Ezra 10

Israelites divorce their pagan wives

While Ezra prayed, confessed, cried, and threw himself on the floor of God’s house, a large gathering of men, women, and children gathered who also cried bitterly. Shecaniah (Jehiel’s son from Elam’s lineage) addressed Ezra: “We broke faith with our God and have married pagan women, but even now, there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. Let’s make a commitment with our God to put away all our pagan wives and their children if that’s in agreement with you and the others who are scared of God’s commands. We want to follow God’s law. We are with you, so get up, strengthen yourself, and take care of that.“ So Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all of Israel vow that they would do that. Everyone made the vow.

Then Ezra left God’s house and went to Jehohanan’s (Eliashib’s son) room where he spent the night. He didn’t eat or drink, because he was mourning about how faithless the exiles were. A decree was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem ordering all the exiles to come to Jerusalem for a meeting. The officials and elders declared anyone who didn’t come in three days would lose his property and would be banned from their congregation.

So all the men from Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three day period. It was the 9th month on the 20th day of the month. Everyone sat in the open square in front of God’s house and trembled from anxiety and the heavy rainfall. Ezra the priest stood up and addressed them, “You have broken faith, married pagan women, and made Israel even more guilty. So now confess to the Existing One, the God of your forefathers and fulfill his desires. Separate yourselves from the pagan natives and pagan wives.” So the whole assembly replied, “You’re right. We should follow your advice. But there are lots of us, and it’s raining hard. We can’t keep standing out here in the open. And this isn’t something we can just do in a day or two, because of how serious our offense is. Let our officials represent the whole assembly. Anyone who has married a pagan wife can make appointments with the elders and judges until our God’s anger is taken off of us.” Only Jonathan (Asahel’s son) and Jahzeiah (Tikvah’s son) opposed this notion, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported it.

So that’s what they decided to do. Ezra the priest appointed patriarchs by name. The first day of the 10th month is when they sat down to assess everything, and the 1st day of the 1st month is when they had dealt with the last of the men who married pagan women.

They found out that some of priests’s sons had married pagan women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, Gedaliah, and some of Jeshua’s sons (grandsons of Jozadak and his brothers). They pledged to divorce their wives and they each sacrificed a ram from their flock as guilt offerings.

Everyone who had married a pagan wife

  • From Immer’s sons: Hanani and Zebadiah.

  • From Harim’s sons: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

  • From Pashhur’s son: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

  • From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

  • From the singers: Eliashib

  • From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

From Israel:

  • Parosh’s sons: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah

  • Elam’s sons: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah

  • Zattu’s sons: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza

  • Bebai’s sons: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

  • Bani’s sons: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, Jeremoth.

  • Pahath-moab’s sons: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

  • From Harim’s sons: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

  • Hashum’s sons: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

  • From Bani’s sons: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu.

  • From Binnui’s sons: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, azarel, Shelemiah, shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

  • From Nebo’s sons: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

All these had married pagan women, and some of the women had even borne children.

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Ezra 9