses. Each of these three great expeditions began with the opening of the natural year, in scenes of bright beauty and hopefulness. Occupying four months on his journey, Ezra reached Jerusalem in the heat of July. It could not have been very long after his arrival that the news of the foreign marriages was brought to him by the princes, because if he had spent any considerable time in Jerusalem first he must have found out the state of affairs for himself. But now we are transported to the month of December for the meeting of the people when the covenant of divorce is to be put in force. Possibly some of the powerful leaders had opposed the summoning of such a gathering, and their hindrance may have delayed it, or it may have taken Ezra and his counsellors some time to mature their plans. Long brooding over the question could not have lessened the scribes estimate of its gravity. But the suggestion of all kinds of difficulties and the clear perception of the terrible results which must flow from the contemplated reformation did not touch his opinion of what was right, or his decision, once reached, that there must be a clearing away of the foreign elements, root and branch, although they had entwined their tendrils about the deepest affections of the people. The seclusion and mourning of Ezra is recorded in Ezr_10:6. The next versa carries us on to the preparation for the dreadful assembly, which, as we must conclude, really took place some months later. The summons was backed up by threats of confiscation and excommunication. To this extent the great powers entrusted to Ezra by the king of Persia were employed. It looks as if the order was the issue of a conflict of counsels in which that of Ezra was victorious, for it was exceedingly peremptory in tone and it only gave three days notice. The people came, as they were bound to do, for the authority of the supreme government was behind the summons, but they resented the haste with which they had been called together, and they pleaded the inconvenience of the season for an open-air meeting. They met in the midst of the winter rains; cold and wet they crouched in the temple courts, the picture of wretchedness. In a hot, dry country so little provision is made for inclement weather, that when it comes the people suffer from it most acutely, so that it means much more distress to them than to the inhabitants of a chill and rainy climate. Still it may seem strange that, with so terrible a question as the complete break-up of their homes presented to them, the Jews should have taken much account of the mere weather, even at its worst. History, however, does not shape itself according to proportionate proprieties, but after the course of very human facts. We are often unduly influenced by present circumstances, so that what is small in itself, and in comparison with the supreme interests of life, may become for the moment of the most pressing importance, just because it is present and making itself felt as the nearest fact. Moreover, there is a sort of magnetic connection between the external character of things and the most intangible of internal experiences. The "November gloom" is more than a meteorological fact, it has its psychological aspect. After all, are we not citizens of the great physical universe? and is it not therefore reasonable that the various phases of nature should affect us in some degree, so that the common topic of conversation, "the weather," may really be of more serious concern than we suspect? Be that as it may, it is clear that while these Jews, who usually enjoyed brilliant sunshine and the fair blue Syrian sky, were shivering in the chill December rains, wet and miserable, they were quite unable to discuss a great social question, or to brace themselves up for an act of supreme renunciation. It was a question of depression, and the people felt limp and heartless, as people often do feel at such a season. They pleaded for delay. Not only was the weather a great hindrance to calm deliberation, but, as they said, the proposed reformation was of a widespread character. It must be an affair of some time. Let it be regularly organised. Let it be conducted only before appointed courts in the several cities. This was reasonable enough, and accordingly it was decided to adopt the suggestion. It is easy to be a reformer in theory, but they who have faced a great abuse in practice know how difficult it is to uproot it. This is especially true of all attempts to affect the social order. Wild ideas are floated without an effort. But the execution of these ideas means far more toil and battle, and involves a much greater tumult in the world, than the airy dreamers who start them so confidently, and who are so surprised at the slowness of dull people to accept them, ever imagine.
Not only was there a successful plea for delay. There was also direct opposition to Ezras stern proposal-although this did not prove to be successful. The indication of opposition is obscured by the imperfect rendering of the Authorised Version. Turning to the more correct translation in the Revised Version we read, "Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them." {Ezr_10:15} Here was a little knot of champions of the poor threatened wives, defenders of the peaceful homes so soon to be smitten by the ruthless axe of the reformer, men who believed in the sanctity of domestic life as not less real than the sanctity of ecclesiastical arrangements, men perhaps to whom love was as Divine as law, nay, was law, wherever it was pure and true.
This opposition was borne down; the courts sat; the divorces were granted; wives were torn from their husbands and sent back to their indignant parents; and children were orphaned. Priests, Levites, and other temple officers did not escape the domestic reformation; the common people were not beneath its searching scrutiny; everywhere the pruning knife lopped off the alien branches from the vine of Israel. After giving a list of families involved, the chronicler concludes with the bare remark that men put away wives with children as well as those who had no children. {Ezr_10:44} It is baldly stated. What did it mean? The agony of separation, the lifelong division of the family, the wife worse than widowed, the children driven from the shelter of the home, the husband sitting desolate in his silent house-over all this the chronicler draws a veil, but our imaginations can picture such scenes as might furnish materials for the most pathetic tragedies.
In order to mitigate the misery of this social revolution, attention has been called to the freedom of divorce which was allowed among the Jews and to the inferior status assigned to women in the East. The wife, it is said, was always prepared to receive a bill of divorce whenever her husband found occasion to dismiss her; she would have a right to claim back her dowry; and she would return to her fathers house without the slightest slur upon her character. All this may be true enough, and yet human nature is the same all the world over, and where there is the strong mutual affection of true wedded love, whether in the England of our Christian era or in the Palestine of the olden times, to sever the tie of union must mean the agony of torn hearts, the despair of blighted lives. And was this necessary? Even if it was not according to the ordinance of their religion for Jews to contract marriages with foreigners, having contracted such marriages and having seen children grow up about them, was it not a worse evil for them to break the bonds by violence and scatter the families? Is not the marriage law itself holy? Nay, has it not a prior right over against Levitical institutions or prophetic ordinances, seeing that it may be traced back to the sweet sanctities of Eden? What if the stern reformer had fallen into a dreadful blunder? Might it not be that this new Hildebrand and his fanatical followers were even guilty of a huge crime in their quixotic attempt to purge the Church by wrecking the home?
Assuredly from our point of view, and with our Christian light, no such conduct as theirs could be condoned. It was utterly undiscriminating, riding roughshod over the tenderest claims. Gentile wives such as Ruth the Moabitess might have adopted the faith of their husbands-doubtless in many cases they had done so-yet the sweeping, pitiless mandate of separation applied to them as surely as if they had been heathen sorceresses. On the other hand, we must use some historical imagination in estimating these sorrowful scenes. The great idea of Ezra was to preserve a separate people. He held that this was essential to the maintenance of pure religion and morals in the midst of the pagan abominations which surrounded the little colony. Church separation seemed to be bound up with race separation. This Ezra believed to be after the mind of the prophets, and therefore a truth of Divine inspiration. Under all the circumstances it is not easy to say that his main contention was wrong, that Israel could have been preserved as a Church if it had ceased to keep itself separate as a race, or that without Church exclusiveness religious purity could have been maintained.
We are not called upon to face any such terrible problem, although St. Pauls warning against Christians becoming "unequally yoked with unbelievers" {2Co_6:14} reminds us that the worst ill assortment in marriage should not be thought of as only concerned with diversity of rank, wealth, or culture; that they are most ill-matched who have not common interests in the deepest concerns of the soul. Then, too, it needs to be remembered in these days, when ease and comfort are unduly prized, that there are occasions on which even the peace and love of the home must be sacrificed to the supreme claims of God. Our Lord ominously warned His disciples that He would send a sword to sever the closest domestic ties-"to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother," etc., {Mat_10:35} and He added, "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me." {Mat_10:37} In times of early Christian persecution it was necessary to choose between the cross of Christ and the nearest domestic claims, and then faithful martyrs accepted the cross even at the cost of the dear love of home and all its priceless jewels, as, for instance, in the familiar story of Perpetua and Felicitas. The same choice had to be made again under Catholic persecution among the Huguenots, as we are reminded by Millais well-known picture, and even in a quasi-protestant persecution in the case of Sir Thomas More. It faces the convert from Hindooism in India today. Therefore whatever opinion we may form of the particular action of Ezra, we should do well to ponder gravely over the grand principle on which it was based. God must have the first place in the hearts and lives of His people, even though in some cases this may involve the shipwreck of the dearest earthly affections.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] In this chapter we have…
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] In this chapter we have the account of—(i.) Shechaniah’s proposal to put away the strange wives (Ezr_10:1-5). (ii.) Ezra’s fast because of the people’s sin (Ezr_10:6). (iii.) The proclamation calling upon all the Jews to assemble at Jerusalem within three days (Ezr_10:7-8). (iv.) The coming together of the people at Jerusalem, and their acceptance of the proposal to put away the strange wives (Ezr_10:9-14). (v.) The opposition of Jonathan the son of Asahel and others (Ezr_10:15). (vi.) The carrying out of the proposal (Ezr_10:16-17). (vii.) The names of the men who had taken strange wives (Ezr_10:18-44).
Ezr_10:1. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed] Rather, “Now whilst Ezra prayed and whilst he confessed.” Before the house of God] i.e. in the court of the Temple.
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Ezr_10:2. Jehiel] Perhaps the Jehiel whose name occurs in Ezr_10:26, as having married a heathen wife. Now there is hope in Israel] Rather, “for Israel.” He came to this conclusion because the people were sensible of their sin and sorrowing by reason of it.
Ezr_10:3. According to the counsel of my lord] Keil: “the Lord.” Ezra had given no advice in the matter as yet. But Shechaniah might have inferred what Ezra would counsel from his words and actions (chap. Ezr_9:3-15).
Ezr_10:5. According to this word] i.e. according to the proposal of Shechaniah.
Ezr_10:6. Went into the chamber] (Comp. 1Ki_6:5; chap. Ezr_8:29; Neh_13:4-5.) Of Johanan the son of Eliashib] We cannot arrive at any certain conclusion as to who this Johanan was. According to Mr. Aldis Wright, he was one of the chief Levites (Neh_12:23). From a comparison of Neh_12:22-23, with Ezr_10:10-11 of the same chapter, Rawlinson concludes that he was the grandson of Eliashib the high priest. Keil says, “Johanan, the son of Eliashib, cannot actually be Johanan-ben-Eliashib (Neh_12:23) the high priest.… For the high priest Eliashib was a contemporary of Nehemiah, and the high priest Johanan was not the son, but, according to the definite statement (Neh_12:10), the grandson of Eliashib, and the son of Joiada (the correct reading of Neh_12:11 being, Joiada begat Johanan and Jonathan). Now a chamber of the Temple could not in Ezra’s time have been as yet called after a grandson of Eliashib, the contemporary of Nehemiah; and both Johanan and Eliashib being names which frequently occur (comp. Ezr_10:24; Ezr_10:27; Ezr_10:36), and one of the twenty-four orders of priests being called after the latter (1Ch_24:12), we, with Ewald (Gesch., iv. p. 228), regard the Johanan-ben-Eliashib here mentioned as an individual of whom nothing further is known,—perhaps a priest descended from the Eliashib of 1Ch_24:12, and who possessed in the new Temple a chamber called by his name.” He did eat no bread nor drink water] He fasted strictly. Fasts of this strictness were not common. A few cases are recorded (see Exo_34:28; Deu_9:9; Deu_9:18; Jon_3:7).
Ezr_10:7. And they made proclamation] &c. Lit., “And they caused a voice to pass throughout,” &c., i.e. they proclaimed by heralds. (Comp. chap. Ezr_1:1.)
Ezr_10:8. Forfeited] Margin: “Heb., devoted,” i.e. appropriated to the treasury of the Temple.
Ezr_10:9. The ninth month] was named Chisleu, and nearly corresponds with our December. In the street] רְחוֹב = a wide space, a large, open place. Probably here it means the great court before the Temple. For the great rain] Chisleu was in the rainy season. “During the months of November and December the rains fall heavily, but at intervals.”—Bibl. Dict.
Ezr_10:10. Have taken strange wives] Lit., “Have caused strange wives to dwell,” i.e. have taken them to live with you.
Ezr_10:14. Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand] or, as Keil, “Let then our rulers stand for the whole congregation,” i.e. for the good of the congregation, and transact its business. With them the elders of every city and the judges] as being acquainted with the several cases. For this matter] Margin: “Till this matter (be despatched).” Keil: “As long as this matter lasts.” The rulers were to continue to judge the accused as long as the matter lasted. The latter part of the verse would run thus: “Until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, as long as this matter lasts.” The last words define more exactly the leading idea of the verse.
Ezr_10:15. Were employed about this matter] Rather, “Stood up against this (matter),” as in 1Ch_21:1; 2Ch_20:23; Dan_8:25; Dan_11:14. Meshullam is probably identical with the Meshullam of Ezr_10:29, who had taken a heathen wife.
Ezr_10:16. And the children of the captivity did so] Notwithstanding the opposition of Jonathan and his companions, the people carried out the determination which they had expressed. With certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers] Keil translates, “And men, heads of houses according to their houses.” The meaning is, that each recognised house or family was represented on the commission by its head. And all of them by their names] or, “and they all by names.” A list of their names was written (comp. chap. Ezr_8:20). Were separated] or, selected for this business. The tenth month] i.e. Tebeth, which nearly answers to our January.
Ezr_10:17. The first month] i.e. Nisan, which nearly corresponded to our April. The commission sat for three months, and at the end of that time they had completed their business.
Ezr_10:18. The sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak] This is Jeshua the high priest who came up from Babylon with Zerubbabel.
Ezr_10:19. They gave their hands] i.e. “bound themselves by shaking hands, to put away their wives, i.e. to dismiss them, and to sever them from the congregation of Israel.”—Keil. And being guilty they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass] The Heb. is simply, “And guilty, a ram of the flock for their trespass;” which is explained by Keil that they were condemned to bring a ram as a trespass offering (Lev_5:14-16). Fuerst: “And the guilty (gave their hands to bring) a ram for their trespass.”
Ezr_10:20-22. Of the sons of Immer, Hanani] &c. “By comparing chap. Ezr_2:36-39, we perceive that not one of the orders of priests who returned with Zerubbabel was free from participation in this transgression.”—Keil.
Ezr_10:25. The singers and the porters] (Comp. chap. Ezr_2:41-42.)
Ezr_10:26. Moreover of Israel] “As distinguished from priests and Levites, i.e. of the laity.”—Keil.
Ezr_10:44. And some of them had wives by whom they had children] Rather, “And there were among them wives who had brought forth sons.” This fact is mentioned probably to show how thoroughly this reformation was effected. It would be more difficult, for several reasons, to put away a wife who had given birth to children than to put away a childless wife; but the difficulties did not prevent the execution of the duty.
THE REFORMATION PROPOSED
(Ezr_10:1-25)
Three principal points require attention—
I. The proposal of reformation prepared for. “Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel,” &c. (Ezr_10:1). Ezra’s great distress, and humble confession, and earnest appeal to God, had influenced the people in such a manner and to such an extent as to prepare them for such a proposal as that made by Shechaniah. The impression which Ezra’s condition and conduct by reason of their sin produced upon the people was—
1. Sympathetic. His horror and self-abasement on account of their sin aroused their consciences to a sense of their own guilt. His great sorrow awakened grief in them, and they “wept very sore.”
2. Extensive. It seems that the fact of his grievous distress was widely made known, and all the city was stirred by it. Very many were moved by his grief and penitence. “There assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children.” The fact that both men and women, and so many of them, were much affected is important as indicating preparedness for reformation.
3. Deep. The people in the great assembly before the house of God were very much moved. The impression was profound as well as extensive. “The people wept very sore;” or “wept a great weeping.” Ezra’s influence for good in this respect was very great. The distress which he manifested was contagious, and spread rapidly, widely, and powerfully amongst the Jews at Jerusalem. Now this was indispensable as a condition for the proposal of any real reformation with a reasonable prospect of success. Until the sinfulness of these marriages was realised, and genuine concern in relation to them was experienced by the people, it would have been vain to have suggested measures for their abolition. But now this “very greatcongregation” was in a condition to consider such measures, and probably to adopt and enforce them.
II. The proposal of reformation made. “Then Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra,” &c. (Ezr_10:2-4). In this wise and brave address Shechaniah—
1. Frankly acknowledges the sin. “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.” We do not find his name amongst those who had sinned in this thing; but, like Ezra (chap. Ezr_9:5-15), he includes himself amongst the offenders. He does not attempt either to extenuate or palliate or excuse the sin, but ingenuously confesses it. This was important. The disease must be discovered before it can be remedied. The sin must be perceived and acknowledged before it can be forgiven and done away. There could be no true reformation without a clear perception and a humble confession of the sin. (a).
2 Discovers reasons for hope. “Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.” As M. Henry observes: “The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease is threatening, but not incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented, and all will be well. ‘Now there is hope;’ now that the disease is discovered, it is half cured. Now that the alarm is taken, the people begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it; a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus humbling themselves before God for it, ‘now there is hope’ that God will forgive and have mercy. ‘The valley of Achor’ (that is, of trouble) is the ‘door of hope’ (Hos_2:15); for the sin that truly troubles us shall not ruin us. There is hope now that Israel has such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra to manage this affair.”
3. Proposes the abolition of the sin. “Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God,” &c. (Ezr_10:3). His proposal was to the effect that they should enter into a solemn covenant with God to make an end of this sin, and to make an end of it—
(1.) Completely. “To put away all the wives, and such as are born of them.” Marriage with idolaters was prohibited as a preventive of idolatry and its associated abominations (Exo_34:11-17; Deu_7:1-6; 1Ki_11:1-8; Neh_13:23-28); and the presence of the idolatrous wives was a continual temptation to the sin. The Jews had done wrong in marrying such women; and Shechaniah would have them undo that wrong as far as possible by putting away such wives. The true penitent abandons the sin for which he grieves, even though its renunciation be very painful. “If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out,” &c. (Mat_5:29-30). It is better that the surgeon should amputate the diseased limb, than that we should retain it and by so doing imperil the life of the body. So must sin be renounced even at the cost of sharp sufferings. Moreover, the true penitent seeks to repair if possible, and as far as may be, the injury he has done. Repentance leads to restitution. “What has been unjustly got cannot be justly kept, but must be restored.” It is one of the sorest sorrows of the penitent soul that complete restitution for sin cannot be made; that the evil done can never be undone; that the false or malignant speech may be afterwards contradicted by him who uttered it, but he can neither unsay it, nor totally annul its effects. Now, it was in this spirit, which seeks to repair the wrong done and to remove the temptation to do it again, that Shechaniah proposed “to put away all the wives and” their children. (b).
(2.) In accordance with the counsel of the godly. “According to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God.” It does not appear that Ezra and they who sympathised with him had as yet advised this or any other line of action; but from their distress Shechaniah inferred that his proposal would commend itself to them. Their recommendation of his measure would contribute to its general acceptance.
(3.) In accordance with the commands of God. “And let it be done according to the law.” I am not aware of any express command to put away heathen wives, to which Shechaniah can refer; but the spirit of the law, which repeatedly and solemnly prohibited such marriages, seemed to require their divorcement. “Divorces were permitted to the Israelites, by the judicial law, to prevent worse consequences;” but there could be no consequences worse than the seduction of the husbands and the training of the children to idolatry. Moreover, the law which commanded the Israelite to put to death any one enticing him to idolatry, even if the enticer were his “brother, the son of his mother, or his son, or his daughter, or the wife of his bosom, or the friend, which was as his own soul” (Deu_13:6-11), would surely sanction the putting completely away of heathen wives. If a Christian sin by marrying an unbeliever, he may not adopt the course recommended by Shechaniah. The rule for him, or for her, as the case may be, is laid down in 1Co_7:12-14.
4. Summons Ezra to take the lead in abolishing it. “Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee,” &c. (Ezr_10:4). In this appeal of Shechaniah to Ezra we have—
(1.) An assertion that the work pertained to him. It was the business of Ezra to take this matter in hand, for two reasons: First, his commission authorised him to do it (see chap. Ezr_7:26). He was sent by Artaxerxes to enforce obedience to the law of God. And, second, his character qualified him for doing it. His acquaintance with the law of God, his practical conformity to that law, his position as a teacher of it, and his great influence with the people, all combined to qualify him for taking the lead in effecting this reformation.
(2.) A call to courage in respect to this work. “Be of good courage.” Perhaps Ezra took too dark a view of the case, and was too despondent concerning it, and required this hopeful and earnest call to courage. The despondent would never succeed in carrying out such a reformation; the business imperatively required a brave and resolute spirit.
(3.) A summons to action. “Arise, … be of good courage, and act.” It was of the utmost importance to seize the present favourable opportunity for beginning the reformation. In their present state of sore distress on account of the sin, the people of this great assembly would be ready to enter upon any possible course for making an end of that sin. Therefore it behoved Ezra to arise from his deep grief, and begin the reformation. Let his deep feelings now impel him into earnest action, and the deep feelings of the people will impel them to unite with him. The case demanded immediate and resolute action (comp. Jos_7:10-15).
5. Promises co-operation in abolishing it. “We also will be with thee.” Shechaniah thus takes the place of spokesman for the “very great congregation” assembled before the house of God; and pledges them to stand by Ezra and to work with him in effecting the great reformation. The co-operation of such an assembly in this undertaking would go far to guarantee its success. (c).
III. The proposal of reformation accepted. “Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites,” &c. (Ezr_10:5).
1. It was accepted influentially. “The princes, the priests, the Levites,” the men of the most eminent position and commanding influence, gave in their adhesion to the movement.
2. It was accepted extensively. “And all Israel.” All that great multitude which had assembled unto Ezra out of Israel, pledged themselves to co-operate in carrying out the proposal of Shechaniah. The party of reformation was strong both in the number and in the power of its adherents.
3. It was accepted solemnly. Ezra made them “to swear that they should do according to this word; and they sware.” When the keenness of their present distress had abated, if any of them had been tempted to draw back, they would have been prevented from doing so by the solemnity with which they had pledged themselves to the undertaking.
CONCLUSION:
The lessons suggested by this subject are many and important. Let us attend to the principal ones.
1. The manifestation of intense feeling is sometimes commendable, and very influential for good (Ezr_10:1).
2. A deep feeling of the guilt of sin is a strong encouragement to hope for forgiveness, amendment, &c. (Ezr_10:2). (d).
3. That repentance only is genuine which leads to restitution and reformation (Ezr_10:3). (e).
4. It is of the utmost importance to translate religious feeling into corresponding action without delay (Ezr_10:3-4). (f).
5. Great leaders may receive valuable aid from even their humblest followers. Shechaniah, apparently an able man, suggested the reformation and urged Ezra to attempt it at once; but even the obscurest person in that “very great congregation,” by swelling the tide of penitent feeling, helped to set the project of reformation well afloat.
6. It is sometimes wise to fortify good resolutions by a solemn covenant with God, or by a serious pledge to man (Ezr_10:3; Ezr_10:6).
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) Let us strive after God’s view of sin. To Him sin is infinitely hateful; He cannot tolerate it with the least degree of allowance; it troubles His otherwise perfect and happy universe; it despoils human nature; it overthrows all that is Divine in manhood; it calls into existence the worm that gnaws for ever; it is the cause of death and the source of hell. To under-estimate the heinousness of sin is to put ourselves out of the line of God’s view; to understand sin is to understand redemption. Sin interprets the Cross; sin shows what is meant by God’s love. We cannot be right in our relation to Jesus Christ, we cannot be just to His holy Cross, until we regard sin with unutterable repugnance, until we rise against it in fiery indignation, fighting it with all the energy of wounded love, and bringing upon it the damnation of concentrated and implacable anger. I am not speaking of what are called great sins; I am not thinking of murder, of commercial plunder, of adultery, drunkenness, or theft; I am speaking of sin as sin, sin nestling secretly in the heart, sin rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel, sin indulged in secret places, sin perverting the thought, sin poisoning the love, sin sucking out the life-blood of the soul; I am thinking of sin, not of sins—of the fact, not of the details; and I ask, with passionate yet well-considered pointedness, Have we not been led to under-estimate the guilt of sin?—Joseph Parker, D.D.
(b) There is often, when men repent, the necessity of a reparation. A man that in his past life has been inflicting wrong may not be able to make all the reparation. A man whose distributive gains have been flowing in from a hundred sources, and varying every year, may not be able to carry back the tribute and re-bestow it where he fraudulently or wickedly obtained it. Yet while this is the case frequently in respect to gains, there are many things which a man may repair. A man may have wronged a fellow-man by his tongue, and it is necessary, if he is going to be a Christian, that that shall be all repaired. A man may have a quarrel on his hands, and if he is going to be a Christian, that quarrel must come to an end. A man may be high and obstinate, and that man, if he is going to be a Christian, must come down and confess, “I was wrong, and I give up the transgression wholly, absolutely.” It may be that a man has been living on ill-gotten gains. It may be orphan’s property. No matter if it makes a beggar of him, the man who is living on fraudulent gains, if he is going to be a Christian, must make reparation, and give them up. If, for proper and suitable reasons, he finds that he cannot give them up, he must at least confess; for although everybody knows his sin, everybody does not know that he knows it—at any rate they do not know that he knows it in such a way that he is willing to confess it. Confession is a testimony to the power of God, and to the power of the new-found virtue in his soul.—H. W. Beecher.
(c) The social element in religious movements—that which men often decry in revivals—is apt to infuse a generous enthusiasm, a largeness, into men’s minds. There are times when men cannot alone do noble things; but if there be scores and hundreds of men that seem at the same time to be filled with the same influence, then they rise to heroic proportions, and are able to do easily things that would overtax their individual power.
This seems to have been one of those cases where men were seized, not simply with a conviction of sin and with a disposition to repent; but with a disposition to repent in a manner that should he heroic, and should stamp both their sense of iniquity and transgression, and their sense of the genuineness of their repentance and conversion.—Ibid.
(d) The essence of repentance is sorrow, sorrow for our sin. Sorrow is painful, and we shrink from pain; we avoid it. To those that have not felt the evil that repentance cures, how dark and bitter a thing it is to be away from God, homeless, fatherless, an orphan, and made so by selfish ingratitude,—to those it will not seem a good. It is a good only to those who feel the evil it delivers them from, the nobler peace it brings them to. We know there is one thing worse than pain; the painless disease that kills; the slow, insidious, fatal malady that eats away the springs and energies of life, without giving the warnings of bodily distress. To stop that, to heal that, we gladly go in search of pain. We tell the surgeon to hurt us that we may live. Physical vitality is often undermined unconsciously. To avert that process by a pang, by a period of needful and saving agony, we account a blessing. After the first stages of suffocation, the drowning, on their own testimony, pass into a state of insensibility to suffering, or even, as many maintain, of positive and exquisite pleasure. Adam Clarke, who went through it, says, in his autobiography, it was like being borne gently through the most luxurious tropical verdure, the keenest enjoyment. And when this swift, easy passage to destruction is interrupted, and friendship applies restoratives, there are spasms, tortures; the sufferer begs to be let alone, to die. It is not otherwise with the spiritual sensibilities. It is their coming back from death to life that makes their distress. But no wise man, only the demented man, regrets that distress. Paul, with his singular exactness of expression, says that the sorrow that is unto life, the price of living for ever, needeth not to be repented of, not to be sorrowed for. The pain that rescues life is a good.—F. D. Huntington, D.D.
(e) Reformation is just as essential as repentance. That is, it is just as essential that you should, up to your power, do the deeds of a good man or woman, as that you should take the resolution to be a good man or woman. If you are heartily sorry for misspent years, you will make it your business to spend your future years wisely. If you are called to renounce an undevout heart, the same Lord calls you to work with holy hands. In whatever the past has been irreligious and mean, the future must be sanctified and noble. Despising your selfishness, you must go on to generosity. Renouncing a paltry ambition, you must serve humanity and truth for their own immortal sake. The invisible energy that makes the acorn vital is nothing, unless you give it soil and air for growth and expansion into the fair proportions of the oak.
Thus, in fact, reformation becomes the test of repentance, proving its sincerity and its worth. We infer that a miser is penitent, when we see him giving liberally to the poor, or to spreading the Gospel. A sensualist may profess to have repented; but we are not sure, till we see him forsaking dissipation, and living temperately and chastely. A vain, frivolous girl deserves small confidence as repenting, till her whole appearance reveals a constant life hidden with Christ in God, and the dignity of a sober devotion to the welfare of others. It is not to be believed that a sullen or angry temper has been actually repented of, till the countenance loses its unhallowed fire, and the voice its asperity, and the words come gently, like His, who, when He was reviled, reviled not again.—Ibid.
(f) It is a perilous thing to separate feeling from acting; to have learnt to feel rightly without acting rightly. It is a danger to which, in a refined and polished age, we are peculiarly exposed. The romance, the poem, and the sermon teach us how to feel. Our feelings are delicately correct. But the danger is this:—feeling is given to lead to action; if feeling be suffered to awake without passing into duty, the character becomes untrue. When the emergency for real action comes, the feeling is as usual produced: but accustomed as it is to rise in fictitious circumstances without action, neither will it lead on to action in the real ones. “We pity wretchedness and shun the wretched.” We utter sentiments, just, honourable, refined, lofty; but somehow, when a truth presents itself in the shape of a duty, we are unable to perform it. And so such characters become by degrees like the artificial pleasure grounds of bad taste, in which the waterfall does not fall, and the grotto offers only the refreshment of an imaginary shade, and the green hill does not strike the skies, and the tree does not grow. Their lives are a sugared crust of sweetness trembling over black depths of hollowness; more truly still, “whited sepulchres”—fair without to look upon, “within full of all uncleanness.”—F. W. Robertson, M.A.
TRUE LOYALTY
(Ezr_10:4)
The word “loyalty” is much used in these days. A picture here of the thing. The spirit which was animating many in Israel at this juncture finds utterance here from the lips of one. He speaks in the name of others. The issue shows he had warrant for so doing. We also see that he speaks well. By examining his language we shall find that true loyalty is marked—
I. By genuine respect. In the commonwealth of Israel at that time there was great need of reform. The people had not long returned from captivity. They were powerless and few. Yet the very evil which had previously occasioned their captivity had begun to reappear. Steps had been taken which, if not retraced, would certainly bring that evil about. Many in high places—some of the speaker’s own relatives—were in fault (see Ezr_10:26). The matter therefore was pressing. He felt it so. He desired reform very earnestly; he recommended it very strongly (see Ezr_10:2-3). Yet he would not take upon him to be the first to move in this matter. He would not set aside those whose office it was to do this. “Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee.” You see exactly the state of his mind. Notwithstanding the depth of his zeal and convictions, he would sooner do nothing than be disrespectful to Ezra. No change, in his judgment, would be proper reform that should set proper authority on one side.
II. By sincere sympathy. This is shown here in the words that come next: “We also will be with thee; be of good courage, and do it.” It is possible to defer to authority in a very cold and unfriendly spirit, to leave too much on the hands of our rulers, and to fail in taking our proper share of odium and labour in supporting them and their measures. We do well, therefore, to note from this language that we owe much to them in both these respects. If we wish to be truly loyal, we are bound to encourage them openly in their righteous efforts. We are bound also to promise them our support and assistance. In fact, to do otherwise is covert rebellion. Not to encourage is to hinder in a taciturn way. Not to assist is, in an indolent fashion, to oppose. How could Ezra have moved at all in this matter, how could he have moved to good purpose, but for this language of Shechaniah?
We may apply these lessons—
1. To the laws of our land. Except where religious principle is in question, these should be the laws of our lives. It is the object of the “criminal classes” to try and evade them. It should be the object of God-fearing persons to try and observe them. “Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s” (Mat_22:21; see also Rom_12:1-2; Rom_12:7). All this should be regarded by us as part of our duty towards God. This also should be applied by us carefully to all the points it embraces; e.g., our income-tax returns; our action towards contraband trade; our respect for the administrators of justice; our support of its officers, and so on. A bad citizen will never make a good Christian. A good Christian, in these matters, would rather exceed than fall short, after the example of Christ Himself (Mat_17:24-27).
2. To the laws and officers of our Church. Ezra was acting here ecclesiastically as much as politically; of the two, perhaps rather more so. So of our Lord in paying the di-drachma, or Temple tribute, as above (see also Mat_23:2-3). In all things, therefore, in regard to which a Church hath power to ordain, in all matters where its ministers have a right to be consulted, let us not only acquiesce, but encourage; not only encourage, but support. Yet let us do it without interference, and without taking their proper work from their hands. The English word “leader” signifies both a commander and a guide. Therefore never be many steps behind your leader; never be one step in front.—W. S. Lewis, M.A. in The Clergyman’s Magazine.
THE REFORMATION DECIDED UPON
(Ezr_10:6-12)
Notice:
I. The summons to the people to assemble at Jerusalem. Proclamation was made throughout that part of the country in which the returned Jews had settled, requiring them to come to Jerusalem within a specified time, and announcing severe penalties in case any one failed to do so. Concerning this summons, notice—
1. The circumstances in which it originated. When the proposal of Shechaniah was adopted by the great congregation assembled before the house of God, “Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib; and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.” Here in this chamber Ezra seems to have consulted the chief men, the princes, the elders, and the priests, as to the best measures for carrying out the resolution which had been so solemnly made. And his consultations were in a spirit of profound penitence and earnest piety, which was manifested by his fasting and mourning.
2. The persons to whom it was addressed. “They made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity.” The summons was issued to all the adult male population of the Jews, who out of exile had returned to their own land. It applied to the entire Jewish community in Palestine.
3. The authority by which it was issued. “They made proclamation … according to the counsel of the princes and the elders.” Not by Ezra alone was the summons sent forth, but by him in connection with the recognised and rightful heads of the community. The authority of the mandate was unquestionable.
4. The speedy obedience which it required. “That they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem … within three days.” “The limits of Judea at this time,” says Rawlinson, “appear to have been Bethel on the north, Beersheba on the south, Jericho on the east, and the Mediterranean upon the west. As the frontier was nowhere much more than forty miles from Jerusalem, three days from the day that they heard the proclamation would be sufficient time to allow all the able-bodied men to reach the capital.” No time was granted for hesitation or delay. Resolute and quick obedience was demanded of all.
5. The penalties by which it was enforced. “And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders,” &c. (Ezr_10:8). Should any one prove a defaulter, he is here threatened with a twofold penalty—
(1.) The forfeiture of his entire property to the Church. “All his substance should be forfeited;” or, as in the margin, “devoted” (comp. Lev_27:28). Ezra was authorised by the Persian monarch to inflict this penalty (comp. chap. Ezr_7:26).
(2.) Personal exclusion from the community. “And himself separated from the congregation of those that had-been carried away.” He would be deprived of all the rights and privileges which pertained to him as a member of that community.
II. The assembly of the people at Jerusalem in obedience to this summons. Notice:
1. The universal attendance at the assembly. “Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together within three days.” There seems to have been no defaulters. If any were inclined to disregard the summons, the severe penalties proclaimed against absentees constrained them to obey it. And all were present within the appointed time.
2. The felt importance of the assembly. The historian seems to have regarded it as an epoch in the history of the community; for he carefully records the date of its occurrence. “It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month.” The importance of the great and solemn meeting was doubtless felt by most, if not by all the people.
3. The depressed spirit of the assembly. “All the people sat in the street of the house of God,” &c. (Ezr_10:9). They were troubled and alarmed because of—
(1.) The sin by reason of which they had been called together. “Trembling because of this matter.” The consciousness of guilt distressed them, and made them fearful.
(2.) The extraordinarily heavy rain which was falling at the time.
“And for the great rain.” This great gathering took place in the rainy season; but the showers at this time were evidently of unusual severity, and were in the mind of the people associated with the fact of their grievous trespass. How impressive and melancholy a spectacle! The vast multitude seated before the Temple of God, tired, troubled, and trembling, beneath the dark canopy of heavy clouds, with the rain falling down upon them in torrents!
III. The address of Ezra to the assembled people. “And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them,” &c. (Ezr_10:10-11). This address comprises—
1. A declaration of their sin. “Ye have transgressed and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.” A decided recognition of the sin was indispensable to reformation. By these marriages they had augmented greatly the guilt of the community.
2. An exhortation to repentance. He calls upon them to discharge two of the principal duties of repentance.
(1.) Confession of sin. “Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do His pleasure.” Confession of sin is a relief to the penitent soul. (a). It is also an essential condition of forgiveness. (b). “Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,” &c. “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee,” &c. (Psa_32:5).
(2.) Abandonment of sin. “And separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.” This is an essential element in true repentance. “Let the wicked forsake his way,” &c. (Isa_55:7). “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy.” “Repentance,” says Shakespeare, “is heart’s sorrow, and a clear life ensuing.” (c).
IV. The declaration of the assembled people. “Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.” Thus they announced their determination to follow the counsel of Ezra.
Notice—
1. The unanimity of their determination. “All the congregation answered and said,” &c. This augured well for the success of the movement.
2. The earnestness of their determination. “Answered with a loud voice.” This was not a half-hearted or reluctant assent, but a free and whole-hearted resolution.
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) As the frank and dutiful child, when he has committed a fault, does not wait till another goes and tells his father, or till the father discovers by his frowning countenance that it has come to his ear; but freely, and of his own accord, goes pleasantly to his father, and eases his aching heart by a free and full confession; and this with such plain-heartedness, giving his offence the weight of every aggravating circumstance, so that if the devil himself should come after him, to glean up what he hath left, he should hardly find wherewithal to make the case appear blacker;—thus does the sincere soul to God; adding to his simplicity in the confession of his sin such a flow of sorrow, that God, seeing His dear child in danger of being carried down towards despair, if good news from Him do not speedily stay him, cannot but tune His voice rather into a strain of comforting him in his mourning, than chiding him for his sin.—W. Gurnall.
(b) It is impossible for the Almighty Himself to forgive men unless men come to Him with contrition, with repentance towards Himself, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Believe me, there is no action so difficult as the action of forgiveness. There is no action so complicated as the action of pardon. It seems a very simple thing to say, “I forgive you; say no more about it; there is an end of the whole affair: away you go.” He who could speak so, is immoral. He who could talk so, is not to be trusted. If a man could treat the moral relationships of life so, it would but prove that his conscience had been drugged, that his judgment had been hoodwinked, and that there was nothing morally permanent in the quality of his soul but corruptness.—Joseph Parker, D.D.
(c) Convince a man that the only way to save his life is to part with his limb, and he does not hesitate an instant between living with one limb and being buried with two. Borne into the operating theatre, pale, yet resolute, he bares the diseased member to the knife. And how well does that bleeding, fainting, groaning sufferer teach us to part with our sins rather than with our Saviour. If life is better than a limb, how much better is heaven than a sin!
Two years ago a man was called to decide between preserving his life, and parting with the gains of his lifetime. A gold-digger, he stood on the deck of a ship that, coming from Australian shores, had—as some all but reach heaven—all but reached her harbour in safety. The exiles had been coasting along their native shores; and to-morrow, husbands would embrace their wives, children their parents, and not a few realise the bright dream of returning to pass the evening of their days in happiness amid the loved scenes of their youth. But as the proverb runs, there is much between the cup and the lip. Night came lowering down; and with the night a storm that wrecked ship, and hopes, and fortunes all together. The dawning light but revealed a scene of horror—death staring them in the face. The sea, lashed into fury, ran mountains high; no boat could live in her. One chance still remained. Pale women, weeping children, feeble and timid men must die; but a stout, brave swimmer, with trust in God, and disencumbered of all impediments, might reach the shore, where hundreds stood ready to dash into the boiling surf, and, seizing, save him. One man was observed to go below. He bound round his waist a heavy belt, filled with gold, the hard gains of his life; and returned to the deck. One after another, he saw his fellow-passengers leap overboard. After a brief but terrible struggle, head after head went down—sunk by the gold they had fought hard to gain, and were loth to lose. Slowly he was seen to unbuckle his belt. His hopes had been bound up in it. It was to buy him land, and ease, and respect—the reward of long years of hard and weary exile. What hardships he had endured for it! The sweat of his brow, the hopes of day, and the dreams of night were there. If he parts with it, he is a beggar; but then if he keeps it, he dies. He poised it in his hand; balanced it for a while; took a long, sad look at it; and then with one strong, desperate effort, flung it far out into the roaring sea. Wise man! It sinks with a sullen plunge; and now he follows it—not to sink, but, disencumbered of its weight, to swim; to beat the billows manfully; and, riding on the foaming surge, to reach the shore. Well done, brave gold-digger! Ay, well done, and well chosen; but if “a man,” as the devil said, who for once spoke God’s truth, “will give all that he hath for his life,” how much more should he give all he hath for his soul? Better to part with gold than with God; to bear the heaviest cross than miss a heavenly crown!—Thomas Guthrie, D.D
A GREAT AND TROUBLED ASSEMBLY
(Ezr_10:9)
How much good one man may do who has the grace of God in his heart and the fear of God before his eyes! “One sinner destroyeth much good;” one saint may accomplish much. He may be a centre of gracious influences to the Church and the world, a terror to the bad, a tower of strength to the good. The world owes much to its great men, more to its good ones. Ezra was one of these. He was the means of bringing part of the Church out of captivity, and of renewing the faded splendours of holiness and devotion which it had lost. He stood in the line of illustrious reformers, and was considered in the Jewish Church a second Moses.
The Book of Ezra closes with an account of their national humiliation for the sin of taking foreign wives, and the measures taken for putting them away. Public proclamation had been made for this purpose. The text shows the result. It teaches—
I. That it is the tendency of sin to produce sorrow and consternation of soul. “All the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.” The matter spoken of was the sin of marrying strange or foreign wives. It was of great consequence that this evil should be corrected at this time, that their genealogies might be kept pure, that their estates might descend in the right direction, and, above all, that the line of the Messiah might be preserved in the chosen tribe. The deep grief of Ezra and the ready submission of the princes and people show its importance in a national point of view. They all partook of the feelings of shame and consternation. They sat trembling in the open street. “And for the great rain.” They probably thought there was something ominous or judicial in this, designed to put an accent of terror upon God’s displeasure at their sin.
Learn, then, that it is the tendency of sin to produce sorrow, and that the providences of God often give a voice to conscience, and produce an inward agony which none but the sinner himself can know. There is a scorpion sting in remembered guilt, when outward troubles and inward fears meet together. Joseph’s brethren: “We are verily guilty concerning our brother,” &c. (Gen_42:21). The sight of Elijah agonised the mourning mother: “Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?” (1Ki_17:18). Sin often begins with gladness and ends in terror. Grace begins with tears and ends with triumph.
“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?” The spirit can bear temporal ills with much fortitude, and arm itself against outward or inward affliction; but a wounded spirit, pierced and wounded by those arrows of the Almighty’s quiver, which find their way to the heart, is intolerable. By a wounded spirit—here described as a spirit of “trembling”—we apprehend a spirit convinced of sin under the terrors of the law, led to a full and just view of its own condition and condemnation. This is the disposition to which, under the efficacious influence of Divine grace, all “the vessels of mercy” are sooner or later led, in a greater or less degree, because the conviction of sin is the very beginning, lies at the foundation of genuine godliness. Sins overlooked and forgotten now appear in their true light. Conscience once asleep is now awakened. The thunders of the law are heard, and there are fearful apprehensions of deserved wrath. “The people wept very sore.” They could not “wash their hands in innocency,” and therefore they bathed their eyes with tears. A deluge of iniquity in the heart may well produce a deluge of grief in the conscience. Jeremiah wished “that his head were waters, and his eyes a fountain of tears,” &c. (Jer_9:1). And Ezra himself, though not a partaker of the scandalous guilt of those who had taken foreign wives, exhibits much more earnestness and intensity than many who had. The practice of sin hardened their consciences; the sight of sin softened his (chap. Ezr_9:3-6).
II. That God marks with peculiar interest the time in which repentance unto life begins in the soul. “It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month.” No breath of prayer, no exercise of faith, no sigh of repentance can ever escape Him. God is very attentive to times and dates. The dates of the commencement of carrying out the reformation and of its completion are preserved (Ezr_10:16-17). The day in which the three thousand were converted is distinctly recorded: “When the day of Pentecost was fully come” (Act_2:1). The day in which the foundation of the second Temple was laid was memorised: “Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid, consider” (Hag_2:18). And is He less attentive to the building of the spiritual temple in the soul? The moment Saul of Tarsus began to pray was a memorable season in the calendar of Heaven (Act_9:11). And the prayer of faith and penitence does wonders.
III. That repentance, where it is real, will be attended with its appropriate fruits. The people put away the strange wives (Ezr_10:11-12; Ezr_10:16-17). “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance,” &c. (Luk_3:8-14).
IV. That the names and persons of genuine penitents are for ever precious to God and recorded in His book. “And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak,” &c. (Ezr_10:18-44). They were held up as patterns of sin repented, sin forsaken, and sin forgiven.—Samuel Thodey.
THE REFORMATION EFFECTED
(Ezr_10:13-17)
The great assembly having earnestly decided that the strange wives should be put away, the next consideration was as to the mode by which this decision might be carried out It is frequently, and especially in a popular assembly, much easier to resolve that a thing shall be done, than to devise a prudent and practicable method of doing it. In the paragraph now before us we see how the great reformation was carried out. It was effected—
I. Notwithstanding difficulties. Two difficulties are suggested in the thirteenth verse:—
1. The greatness of the undertaking. “Neither is this a work of one day or two; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.” The cases being numerous, considerable time would be required to deal with them satisfactorily. Moreover, some of the cases would probably need very careful consideration. Amongst the foreign wives some perhaps had become proselytes to the Jewish religion; and amongst the children of these marriages some of the sons had perhaps been circumcised, and these wives and sons could not be put away. It was necessary that an impartial and sufficient investigation of each case should be made, and the cases were many, so that the task to be performed was not by any means a light or easy one.
2. The inclemency of the weather. “But the people are many and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without.” The reformation could not be carried out by a great popular assembly, such as that gathered before the Temple; and, even if it had been practicable in other respects, the drenching showers would have prevented it. The assembly could not have continued to sustain those showers; and there was no building in the country that could have sheltered so vast a multitude.
Learn: To eradicate sin is a task of the greatest difficulty. How hard it is to overcome a sinful habit in ourselves! Only the most patient, persistent, prayerful, and believing effort has any chance of success in such an attempt. How difficult it is to eradicate an evil, whether of belief or of practice, from the Church of God! It is a task requiring the zeal of an enthusiastic reformer, the piety of a devoted saint, and the wisdom of a profound sage. Nothing is easier than the propagation of moral evil; but its eradication is supremely difficult. (a).
II. Notwithstanding opposition. “Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them,” that is, in their opposition to this measure of reform (see Explanatory Notes on Ezr_10:15). It is not surprising that opposition should have been offered to this matter. The severance of these marriage ties must have been very painful to most of the persons concerned therein. And very plausible objections might have been urged against their severance. The examples of distinguished Israelites might have been pleaded as precedents in favour of such marriages. Joseph had married an Egyptian (Gen_41:45); Moses, a Midianite (Exo_2:16; Exo_2:21), and afterwards a Cushite (Num_12:1); Boaz, Ruth, a Moabitess (Rth_4:9-13); David, Maacah a Geshurite (2Sa_3:3); Solomon, an Egyptian princess (1Ki_3:1; 1Ki_7:8). These cases might have been adduced and urged as making against the rigorous measure proposed at the present time. It would have been passing strange if there had been no opposition to this unsparing reformation. It is surprising that the opposition was not more extensive.
Learn: In effecting any great reformation opposition is to be expected. Such reformations injure the secular interests of some persons, run counter to the prejudices of others, make war upon the practices of others, and so awaken resistance. Great reformations are generally carried out despite determined opposition. (b).
III. With exemplary wisdom and fairness. “Let now our rulers of all the congregations stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times,” &c. (Ezr_10:14; Ezr_10:16). Thus this reformation was effected—
1. By the proper authorities. The “rulers of all the congregation,” i.e., the princes and elders of the people, were proposed as a judicial commission to conduct this matter. “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, and sat down to examine the matter.” The cases were investigated and determined by the rightful judicial authorities of the community, with Ezra as their president.
2. With competent and reliable witnesses. “And with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof.” “With the accused were to come the elders and judges of every city, to furnish the necessary explanations and evidence.” They would be likely to possess the requisite information as to the cases in their respective cities, and their character and position would give increased weight to their testimony.
3. In the presence of the accused. “Let all them which have taken strange wives come at appointed times” to Jerusalem for trial. No one was condemned in his absence, or without being allowed an opportunity of pleading his cause if he wished to do so.
4. With due regard for the convenience of the people. It was arranged that the cases from each city or locality should be taken by themselves “and at appointed times,” and not be mixed with the cases from other localities. By this plan the Jews from the provinces would not be unnecessarily detained in Jerusalem; but having answered the summons to appear there, the cases from their locality would be taken consecutively until they were all adjudicated, and then they would be at liberty to return to their homes and duties.
5. With careful inquiry. The time during which the judicial commission sat, and the probable number of cases investigated, furnish evidence of patient examination into the cases. The inquiry lasted for three months. They “sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.” It is probable that they sat for seventy-five or seventy-six days, and it seems to us that they may have investigated an average of three cases a day. One hundred and thirteen persons were found to have taken foreign wives; and, in accordance with the decision of the judges, they put them away. Evidently the examination was not hurried and superficial, but patient and thorough.
Learn:
The importance of combining prudence of method with earnestness of purpose in carrying out great reformations. Zeal in a good cause should be guided and regulated by sound judgment. A noble aim should be pursued by wise and worthy methods, or it may never be attained, or attained with needless loss and trouble. “Wisdom is profitable to direct.” (c).
IV. Thoroughly. “And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives.” They completely abolished the evil from the community. It was most desirable and important for the people themselves that the wrong should be courageously grappled with and utterly done away. If a surgeon has to remove diseased flesh from his patient, he must cut it completely away, or he is neither skilful in his practice nor kind to his patient. Sin is very tenacious in its hold, and though checked for a time, springs forth into new and active development. Checking is not enough, it must be killed. Notwithstanding the complete abolition of the foreign wives from the community at this time, the evil reappeared and had to be dealt with by Nehemiah (Neh_13:23-28).
Learn:
The importance of making an end of sin when we are battling with it. Let us put it utterly away, cut off all occasions of it, and shun every temptation to it. (d). And a yet more effective safeguard and surety against it, is the cultivation of the opposite virtues. Let the avaricious cultivate generosity, and the proud man seek after humility, &c. And let every one cry unto God, “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.”
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) Sometimes this separation from familiar evil is a struggle as between life and death, shaking the whole soul, and tearing its shrinking quick in torture. It is like the sword that pierceth to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow. And yet, such is the power of the conviction of the Spirit of truth when humility has once begun its holy and honest work within us, how many even go out to meet that saving sorrow! Indeed, when the heart has slept too long in the lap of indulgence, there often creeps upon it, I believe, an undefined feeling that before long this rest must be ended; the foreshadow of some darker angel cast across the path. And if the ear of our sympathy were quicker and finer than it is, we should doubtless often overhear, in the tones that breathe around us, the sadness and the prayer of an unsatisfied spirit striving against the evil in it! Blessed is the mind that springs with alacrity and thanksgiving to its better ministry!
For all true souls really touched with the spirit, and consecrated to the fellowship, of Christian obedience will be ready for this sacrifice. Not all equally ready. The bonds of past practice and attachment hang unequal weights about our necks. But what awakened soul will not willingly be drifted away from the accustomed repose, if it is thereby brought nearer to the righteousness and charity of Christ? This, in fact, is the test of the sincerity of faith; the willingness to give up all that has been precious but not holy, and launch out upon the future, trusting only to the Unseen Hand—like the Patriarch, of whom that beautiful thing is written, that when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive, he obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went, dwelling in the land of “promise,” and looking for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Great difficulties will threaten every such obedient foot—the wilderness before, the bondage to evil behind; but God is mightier than they—a pillar of fire for the night, and of bright cloud by day: “Greater He that is for us than they that are against us.” Outside our private battle, society exposes gigantic wrongs to be redressed; but the right which is to redress them is sure, and the prophetic ear of hope hears the sound of its footsteps from afar. There are changed faces, disappointed companions, an angry class or denomination forsaken, sneers, imputations, false charges, and criticisms—such feeble weapons of the modern world’s inquisitions as betray the cowardice of persecution, without its positive creed or its power. But these are not a terror to him who hears the voice say, “Awake, arise, and Christ shall give thee light!”—F. D. Huntington, D.D.
(b) It is a remarkable, but awful, fact that liberty and religion both have arisen to prosperity in the world on successive stages of blood. Blood nurtured the tree of Grecian and of Roman freedom. With bloody swords our fathers in the puritanic and covenanting days gained our civil and religious victories. Through a shower of blood came down, in 1789 and the after years, the genius of liberty to the continental shores. Even while we write (1859), the blood of John Brown of Virginia is dropping into the dust, to rear a glorious and a terrible harvest of freedom to his black countrymen. And the religion of Jesus, need we say, arises from the root of a blood-sprinkled cross. This springs, doubtless, in part from the Divine plan and purpose, but it augurs also something dreadfully wrong in the present system of things. Through the dominion of the evil power men’s minds, in every age, have been steeped in selfishness, besotted with lies; and when truth and good try to stir them, they succeed, but the stir they produce is that of rage and resistance. The darkness comprehends them not, but apprehends and destroys their votaries, and many of the followers of the prince of evil perish in the strife, too, and thus “blood toucheth blood.” Nor can we conceive the final contest of the world decided without a “great slaughter” among the “multitudes—the multitudes in the valley of decision;” and even the gorgeous Flora of the millennial meadows shall derive its glory from transmuted and transfigured blood.—G. Gilfillan, M.A.
(c) The property of cords contracting their length by moisture became generally known, it is said, on the raising of the Egyptian obelisk in the square facing St. Peter’s, at Rome, by order of Pope Sixtus V. The great work was undertaken in the year 1586; and the day for raising the obelisk was marked with great solemnity. High mass was celebrated at St Peter’s; and the architect and workmen received the benediction of the Pope. The blast of a trumpet was the given signal, when engines were set in motion by an incredible number of horses; but not until after fifty-two unsuccessful attempts had been made, was the huge block lifted from the earth. As the ropes which held it had somewhat stretched, the base of the obelisk could not reach the summit of the pedestal; when a man in the crowd cried out, “Wet the ropes!” This advice was followed; and the column, as of itself, gradually rose to the required height, and was placed upright on the pedestal prepared for it—Biblical Treasury.
(d) Clip the hairs short, yet they will grow again, because the roots are in the skull. A tree that is but pruned, shred, topped, or lopped, will sprout again; root it up, and it shall grow no more. What is it to clip the outward appearances, and to lop the superfluous boughs of our sins, when the root is cherished in the heart?—Thomas Adams, D.D.
How grand a thing to get a passion down and hold it by the throat, strangling it despite its struggles! It is fine work to hang up some old sin as an accursed thing before the Lord, just as they hung up the Canaanitish kings before the face of the sun; or if you cannot quite kill the lust, it is honourable work to roll a great stone at the cave’s mouth, and shut in the wretches till the evening comes, when they shall meet their doom. It is a joyous thing when by God’s grace under temptation you are kept from falling as you did on a former occasion, and so are made conquerors over a weakness which was your curse in past years. It is a noble thing to be made strong through the blood of the Lamb so as to overcome sin.—C. H. Spurgeon.
THE LIST OF OFFENDERS
(Ezr_10:18-44)
For what purpose is this catalogue of names inserted here? The list is probably the final record or report of Ezra and his fellow—commissioners, and brought their duties in this matter to an end. But why is it preserved here in the sacred Book? Has it any moral significance? Is it of any permanent value? And if so, in what way is it valuable? We suggest, in reply—
I. As a warning against sin. This catalogue shows us—
1. Sin extending to all classes. Here are the names of seventeen priests (Ezr_10:18-22) who had committed the sin of marrying foreign wives, and four of them belonged to the family of the high priest, “Jeshua the son of Jozadak.” They had transgressed in this matter notwithstanding their sacred calling, and that they had received commands imposing special restrictions as to their marriages (Lev_21:7). Again, we have the names of ten Levites of three different classes, viz., assistants of the priests, singers, and porters (Ezr_10:23-24). And besides these there are the names of eighty-six laymen. A sacred calling, with its hallowed associations and solemn obligations, affords no exemption either from temptation to sin or from the liability to yield to temptation. Let Christian ministers and teachers heed well this fact. Sin is not confined to certain classes or callings. It is found amongst all classes—the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, &c. “All have sinned.” (a).
2. Sin injuring the reputation. The names of these offenders “are here recorded to their perpetual reproach.” “Sin is a reproach to any people.” Sin has covered with infamy many a name, which but for it would have been eminent and illustrious for great gifts and noble achievements.
3. Sin corrupting the influence. This must have been true of every one of these offenders. The example of each one would be morally pernicious, tending to extend the offence of marrying these foreign wives. But this was especially true in the case of the priests. Their participation in this sin would cause it to appear in the eyes of, at least, some of the people as no sin at all, but quite consistent with duty and piety. In this way their influence, which should have been morally purifying and invigorating, became corrupt and injurious. Thus this catalogue remains as a warning against sin.
II. As an example of genuine repentance. Three characteristics of true repentance marked the conduct of these offenders—
1. They confessed their sin with sorrow. “The people wept very sore. And Shechaniah answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.” When Ezra said to the assembled people, “Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers … all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.” Sincere and sorrowful confession of sin is a mark of true repentance, and a condition of Divine forgiveness. “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee,” &c. (Psa_32:5). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,” &c. (1Jn_1:9).
2. They offered sacrifice on account of the sin. “And being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.” This trespass offering, as Keil observes, “was imposed upon them according to the principle of the law (Lev_5:14-19), because they had committed a מַעַל (trespass) against the Lord, which needed expiation.” The presentation of this offering was not limited to the four priests who “gave their hands” as a pledge that they would make it. “The same obligations, namely, the dismissal of their strange wives, and the bringing of a trespass offering, were imposed on” all the other guilty persons; but these obligations, having been once stated, it was not deemed necessary to repeat. Every offender was required to bring his sacrifice, and every one did so. And now forgiveness is offered freely to the penitent sinner through the blood of Jesus Christ. “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Repentance is the condition of forgiveness, and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus is the medium through which it is attained. (b). Where there is true repentance the need of reconciliation with God will be deeply felt, and the sacrifice of the Cross will be accepted with thankful joy. (c).
3. They forsook the sin. All the offenders put away their strange wives. Even when children had been born of these marriages, rendering the removal of the wives and mothers much more difficult and painful, the difficulties were overcome, the pain was borne, and the wives were put away. True repentance involves practical reformation—change of conduct. (d). Thus the men whose names are here recorded are examples of genuine repentance.
III. As an encouragement to genuine repentance. Their repentance was accepted by God, and as a result—
1. Their sin was forgiven. If the sinner “turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;” &c. (Eze_33:14-16).
2. The Divine favour was vouchsafed. The wrath of their God for this matter was turned from them (Ezr_10:14). He approved their penitence and blessed them in their obedience.
Let sinners take encouragement to seek true repentance. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way; and the unrighteous man his thoughts,” &c. (Isa_55:6-7). “There is forgiveness with God.… With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.” “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (e).
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) The world over, in its serious hours the heart longs, sighs, groans, and travails with sorrows that cannot be uttered, to be delivered from the bondage of sin and death. The Scripture has no other doctrine of the matter on any of its pages, and scarcely one page where this is not. Read the burning confessions of the fifty-first Psalm, and of many another before and after it, where the fire of remorse, which is only the lurid reflection of sin, almost visibly scorches the Psalmist’s heart; read the terrible descriptions of that state of man without his Redeemer written by Paul to the Romans; or the tragic picture of Paul’s own fearful struggles with the law of his members; or the awful prophecies of a society forgetting its Lord, given in Jude. Recall the narratives of depravity in Scripture history, and the denunciations upon it by prophets, and the thrilling exhortations against it by apostles. Remember that the Bible begins with the first inroad of sin, and finishes with warnings of its punishments. Above all, remember that the first word of the new dispensation was “Repent,” and its consummation was the cross built on Calvary to assure forgiveness to “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ;” and you will hardly need to multiply these convincing tokens that all the ministrations of our religion to the human soul presuppose that we all have sinned,—are sinners still. If any of you are disposed to complain that there is too much preaching against sin, apply your criticism to the Bible. The Christ whom we preach came to be a Saviour from sin, did He not? How much better to think and feel thoroughly what sin is now, than when the “space for repentance” is exchanged for the determination of the judgment!—F. D. Huntington, D.D.
(b) Repentance is necessary to forgiveness—a sine qua non—a condition, though not in any respect in the sense of desert, yet in the sense of indispensable existence or of being something without which the blessing cannot be enjoyed. This is a truth, a Bible truth. But it is not the ground of pardon, or in any way its meritorious cause. That is the atonement. And, according to the Bible, instead of repentance being the ground of forgiveness, that which is the ground of forgiveness is itself the motive, or inducement, or persuasive, to repentance. It is that consideration by which the Spirit of God in the Word is ever urging sinners to repent and turn unto God.… Moreover, that repentance is sufficient to obtain forgiveness, there is nothing in the analogy of Providence that warrants us to conclude. There is much to the contrary. Repentance and reformation do not, in point of fact, in the present experience of mankind, place transgressors, with regard to the temporal effects of their sins, in the same state as if they never had offended. The ruined health and fortune of the intemperate and profligate are not retrieved the instant they repent and reform. Nor is there anything in reason to sustain the position. It is very manifest, that present obedience can only fulfil present obligation. There is, as has often been observed, just as good ground for affirming that former obedience atones for present sins, as there is for affirming that present obedience atones for former sins. Repentance neither alters the nature nor obliterates the guilt of what is past; and present duty, even were it free from all mixture and imperfection, can do no more than answer for itself. It cannot possess, for our former selves any more than for others, aught of the nature or efficacy of works of supererogation. There will be no such works known at the bar of God.—Ralph Wardlaw, D.D.
(c) Our want is deliverance from our evil, including both forgiveness for the past and strength now; something to
“Be of sin the double cure,—
Cleanse us from its guilt and power.”
Manifestly this cannot come from ourselves. It must come from Him whom our ingratitude has offended; from the Ruler whom our selfish wickedness has wronged. It must come from God. Look closely at this want; for it is that vital spot in all humanity where sorrow is most keen, and where relief is most joyful. The sure result of evil is pain; of persistent sin is death. Hence the voluntary surrender to pain, pain even unto the body’s death, is felt and has been ever felt, to be the natural expression of a penitent soul. It is propitiation; not because God takes pleasure in His children’s suffering, but because that is the soul’s fitting tribute to the just majesty of goodness and the holy authority of Right. Government without penalty is gone, and all its blessed protections are dissolved. Hence the honest heart cries out in its shame and fear, “Let me suffer for my sin.” Suffering for it there must be somewhere; transgression is a costly business; so it must always be and always look; right must stand at any rate; law must be sacred, or all is gone; and since nothing is so dear as life, and blood is the element of life, life itself must be surrendered, and “without the shedding of blood is no remission.” Take the next step. Just because this life is so dear, He who loves us infinitely, and to whom it is dearer than to us, will be willing to lay down for us His own. He will not even wait for our consent; but in the abundance of that unspeakable compassion, in the irresistible freedom of that goodness, He will do it beforehand—only asking of us that we will believe He has done it, and, accepting our pardon, be drawn by that faith into the same self-sacrificing spirit. Herein is love indeed. Suffering for our peace! Sacrifice, not that our service may profit and pay Him, but that our transgression of a perfect law may be pardoned, and the noble life of disinterested goodness may be begotten in ourselves.—F. D. Huntington, D.D.
(d) Some confess their sins without so much as intending to forsake them. Marvellous delusion! As if it were possible to impose upon the Almighty Himself. As if the hollow confession of the lips availed anything against the stubborn impenitence of the heart! Very beautiful is that liturgy of the Established Church. Yet how many are there who have knelt in silks and satins to-day, and found a certain anodyne for conscience in the mere repetition of the cry, “O God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon us miserable sinners”? Or, not to look abroad for examples which may be found at home, how many of us within these walls have moved the lips and bent the knee, while locked up inviolate in a secure corner of the heart has lurked all the while that evil thing which the lips have professed to expel. That is not repentance. Rather, it resembles a contrivance for beginning the world upon a new score, because the old has grown inconveniently long. True repentance has always an eye to the future as well as to the past; and to confess those sins which you secretly intend to repeat, or which it is not your settled purpose to abandon, is to cheat conscience and to mock God.—J. G. Pigg, B.A.
(e) You cannot believe too much in God’s mercy. You cannot expect too much at His hands. He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” No sin is so great but that, coming straight from it, a repentant sinner may hope and believe that all God’s love will be lavished upon him, and the richest of God’s gifts granted to his desires. Even if our transgression be aggravated by a previous life of godliness, and have given the enemies great occasion to blaspheme, as David did, yet David’s penitence may in our souls lead on to David’s hope, and the answer will not fail us. Let no sin, however dark, however repeated, drive us to despair of ourselves, because it hides from us our loving Saviour. Though beaten back again and again by the surge of our passions and sins, like some poor shipwrecked sailors sucked back with every retracing wave and tossed about in the angry surf, yet keep your face towards the beach where there is safety, and you will struggle through it all, and though it were but on some floating boards and broken pieces of the ship, will come safe to land. He will uphold you with His Spirit, and take away the weight of sin that would sink you, by His forgiving mercy, and bring you out of all the weltering waste of waters to the solid shore.—Alex. Maclaren, D.D.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible 1900 · Public Domain On v1 Many lessons may be learned from the few simple…
Ezr 10:13
Many lessons may be learned from the few simple words of the text.
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I. The first is the ease with which people can fall into sin. The people before us had fallen into sin easily and gradually through being left to themselves. It is the first step which gives pain, but take that, and the rest is easy. It is like setting off down a steep hill. Just take the first step, and presently you are off with a run and a rush, and cannot stop yourself if you will. Take heed to the first step, lest it place you in a moment in such a position that not the work of a day, nor of a week, nor of a year, nor of a lifetime may free you from its consequences.
II. If you do take a false step, take means immediately to undo it. That is what the people in the street of the house of the Lord did. They saw that there was no time for delay; they saw that it was a work which would take time; so they decided to begin at once, and vigorously put away the evil from them. If you should commit any sin whatever, take the readiest and justest way to undo it. The longer you leave the matter alone, the harder it will be to rectify it, and it may even happen that you are unable to rectify it at all, and then it will tend to become a sad burden to your conscience to your dying day.
III. The text teaches a lesson of perseverance. Nothing worth having is to be obtained without labour and perseverance. A thing that quickly grows quickly withers. Things which men desire can only be got by striving after them. The first thing to do is to make sure that what you desire is good and right; then work towards it with all your might.
G. Litting, Thirty Sermons for Children, pp. 96, 105.
References: Ezr 10:4.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. viii., p. 287. Ezr 10:13.—G. T. Coster, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiv., p. 245.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Foreign Wives are Divorced
The Foreign Wives are Divorced
3. According to the law] see Deu_24:1-2, which required a bill of divorcement.
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5. The chief priests] RV 'the chiefs of the priests': see 2Ch_36:14.
6. Johanan] If the Eliashib meant is the contemporary of Nehemiah (Neh_13:4, Neh_13:7) and Johanan was really his grandson (not his son, see Neh_12:22), he must have lived a long while after Ezra, and consequently the description of the chamber, here alluded to, as the chamber of Johanan applies not to the time of Ezra, but to that of the compiler of the book. But it is possible that another Johanan is intended.
8. Forfeited] lit. 'placed under the ban.' Goods that were 'banned' were brought into the treasury of the Lord (Jos_6:19). For the authority under which these proceedings were undertaken see Ezr_7:26.
9. The ninth month] i.e. Chisleu (=Nov.-Dec.). In Palestine rain falls regularly in December, and on this occasion was perhaps heavier than usual.
13. We are many, etc.] better, 'we have greatly transgressed.'
14. Let now our rulers.. stand] i.e. as a committee to see into the question of the divorces.
15. Were employed about] RV 'stood up against.' The opposition was not really strong.
16, 17. The tenth month.. the first] i.e. Tebeth (=Dec.-Jan.) and Nisan (=Mar.-Apr.).
18. Of the guilty there were 17 priests, 10 Levites, singers and porters, and 86 laymen, making a total of 113.
25. Of Israel] i.e. of the laity, as contrasted with the priests and Levites.
44. Some of them, etc.] The text is obscure and perhaps corrupt: the LXX renders 'and had begotten children by them'; whilst 1Es_9:36 has 'and they put them away with their children.' The harsh measures here described were adopted by Ezra and his supporters owing to the necessity of preserving the distinctive faith of their race from being contaminated by, and finally lost in, the heathendom that surrounded it. A small and feeble community, deprived of national independence, was peculiarly exposed to external influences; and Ezra might well fear that the proneness to idolatry from which his countrymen had been purified by the exile might revive, if marriage alliances were permitted with the neighbouring peoples, whose women, in the words of Malachi (Mal_2:11), were 'the daughters of a strange god.' Nothing further is related of Ezra himself after this attempt to prevent mixed marriages until his reappearance in company with Nehemiah in 444 (Neh_8:1); and nothing is known for certain respecting the condition of affairs in Judæa between the last events here recorded and the arrival of Nehemiah at Jerusalem, as narrated in Nehemiah 2. But one section of this book (Ezr_4:6-23) shows that in the reign of Artaxerxes an endeavour was made to rebuild the fortifications of the city by a body of Jews who had recently arrived there (Ezr_10:12), and it is natural to connect this body with those who accompanied Ezra. The offence given to the peoples with whom intermarriage had lately been prohibited would render it desirable to secure the safety of the reforming party and it may well have been to them that the scheme for surrounding the place with a wall was due. As has been seen, it was frustrated through information being sent respecting it to the Persian authorities; and if Ezra was in any way thought to be responsible for it, it is easily intelligible that his influence was in consequence impaired, and he himself forced into the obscurity in which the history leaves him.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv9, 16, 17, 40 ninth month
ninth month
i.e. December.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 1. The effect of Ezra’s prayer on the people…
CHAPTER 10
1. The effect of Ezra’s prayer on the people (Ezr 10:1-4)
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2. Ezra summons an assembly (Ezr 10:5-8)
3. The gathering, confession and the evil judged (Ezr 10:9-17)
4. The register of those who had married strange women (Ezr 10:18-44)
Ezr 10:1-4. Ezra’s prayer, confession and humiliation were before the house of the LORD.” The people saw his great sorrow and his tears, they heard his words confessing the nation’s sins. It produced a wonderful effect among the people. “There assembled unto him out of Israel a great congregation of men and women and children, for the people wept very sore.” Was this great weeping real contrition over their disobedience? or did they weep in anticipation of the separation from the wives they had taken? No doubt they thought of what the demanded separation would mean for them; yet it was an aroused conscience which produced the tears of repentance.
Schechaniah’s voice is heard in behalf of the people. He was a son of Jehiel. His own father is mentioned among those who had taken strange wives (Ezr 10:26). His words then must have condemned his own father. He said, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.” He acknowledged the sin of the people violating the direct commandment of the LORD. But he also had confidence in the mercy of God, that not all was lost on account of their disobedience, “yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” Yet this hope and mercy could only be realized by self-judgment and by putting away all the wives and such as were born of them. He therefore said, “Let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.” The law demanded the dismissal of these wives and children, for they were unclean, and admission into the congregation of Israel had to be denied to them. How different it is under grace! In 1Co 7:10, etc., we read what grace has done even for an unbelieving husband who is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife who is sanctified by the believing husband, and that their children are not unclean, but holy.
Then Schechaniah addressed weeping Ezra: “Arise! for this matter belongeth unto thee; we also will be with thee; be of good courage and do it.” These words must have dried Ezra’s tears, for they evidence the answer to his humiliation and prayer. Confession, humiliation, self-judgment and putting away the evil are always the condition of the restoration of God’s people.
Ezr 10:5-8. Ezra took hold at once. The priests, Levites and all Israel had to swear that they would act upon this word. But Ezra’s grief was not ended. He arose and went into the chambers of Johanan, the son of Eliashib. He did not eat bread, nor did he drink water. He still mourned because of the transgression of the people. God’s presence was sought by this deeply spiritual man of God, and in His holy presence he felt anew the sin of the people. What deep soul exercise Ezra passed through! This is what is so sadly lacking in our own days. So many make light of the sin and worldliness of those who profess the Name of Christ, there is but little heart searching, true humiliation and self-judgment to be seen. Such is the spirit of Laodicea.
A proclamation was then made. The time to act had come. All the returned captives were to gather themselves together in Jerusalem. It had to be within three days. Neglect of this commandment meant the confiscation of their substance and separation from the congregation of Israel.
Ezr 10:9-17. The great gathering takes place. They all obeyed the Word. We see them sitting in the wide space before the house of the LORD. They were a trembling, Lightened company, on account of this matter and also the great rain, for the cold and rainy season had started in. Ezra addresses the multitude in simple but firm words. Once more he mentions their sin and the guilt which rests upon them on account of it. He demands confession, and separation from the peoples of the land and from the strange women. There was an immediate response: “As thou hast said concerning us, so must we do.” Then a plan is inaugurated to bring the separation about in as speedy a manner as possible. What self denial and heartaches this must have meant! In verse 15 we read of those “who were employed about this matter.” But the translation of this sentence is more than doubtful. It has been rendered “they stood up against this.” If there was opposition it was not opposition to the separation decree. They probably opposed the method which had been suggested; they may have demanded an immediate action.
Ezr 10:18-44. The examination of the whole matter as agreed upon began on the first day of the first month (Nisan-March-April), the time of the New Year, the new beginning according to Exo 12:1. Then follows the list of the men who had married the strange women. God’s record is again before us in these names. The names of the priests come first. Theirs was the greater responsibility and guilt. The sons of Joshua head the list. What an illustration of what man is, that the sons of the high priest, who, with Zerubbabel, had been such great instruments of the Lord to lead the first captives back, should corrupt themselves with these women! They gave their hand that they would put away their wives, and confessing themselves guilty, they brought a ram for an offering. In all, seventeen priests were guilty, and six Levites. The guilty singers and porters are given by name in verse 24. Then follow eighty-six more names who had all defiled themselves by strange women.
Ezra’s great work was finished. In Nehemiah we read how he was still active, ministering to the people in spiritual things, in reading and expounding the Word of God (Neh 8:8).
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv1, 18 Ezra’s Reform Measures Adopted
Ezra’s Reform Measures Adopted
v. 1. Now, when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, for it was in the court of the Lord that he made his prayer, as shown in chapter 9, there assembled unto him out of Israel, out of those present for the evening sacrifice, a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore, they were plunged into great depths of grief over the evil circumstances into which so many had plunged themselves by contracting forbidden marriages. Ezra’s passionate prayer, therefore, was a sensation which attracted people to the court of the Temple in increasing numbers.
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v. 2. And Shechaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the Sons of Elam, evidently a man of some importance, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, acting unfaithfully and without loyalty,and have taken strange wives of the people of the land; for, though not himself guilty, he spoke in the general name of the people; yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, a removal of the evil was still possible in his opinion.
v. 3. Now, therefore, let us make a covenant with our God, by obligating themselves before God with a solemn vow, to put away all the wives, by an absolute divorce, and such as are born of them, the children of such mixed marriages, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, the will and the precepts of the Lord being interpreted by the spiritual leaders of the people; and let it be done according to the Law, rather, "it shall happen according to the Law," as explained by Ezra and his colleagues.
v. 4. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee; Ezra was the one man competent to take charge of the problem, both on account of his familiarity with the Law of God and on account of the authority vested in him by the king of Persia. We also will be with thee, to back him up in any plan proposed by him; be of good courage and do it.
v. 5. Then arose Ezra and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they should do according to this word, he obligated them by a solemn oath and thus stimulated their zeal. And they sware.
v. 6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, he left the place in the court where he had prayed, and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib, where he could meet the princes and elders of the Jews in private; and when he came thither, he did eat no bread nor drink water, keeping up an absolute fast as a sign of mourning, in order to impress all the others with the sincerity of his motives; for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
v. 7. And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, both of the first and second band of returned exiles, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem,
v. 8. and that, whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, who had immediately agreed to the proposition of Ezra, all his substance should be forfeited, devoted to God, confiscated for the use of the Temple, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away, excluded from the Jewish Church by a sentence of excommunication.
v. 9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month, between the end of December and the first part of January, the coldest and most disagreeable season in Palestine; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, out in the court and in the open square before the court, trembling because of this matter, excited and worried on account of the cause for which they had been summoned, and for the great rain, which at that season falls in torrents.
v. 10. And Ezra, the priest, stood up and said unto them, Ye have transgressed and have taken strange wives, dwelling with them in a wedlock which did not meet with the approval of the Lord, to increase the trespass of Israel, for the entire congregation would be held responsible for this evil.
v. 11. Now, therefore, make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, acknowledging their wrong, and do His pleasure, in bringing forth fruits meet for repentance; and separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives. It was a radical measure, but one which would prove immediately effective in cleansing Israel from defilement.
v. 12. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, their resolution firmly and unhesitatingly expressed, As thou hast said, so must we do, feeling themselves in conscience bound to be obedient.
v. 13. But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, the season being too disagreeable, neither is this a work of one day or two, and therefore to be disposed of while they waited; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
v. 14. Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, as a commission to adjust the entire affair, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, they were to be notified on what days they should come, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, as witnesses and assistant judges, to investigate each case thoroughly, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us; with the cause of the wrath removed, the Lord’s wrath itself would cease.
v. 15. Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah, the son of Tikvah, were employed about this matter, literally, "stood against this thing," they withstood the proposed resolution; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them, all four desiring to continue the custom of intermarriages.
v. 16. And the children of the captivity did so, they acted according to their proposal. And Ezra, the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, heads of father-houses, and all of them by their names, were separated, as a commission to handle this matter, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter, they held a session to take up the cases.
v. 17. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month. The sessions thus lasted, in all, very nearly three months. Any Christian congregation which finds that evils have crept into its midst is in duty bound to investigate the matter and to remove all offenses.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23, 26, 30, 33, 37, 41 As Ezra prayed and confessed ... threw himself down
As Ezra prayed and confessed ... threw himself down
Ezra speaks of himself as if he were someone else. (See: Pronouns)
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threw himself down
quickly went from standing to lying facedown
before God's house
in front of the temple
Shekaniah
See how you translated this in Esra 8:5.
Jehiel
See how you translated this in Esra 8:9.
We have been unfaithful to our God
This was made as a public confession, not as a boastful claim.
translationWords
Ezra
pray
confess
assembly
Israel
descend
Elam
alien
hope
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15, 44 10:1 Ezra’s genuine mourning in response to his people’s…
10:1 Ezra’s genuine mourning in response to his people’s sin moved many of them to join him.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.