# Ezra 10 đź“–: The People Confess Intermarriage
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## The People Confess Their Sins
[[#Verse 01.]] While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites—men, women, and children alike—gathered around him. The people wept loudly.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”
[[#Verse 05.]] So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. And they all took a solemn oath.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.
[[#Verse 07.]] A proclamation was circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem.Â
[[#Verse 08.]]Â Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
[[#Verse 09.]]Â All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.
[[#Verse 10.]] Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents and from these foreign wives.”
[[#Verse 12.]] All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said!Â
[[#Verse 13.]] However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] Let our leaders take steps on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”
[[#Verse 15.]] Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out by name men who were leaders in their family groups. They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,Â
[[#Verse 17.]]Â and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.
## Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives
[[#Verse 18.]] It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] (They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)
[[#Verse 20.]]Â From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
[[#Verse 21.]]Â From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
[[#Verse 22.]]Â From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
[[#Verse 23.]]Â From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
[[#Verse 24.]]Â From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
[[#Verse 25.]]Â From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
[[#Verse 26.]]Â From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
[[#Verse 27.]]Â From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
[[#Verse 28.]]Â From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
[[#Verse 29.]]Â From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
[[#Verse 30.]]Â From the descendants of Pahath Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
[[#Verse 31.]] From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,Â
[[#Verse 32.]]Â Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
[[#Verse 33.]]Â From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
[[#Verse 34.]]Â From the descendants of Bani:Â Maadai, Amram, Uel,Â
[[#Verse 35.]]Â Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,Â
[[#Verse 36.]]Â Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,Â
[[#Verse 37.]]Â Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
[[#Verse 38.]] From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,Â
[[#Verse 39.]]Â Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,Â
[[#Verse 40.]]Â Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,Â
[[#Verse 41.]]Â Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,Â
[[#Verse 42.]]Â Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
[[#Verse 43.]]Â From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
[[#Verse 44.]]Â All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
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## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The assembly met on the twentieth day of the ninth month (10:9), during the cold, rainy season around December.
2. Anyone who did not come within three days would forfeit his property and be excluded from the assembly (10:8).
3. A Jehiel of the descendants of Elam appears in the list (10:26) and may be Shecaniah's father (10:2), which would mean his call to repentance touched his own family.
4. Only Jonathan and Jahzeiah opposed the plan, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite (10:15).
5. The investigation took about three months, from the first day of the tenth month to the first day of the first month (10:16-17).
6. Just over 110 men are listed (10:18-43), including priests, Levites, singers, and gatekeepers.
7. The list begins with members of the high priest Jeshua's family (10:18), showing that even leading families were held accountable.
8. The priests who had married foreign wives pledged to send them away and offered a ram as a guilt offering (10:19).
9. Ezra spent the night fasting in the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib (10:6).
10. The book ends abruptly with the list of names (10:44), and the story continues in Nehemiah, which was originally part of the same book.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who brings true repentance and cleansing. Shecaniah said there was still hope for Israel despite their sin (10:2), and in Jesus, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Shecaniah said that even after this sin, there is still hope for Israel (10:2). Why is hope essential to genuine repentance?
2. Shecaniah encouraged Ezra to be strong and act because the people would support him (10:4). How can we support leaders who must address difficult sin?
3. The people sat trembling because of the matter and the heavy rain (10:9). What does it look like to take sin seriously today without losing sight of grace?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 2: Shecaniah admits their unfaithfulness but says there is still hope for Israel.
- đź“– verse 4: Shecaniah urges Ezra to rise up, be strong, and act, because the people are with him.
- đź“– verse 11: Ezra calls the people to confess to the Lord and do His will.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Nehemiah 13#Verse 23.|Nehemiah 13:23-27]] - The problem of intermarriage returns in Nehemiah's day.
- đź”— [[Joel 02#Verse 12.|Joel 2:12-13]] - Return to the Lord with all your heart.
- đź”— [[Psalm 51#Verse 17.|Psalm 51:17]] - God does not despise a broken and humbled heart.
- đź”— [[1 John 01#Verse 09.|1 John 1:9]] - If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive.
- đź”— [[2 Corinthians 07#Verse 10.|2 Corinthians 7:10]] - Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Ezra 10 - SOAP|Get Tough]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes