19 And they gave H5414 their hands H3027 that they would put away H3318 their wives; H802 and being guilty, H818 they offered a ram H352 of the flock H6629 for their trespass. H819
And he shall bring H935 his trespass offering H817 unto the LORD, H3068 a ram H352 without blemish H8549 out of the flock, H6629 with thy estimation, H6187 for a trespass offering, H817 unto the priest: H3548
And when he was departed H3212 thence, he lighted H4672 on Jehonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 coming to meet H7125 him: and he saluted H1288 him, and said H559 to him, Is H3426 thine heart H3824 right, H3477 as my heart H3824 is with thy heart? H3824 And Jehonadab H3082 answered, H559 It is. H3426 If it be, give H5414 me thine hand. H3027 And he gave H5414 him his hand; H3027 and he took him up H5927 to him into the chariot. H4818
If a soul H5315 commit H4603 a trespass, H4604 and sin H2398 through ignorance, H7684 in the holy things H6944 of the LORD; H3068 then he shall bring H935 for his trespass H817 unto the LORD H3068 a ram H352 without blemish H8549 out of the flocks, H6629 with thy estimation H6187 by shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for a trespass offering: H817 And he shall make amends H7999 for the harm H2398 that he hath done in the holy thing, H6944 and shall add H3254 the fifth part H2549 thereto, and give H5414 it unto the priest: H3548 and the priest H3548 shall make an atonement H3722 for him with the ram H352 of the trespass offering, H817 and it shall be forgiven H5545 him.
Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, H2398 and is guilty, H816 that he shall restore H7725 that H1500 which he took violently away, H1497 or the thing H6233 which he hath deceitfully gotten, H6231 or that which was delivered H6487 H853 him to keep, H6485 or the lost thing H9 which he found, H4672
And all the princes, H8269 and the mighty men, H1368 and all the sons H1121 likewise of king H4428 David, H1732 submitted themselves H5414 H3027 H8478 unto Solomon H8010 the king. H4428
Now be ye not stiffnecked, H7185 H6203 as your fathers H1 were, but yield H5414 yourselves H3027 unto the LORD, H3068 and enter H935 into his sanctuary, H4720 which he hath sanctified H6942 for ever: H5769 and serve H5647 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 that the fierceness H2740 of his wrath H639 may turn away H7725 from you.
We have given H5414 the hand H3027 to the Egyptians, H4714 and to the Assyrians, H804 to be satisfied H7646 with bread. H3899
And G2532 when James, G2385 G2532 Cephas, G2786 and G2532 John, G2491 who G3588 seemed G1380 to be G1511 pillars, G4769 perceived G1097 the grace G5485 that was given G1325 unto me, G3427 they gave G1325 to me G1698 and G2532 Barnabas G921 the right hands G1188 of fellowship; G2842 that G2443 we G2249 should go unto G1519 the heathen, G1484 and G1161 they G846 unto G1519 the circumcision. G4061
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 10
Commentary on Ezra 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ezr 10:1-17. Ezra Reforms the Strange Marriages.
1. Now when Ezra had prayed—As this prayer was uttered in public, while there was a general concourse of the people at the time of the evening sacrifice and as it was accompanied with all the demonstrations of poignant sorrow and anguish, it is not surprising that the spectacle of a man so respected, a priest so holy, a governor so dignified as Ezra, appearing distressed and filled with fear at the sad state of things, should produce a deep sensation; and the report of his passionate grief and expressions in the court of the temple having rapidly spread through the city, a great multitude flocked to the spot.
2-4. 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.
5-8. Then Ezra … went into the chamber of Johanan—At a private council of the princes and elders held there, under the presidency of Ezra, it was resolved to enter into a general covenant to put away their foreign wives and children; that a proclamation should be made for all who had returned from Babylon to repair within three days to Jerusalem, under pain of excommunication and confiscation of their property.
9-11. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin—The returned captives belonged chiefly to these tribes; but other Israelites are also included under these names, as they all were then occupying the territory formerly assigned to those two tribes.
It was the ninth month—that is, between the end of December and the beginning of January, which is the coldest and most rainy season of the year in Palestine.
all the people sat in the street—that is, the court.
10-17. Ezra the priest stood up, and said—Having fully represented the enormity of their sin and urged them to dissolve their unlawful connections, he was gratified by receiving a prompt acknowledgment of the justice of his reproof and a promise of compliance with his recommendation. But as the weather was ungenial and the defaulters were too numerous to be passed in review at one time, it was resolved that a commission should be appointed to examine into the whole matter. These commissioners, assisted by the judges and elders of the respective cities, made a minute investigation into every case, and after three months' labor completely removed all traces of the abuse. Doubtless, an adequate provision was made for the repudiated wives and children, according to the means and circumstances of the husbands.
Ezr 10:18-44. Those That Had Taken Strange Wives.
18. among the sons of the priests—From the names of so many men of rank appearing in the following list, some idea may be formed of the great and complicated difficulties attending the reformatory work.
19. they gave their hands—that is, came under a solemn engagement, which was usually ratified by pledging the right hand (Pr 6:1; Eze 17:18). The delinquents of the priestly order bound themselves to do like the common Israelites (Ezr 10:25), and sought to expiate their sin by sacrificing a ram as a trespass offering.