Before dawn on a winter morning: the paved square before the plain second temple lies wet and shining after heavy rain, puddles holding the gray light, the square empty and the stone house dark beyond, under a calm, heavy gray sky.

The Book of

Ezra 10

A weeping crowd, one man who says there is still hope, and an assembly that sits trembling in the winter rain.

44 verses≈ 6 min3 peopleBSB

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–2The returnCyrus lets them go up
3The altarFoundations laid
4OppositionThe work stopped
5–6The templeFinished and dedicated
7–8Ezra comesThe good hand of God
9–10RepentanceFaithless marriages confessedChapter 10

Shecaniah’s Encouragement

Before the plain second temple, Ezra in his torn mantle lies facedown on the paving, seen from behind and above, while a very large assembly of men, women and children in plain wool gathers close around him, heads bowed and covered, many with their faces in their hands, the children held close.

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

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Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Shecaniah

Shecaniah

Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.

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So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.

So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.

Reflect

There is hope

Shecaniah said, “We have been unfaithful to our God,” and in the same breath, “yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.” Where do you need to say both? Write the honest first half, and then the second.

The People’s Confession of Sin

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Ezra

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

The Israelites

And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say! But there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”

Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will.

Ezra 10:11

(Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)

Pray

Grief that turns

The people sat “trembling regarding this matter,” and then they acted. Ask God for a heart that grieves over sin and turns from it, not for a day but for as long as it takes. Pray for any who carry the cost of past choices, and for families today, that we would belong wholly to the Lord.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers:

Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.

Married foreign wives

Priests and Levites

Priests
Of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah
From the descendants of Immer:
Hanani and Zebadiah.
Of Harim: five men
From the descendants of Harim:
Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
Of Pashhur: six men
From the descendants of Pashhur:
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Levites
Six Levites
Among the Levites:
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Singer
Eliashib
From the singers: Eliashib.
Gatekeepers
Shallum, Telem and Uri
From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

Married foreign wives

The other Israelites

Israelites
Of Parosh: seven men
And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
Of Elam: six men
From the descendants of Elam:
Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
Of Zattu: six men
From the descendants of Zattu:
Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
Of Bebai: four men
From the descendants of Bebai:
Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
Of Bani: six men
From the descendants of Bani:
Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
Of Pahath-moab: eight men
From the descendants of Pahath-moab:
Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
Of Harim: eight men
From the descendants of Harim:
Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
Of Hashum: seven men
From the descendants of Hashum:
Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
Of Bani: twelve men
From the descendants of Bani:
Maadai, Amram, Uel,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
Of Binnui: thirteen men
From the descendants of Binnui:
Shimei,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Of Nebo: seven men
And from the descendants of Nebo:
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.

Question

Quick question

The whole assembly agreed with Ezra in a loud voice, and then asked for time.

Why did the assembly ask that the matter not be settled that day in the square?

You’ve experienced

Ezra 10

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A verse to carry with you

Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will.

Ezra 10:11

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Ezra 10

Shecaniah’s Encouragement

There is hope

The People’s Confession of Sin

Grief that turns

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

Of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah

Of Harim: five men

Of Pashhur: six men

Six Levites

Eliashib

Shallum, Telem and Uri

Of Parosh: seven men

Of Elam: six men

Of Zattu: six men

Of Bebai: four men

Of Bani: six men

Of Pahath-moab: eight men

Of Harim: eight men

Of Hashum: seven men

Of Bani: twelve men

Of Binnui: thirteen men

Of Nebo: seven men

Quick question