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Ezra · Chapter 10עֶזְרָא

The painful dissolution of foreign marriages to preserve covenant faithfulness

Confession demands action. Ezra's public mourning over intermarriage sparks a mass assembly where the people acknowledge their sin and commit to divorcing their foreign wives. Despite opposition and logistical challenges, a commission investigates each case over three months, resulting in over one hundred men—including priests and Levites—sending away their foreign wives and children. The chapter concludes with a sobering list of names, documenting the costly obedience required to restore Israel's covenant identity after exile.

Ezra 10:1-5

Ezra's Prayer and the People's Covenant to Separate

LSB Text
1Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women, and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. 2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, responded and said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3So now let us cut a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who have been born to 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. 4Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be strong and act." 5Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel take an oath that they would do according to this word. So they took the oath.
Greek Text
1וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל עֶזְרָ֜א וּכְהִתְוַדֹּת֗וֹ בֹּכֶה֙ וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים נִקְבְּצוּ֩ אֵלָ֨יו מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קָהָ֣ל רַב־מְאֹ֗ד אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וִילָדִ֔ים כִּֽי־בָכ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם הַרְבֵּה־בֶֽכֶה׃ 2וַיַּעַן֩ שְׁכַנְיָ֨ה בֶן־יְחִיאֵ֜ל מִבְּנֵ֤י עֵילָם֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעֶזְרָ֔א אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ מָעַ֣לְנוּ בֵאלֹהֵ֔ינוּ וַנֹּ֛שֶׁב נָשִׁ֥ים נָכְרִיּ֖וֹת מֵעַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעַתָּ֛ה יֵשׁ־מִקְוֶ֥ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַל־זֹֽאת׃ 3וְעַתָּ֣ה נִֽכְרָת־בְּרִ֣ית לֵאלֹהֵ֡ינוּ לְהוֹצִ֣יא כָל־נָשִׁ֣ים וְהַנּוֹלָד֩ מֵהֶ֨ם בַּעֲצַ֧ת אֲדֹנָ֛י וְהַחֲרֵדִ֖ים בְּמִצְוַ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְכַתּוֹרָ֖ה יֵעָשֶֽׂה׃ 4ק֛וּם כִּֽי־עָלֶ֥יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ עִמָּ֑ךְ חֲזַ֖ק וַעֲשֵֽׂה׃ 5וַיָּ֣קָם עֶזְרָ֡א וַיַּשְׁבַּ֣ע אֶת־שָׂרֵי֩ הַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לַעֲשׂ֛וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה וַיִּשָּׁבֵֽעוּ׃
1ûkəhiṯpallēl ʿezrāʾ ûkəhiṯwaddōṯô bōkeh ûmiṯnappēl lipnê bêṯ hāʾĕlōhîm niqbəṣû ʾēlāyw miyyiśrāʾēl qāhāl raḇ-məʾōḏ ʾănāšîm wənāšîm wîlāḏîm kî-ḇākû hāʿām harbēh-ḇekeh. 2wayyaʿan šəḵanyāh ḇen-yəḥîʾēl mibənê ʿêlām wayyōʾmer ləʿezrāʾ ʾănaḥnû māʿalnû ḇēʾlōhênû wannōšeḇ nāšîm nokrîyôṯ mēʿammê hāʾāreṣ wəʿattāh yēš-miqweh ləyiśrāʾēl ʿal-zōʾṯ. 3wəʿattāh nikrāṯ-bərîṯ lēʾlōhênû ləhôṣîʾ kol-nāšîm wəhannôlāḏ mēhem baʿăṣaṯ ʾăḏōnāy wəhaḥărēḏîm bəmiṣwaṯ ʾĕlōhênû wəḵattôrāh yēʿāśeh. 4qûm kî-ʿāleḵā haddāḇār waʾănaḥnû ʿimmāḵ ḥăzaq waʿăśēh. 5wayyāqom ʿezrāʾ wayyašbaʿ ʾeṯ-śārê hakkōhănîm halwiyyim wəḵol-yiśrāʾēl laʿăśôṯ kaddāḇār hazzeh wayyiššāḇēʿû.
Key Words
מִתְנַפֵּל miṯnappēl prostrating himself / falling down
The Hitpael participle of נָפַל (nāp̄al, "to fall") conveys intensive, reflexive action—Ezra is repeatedly throwing himself down in humiliation. This posture of utter abasement before God appears throughout Scripture as the physical expression of repentance and intercession. The Hitpael stem emphasizes the voluntary, self-afflicting nature of Ezra's prayer; he is not merely kneeling but collapsing in grief. This same root appears in Daniel 8:17 when the prophet falls prostrate before the angelic vision, and in Genesis 17:3 when Abraham falls on his face before Yahweh. The image anticipates the New Testament's call to humble oneself under God's mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6).
מָעַלְנוּ māʿalnû we have been unfaithful / we have acted treacherously
The Qal perfect first-person plural of מָעַל (māʿal, "to act unfaithfully, to commit a trespass") carries covenantal weight throughout the Hebrew Bible. This verb denotes not merely sin but covenant violation—a breach of sacred trust. It appears in Leviticus 5:15 for trespass against holy things, in Joshua 7:1 for Achan's theft of devoted items, and in 1 Chronicles 5:25 for Israel's unfaithfulness that led to exile. Shechaniah's confession uses the perfect tense to acknowledge a completed, settled reality: the community has broken faith with God. The term implies both legal guilt and relational betrayal, making it one of the strongest words for sin in the Hebrew lexicon.
נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת nāšîm nokrîyôṯ foreign women / strange women
The phrase combines נָשִׁים (nāšîm, "women") with the feminine plural adjective נָכְרִיּוֹת (nokrîyôṯ), from נָכְרִי (nokrî, "foreign, alien"). The root נכר suggests that which is recognized as other, strange, or outside the covenant community. Deuteronomy 7:3-4 explicitly forbids marriage to the nations of Canaan because "they will turn your sons away from following Me." The concern is not ethnic but theological: foreign wives brought foreign gods. Solomon's downfall came through precisely this pattern (1 Kings 11:1-8). The adjective nokrî appears in Proverbs 2:16 and 5:20 for the "strange woman" who leads men into folly, establishing a semantic link between foreign marriage and spiritual adultery.
מִקְוֶה miqweh hope / expectation
From the root קָוָה (qāwāh, "to wait, to hope"), מִקְוֶה (miqweh) denotes confident expectation grounded in God's character. Jeremiah 14:8 and 17:13 call Yahweh Himself the "hope (miqweh) of Israel," establishing that true hope rests not in human effort but in divine faithfulness. Shechaniah's declaration that "there is hope for Israel" despite catastrophic sin reflects the prophetic conviction that God's covenant mercies endure beyond judgment. The same root gives us the noun תִּקְוָה (tiqwāh, "hope"), famously used in Joshua 2:18 for Rahab's scarlet cord—a sign of hope amid destruction. The term implies patient waiting for God to act, not presumption upon His grace.
בְּרִית bərîṯ covenant / binding agreement
The noun בְּרִית (bərîṯ) stands at the theological center of Israel's relationship with Yahweh. Derived from a root possibly meaning "to cut" (reflecting the ancient ritual of cutting animals in covenant-making, Genesis 15:10), bərîṯ denotes a solemn, binding agreement with stipulations and consequences. God's covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David structure redemptive history. Here the people propose to "cut a covenant" (כָּרַת בְּרִית, kāraṯ bərîṯ) with God—a remedial covenant to undo their violation of the Mosaic covenant. The irony is profound: they must make a covenant to keep the covenant. This foreshadows the "new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31-34) that would be written on hearts rather than stone.
חֲרֵדִים ḥărēḏîm those who tremble / those who fear
The masculine plural adjective from the root חָרַד (ḥāraḏ, "to tremble, to be afraid") describes those who respond to God's word with reverent fear. Isaiah 66:2 declares that Yahweh looks favorably upon "the one who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word." This trembling is not terror but holy awe—a recognition of the weight and authority of divine commandment. The term appears in Ezra 9:4 for those who assembled around Ezra at the evening offering, distressed over the faithlessness of the exiles. In post-biblical Hebrew, ḥaredim became the designation for ultra-orthodox Jews who maintain strict observance, but the biblical usage emphasizes responsive obedience rather than mere external conformity.
וַיַּשְׁבַּע wayyašbaʿ and he made take an oath / and he adjured
The Hiphil imperfect consecutive third masculine singular of שָׁבַע (šāḇaʿ, "to swear, to take an oath") in its causative stem means "to cause to swear" or "to put under oath." The root is related to the number seven (שֶׁבַע, šeḇaʿ), possibly because oaths were confirmed by seven witnesses or seven sacrificial animals. Throughout Scripture, oath-taking invokes God as witness and guarantor, making the oath-breaker guilty of profaning God's name. Ezra's administration of an oath to the leaders creates legal and spiritual accountability. The same verb appears in Genesis 24:3 when Abraham makes his servant swear, and in Nehemiah 5:12 when the nobles take an oath to restore what they had exacted from the poor.
Grammar & Argument

The narrative structure of Ezra 10:1-5 pivots on the contrast between Ezra's solitary intercession and the community's collective response. Verse 1 opens with two temporal clauses introduced by וּכְ (ûkə, "and while"), creating a circumstantial frame: "while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself." The four participles (praying, confessing, weeping, prostrating) build in intensity, painting a portrait of a man utterly undone by his people's sin. The narrator then shifts focus with the perfect verb נִקְבְּצוּ (niqbəṣû, "they gathered"), emphasizing the spontaneous assembly of "a very large assembly" (קָהָל רַב־מְאֹד, qāhāl raḇ-məʾōḏ). The threefold demographic specification—men, women, and children—underscores the comprehensive nature of the crisis and the response. The verse closes with a causal clause: "for the people wept bitterly," using the cognate accusative construction הַרְבֵּה־בֶכֶה (harbēh-ḇekeh, literally "much weeping") to intensify the emotional register.

Verses 2-3 record Shechaniah's remarkable speech, which moves from confession to hope to covenant proposal. The speech opens with the emphatic pronoun אֲנַחְנוּ (ʾănaḥnû, "we ourselves"), accepting corporate responsibility. The perfect verb מָעַלְנוּ (māʿalnû, "we have been unfaithful") acknowledges completed guilt, while the consecutive perfect וַנֹּשֶׁב (wannōšeḇ, "and we have married") specifies the offense. Yet the adversative וְעַתָּה (wəʿattāh, "yet now") introduces a stunning reversal: יֵשׁ־מִקְוֶה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (yēš-miqweh ləyiśrāʾēl, "there is hope for Israel"). This existential clause asserts hope as present reality despite circumstances. Verse 3 continues with another וְעַתָּה, now transitioning from diagnosis to prescription. The cohortative נִכְרָת־בְּרִית (nikrāṯ-bərîṯ, "let us cut a covenant") proposes remedial action, followed by the infinitive construct לְהוֹצִיא (ləhôṣîʾ, "to put away"), which specifies the covenant's content. The phrase בַּעֲצַת אֲדֹנָי (baʿăṣaṯ ʾăḏōnāy, "according to the counsel of my lord") defers to Ezra's authority, while וְהַחֲרֵדִים בְּמִצְוַת אֱלֹהֵינוּ (wəhaḥărēḏîm bəmiṣwaṯ ʾĕlōhênû, "and those who tremble at the commandment of our God") grounds the proposal in reverent obedience rather than human innovation.

Verse 4 shifts to direct address with the imperative קוּם (qûm, "Arise!"), a call to action that echoes prophetic commissioning narratives. The causal clause כִּי־עָלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר (kî-ʿāleḵā haddāḇār, "for this matter is your responsibility") uses the preposition עַל (ʿal, "upon") to place the burden squarely on Ezra's shoulders. Yet the community pledges solidarity: וַאֲנַחְנוּ עִמָּךְ (waʾănaḥnû ʿimmāḵ, "but we will be with you"). The two imperatives that close the verse—חֲזַק וַעֲשֵׂה (ḥăzaq waʿăśēh, "be strong and act")—echo the divine charge to Joshua (Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18), framing Ezra's task as a new conquest, this time of internal rather than external enemies. Verse 5 records Ezra's response with a chain of consecutive imperfects: וַיָּקָם (wayyāqom, "then he arose"), וַיַּשְׁבַּע (wayyašbaʿ, "and he made take an oath"), and וַיִּשָּׁבֵעוּ (wayyiššāḇēʿû, "and they took the oath"). The threefold leadership structure—priests, Levites, and all Israel—ensures comprehensive accountability. The final verb, a Niphal form of שָׁבַע (šāḇaʿ, "to swear"), indicates the oath was actually taken, sealing the covenant and setting the stage for the painful reforms to follow.

True repentance begins not with a plan but with prostration—Ezra's collapse before God precedes the community's covenant. Hope for Israel rests not in their resolve to reform but in God's faithfulness to receive those who tremble at His word. The most difficult obedience often requires both solitary courage and communal solidarity: "Arise, for this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you."

Ezra 10:6-17

Assembly and Investigation Process Established

LSB Text
6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. 7And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the officials and the elders, all his possessions would be devoted to destruction, and he himself separated from the assembly of the exiles. 9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful and have married foreign women adding to the guilt of Israel. 11So now, make confession to Yahweh God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women." 12Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, "That's right! As you have said about us, so we must do. 13But the people are many, and it is the season of heavy rain and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. 14Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all those in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the burning anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away from us." 15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them. 16But the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers' households for each of their father's households, all of them by name. So they convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. 17And they finished investigating all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
Greek Text
6וַיָּ֣קָם עֶזְרָ֗א מִלִּפְנֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ אֶל־לִשְׁכַּ֖ת יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁ֑יב וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שָׁ֗ם לֶ֤חֶם לֹֽא־אָכַל֙ וּמַ֣יִם לֹֽא־שָׁתָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִתְאַבֵּ֖ל עַל־מַ֥עַל הַגּוֹלָֽה׃ 7וַיַּעֲבִ֥ירוּ ק֛וֹל בִּיהוּדָ֥ה וִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם לְכָל־בְּנֵ֣י הַגּוֹלָ֑ה לְהִקָּבֵ֖ץ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ 8וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יָב֜וֹא לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֗ים כַּעֲצַ֤ת הַשָּׂרִים֙ וְהַזְּקֵנִ֔ים יָחֳרַ֖ם כָּל־רְכוּשׁ֑וֹ וְה֥וּא יִבָּדֵ֖ל מִקְּהַ֥ל הַגּוֹלָֽה׃ 9וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ כָל־אַנְשֵׁי־יְהוּדָה֩ וּבִנְיָמִ֨ן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֗ים ה֛וּא חֹ֥דֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁיעִ֖י בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים בַּחֹ֑דֶשׁ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ כָל־הָעָ֗ם בִּרְחוֹב֙ בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים מַרְעִידִ֥ים עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר וּמֵהַגְּשָׁמִֽים׃ 10וַיָּ֨קָם עֶזְרָ֤א הַכֹּהֵן֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אַתֶּ֣ם מְעַלְתֶּ֔ם וַתֹּשִׁ֖יבוּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת לְהוֹסִ֖יף עַל־אַשְׁמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ 11וְעַתָּ֗ה תְּנ֥וּ תוֹדָ֛ה לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם וַעֲשׂ֣וּ רְצוֹנ֑וֹ וְהִבָּֽדְלוּ֙ מֵעַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וּמִן־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים הַנָּכְרִיּֽוֹת׃ 12וַיַּֽעֲנ֧וּ כָֽל־הַקָּהָ֛ל וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ ק֣וֹל גָּד֑וֹל כֵּ֛ן כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ 13אֲבָ֞ל הָעָ֥ם רָב֙ וְהָעֵ֣ת גְּשָׁמִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲמ֣וֹד בַּח֑וּץ וְהַמְּלָאכָ֗ה לֹֽא־לְי֤וֹם אֶחָד֙ וְלֹ֣א לִשְׁנַ֔יִם כִּֽי־הִרְבִּ֥ינוּ לִפְשֹׁ֖עַ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ 14יַֽעֲמְדוּ־נָ֣א שָׂ֠רֵינוּ לְֽכָל־הַקָּהָ֞ל וְכֹ֣ל ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בֶּעָרֵ֗ינוּ הַהֹשִׁ֞יב נָשִׁ֤ים נָכְרִיּוֹת֙ יָבֹא֙ לְעִתִּ֣ים מְזֻמָּנִ֔ים וְעִמָּהֶ֛ם זִקְנֵי־עִ֥יר וָעִ֖יר וְשֹׁפְטֶ֑יהָ עַ֠ד לְהָשִׁ֞יב חֲר֤וֹן אַף־אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ עַ֖ד לַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ 15אַ֣ךְ יוֹנָתָ֧ן בֶּן־עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל וְיַחְזְיָ֥ה בֶן־תִּקְוָ֖ה עָמְד֣וּ עַל־זֹ֑את וּמְשֻׁלָּ֛ם וְשַׁבְּתַ֥י הַלֵּוִ֖י עֲזָרֻֽם׃ 16וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֮ בְּנֵ֣י הַגּוֹלָה֒ וַיִּבָּדְלוּ֩ עֶזְרָ֨א הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֲנָשִׁ֨ים רָאשֵׁ֧י הָאָב֛וֹת לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם וְכֻלָּ֣ם בְּשֵׁמ֑וֹת וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ בְּי֤וֹם אֶחָד֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִ֔י לְדַרְי֖וֹשׁ הַדָּבָֽר׃ 17וַיְכַלּ֣וּ בַכֹּ֔ל אֲנָשִׁ֕ים הֲשִׁ֖יבוּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת עַ֛ד י֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃
6wayyāqom ʿezrāʾ millipnê bêt hāʾĕlōhîm wayyēlek ʾel-liškat yəhôḥānān ben-ʾelyāšîb wayyēlek šām leḥem lōʾ-ʾākal ûmayim lōʾ-šātâ kî mitʾabbēl ʿal-maʿal haggôlâ. 7wayyaʿăbîrû qôl bîhûdâ wîrûšālaim ləkol-bənê haggôlâ ləhiqqābēṣ yərûšālaim. 8wəkol ʾăšer lōʾ-yābôʾ lišlōšet hayyāmîm kaʿăṣat haśśārîm wəhazzəqēnîm yoḥŏram kol-rəkûšô wəhûʾ yibbādēl miqqəhal haggôlâ. 9wayyiqqābəṣû kol-ʾanšê-yəhûdâ ûbinyāmin yərûšālaim lišlōšet hayyāmîm hûʾ ḥōdeš hattəšîʿî bəʿeśrîm baḥōdeš wayyēšəbû kol-hāʿām birḥôb bêt hāʾĕlōhîm marʿîdîm ʿal-haddābār ûmēhaggəšāmîm. 10wayyāqom ʿezrāʾ hakkōhēn wayyōʾmer ʾălēhem ʾattem məʿaltem wattōšîbû nāšîm nokrîyôt ləhôsîp ʿal-ʾašmat yiśrāʾēl. 11wəʿattâ tənû tôdâ layhwh ʾĕlōhê-ʾăbōtêkem waʿăśû rəṣônô wəhibbādəlû mēʿammê hāʾāreṣ ûmin-hannāšîm hannokrîyôt. 12wayyaʿănû kol-haqqāhāl wayyōʾmərû qôl gādôl kēn kidəbārəkā ʿālênû laʿăśôt. 13ʾăbāl hāʿām rāb wəhāʿēt gəšāmîm wəʾên kōaḥ laʿămōd baḥûṣ wəhammələʾākâ lōʾ-ləyôm ʾeḥād wəlōʾ lišnayim kî-hirbînû lipšōaʿ baddābār hazzeh. 14yaʿamdû-nāʾ śārênû ləkol-haqqāhāl wəkol ʾăšer beʿārênû hahōšîb nāšîm nokrîyôt yābōʾ ləʿittîm məzummānîm wəʿimmāhem ziqnê-ʿîr wāʿîr wəšōpəṭêhā ʿad ləhāšîb ḥărôn ʾap-ʾĕlōhênû mimmennû ʿad laddābār hazzeh. 15ʾak yônātān ben-ʿăśāhʾēl wəyaḥzəyâ ben-tiqwâ ʿāmədû ʿal-zōʾt ûməšullām wəšabbətay hallēwî ʿăzārum. 16wayyaʿăśû-kēn bənê haggôlâ wayyibbādəlû ʿezrāʾ hakkōhēn ʾănāšîm rāʾšê hāʾābôt ləbêt ʾăbōtām wəkullām bəšēmôt wayyēšəbû bəyôm ʾeḥād laḥōdeš hāʿăśîrî lədarəyôš haddābār. 17wayəkallû bakol ʾănāšîm hăšîbû nāšîm nokrîyôt ʿad yôm ʾeḥād laḥōdeš hārîʾšôn.
Key Words
מַעַל maʿal unfaithfulness / treachery / trespass
This noun derives from the root מעל (m-ʿ-l), meaning to act unfaithfully or commit a breach of trust, especially in covenant contexts. In Ezra-Nehemiah, maʿal consistently describes covenant violation—here specifically the marriages that transgress the Deuteronomic prohibition. The term carries sacral weight; it is the same word used in Leviticus 5 for trespass offerings and in Joshua 7 for Achan's sin. Ezra's mourning over the maʿal haggôlâ (v. 6) signals that this is not mere social impropriety but covenant betrayal that jeopardizes the community's standing before Yahweh. The repetition of this term throughout chapter 10 frames the entire crisis theologically.
חָרַם ḥāram devote to destruction / place under ban
The verb ḥāram and its nominal form ḥērem denote the irrevocable consecration of something to God, often through destruction. Rooted in holy-war traditions (Joshua 6–7), the term signifies removal from common use and dedication to divine purposes. In verse 8, the threat that property would be "devoted" (yoḥŏram) functions as covenant enforcement: failure to appear means forfeiting one's stake in the reconstituted community. This is not arbitrary confiscation but a declaration that the recalcitrant individual has placed himself outside the assembly's covenant boundaries. The severity underscores the existential stakes—Israel's survival depends on corporate obedience.
תּוֹדָה tôdâ confession / thanksgiving / praise
The noun tôdâ derives from the root ידה (y-d-h), which means to throw, cast, or confess. In cultic contexts, tôdâ often denotes the thanksgiving offering (Leviticus 7:12), but it also carries the sense of verbal acknowledgment or confession. Ezra's command in verse 11,
Grammar & Argument

Ezra 10:18-44

List of Those Who Had Married Foreign Women

LSB Text
18Now among the sons of the priests who had married foreign women were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19And they gave their hand to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah; 21and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah; 22and of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23Of the Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. 25Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; 26and of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah; 27and of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza; 28and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; 29and of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth; 30and of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh; 31and of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; 33of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; 34of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; 43of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 44All these had married foreign women, and some of them had wives by whom they had sons.
Greek Text
18וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ מִבְּנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹשִׁ֖יבוּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת מִבְּנֵי֙ יֵשׁ֣וּעַ בֶּן־יֽוֹצָדָ֔ק וְאֶחָ֖יו מַעֲשֵׂיָ֥ה וֶאֱלִיעֶ֛זֶר וְיָרִ֖יב וּגְדַלְיָֽה׃ 19וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ יָדָ֖ם לְהוֹצִ֣יא נְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם וַאֲשֵׁמִ֥ים אֵֽיל־צֹ֖אן עַל־אַשְׁמָתָֽם׃ 20וּמִבְּנֵ֖י אִמֵּ֑ר חֲנָ֖נִי וּזְבַדְיָֽה׃ 21וּמִבְּנֵ֖י חָרִ֑ם מַעֲשֵׂיָ֤ה וְאֵלִיָּה֙ וּשְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה וִיחִיאֵ֖ל וְעֻזִּיָּֽה׃ 22וּמִבְּנֵ֖י פַּשְׁח֑וּר אֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֤י מַעֲשֵׂיָה֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל נְתַנְאֵ֖ל יוֹזָבָ֥ד וְאֶלְעָשָֽׂה׃ 23וּמִֽן־הַלְוִיִּ֑ם יוֹזָבָ֣ד וְשִׁמְעִ֗י וְקֵֽלָיָה֙ ה֣וּא קְלִיטָ֔א פְּתַֽחְיָ֥ה יְהוּדָ֖ה וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃ 24וּמִן־הַמְשֹֽׁרְרִ֖ים אֶלְיָשִׁ֑יב וּמִן־הַשֹּׁ֣עֲרִ֔ים שַׁלֻּ֥ם וָטֶ֖לֶם וְאוּרִֽי׃ 25וּמִֽיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִבְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗שׁ רַֽמְיָ֤ה וְיִזִּיָּה֙ וּמַלְכִּיָּ֣ה וּמִיָּמִ֔ן וְאֶלְעָזָ֥ר וּמַלְכִּיָּ֖ה וּבְנָיָֽה׃ 26וּמִבְּנֵ֖י עֵילָ֑ם מַתַּנְיָ֤ה זְכַרְיָה֙ וִיחִיאֵ֣ל וְעַבְדִּ֔י וִירֵמ֖וֹת וְאֵלִיָּֽה׃ 27וּמִבְּנֵ֖י זַתּ֑וּא אֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֤י אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ מַתַּנְיָ֣ה וִֽירֵמ֔וֹת וְזָבָ֖ד וַעֲזִיזָֽא׃ 28וּמִבְּנֵ֖י בֵּבָ֑י יְהוֹחָנָ֥ן חֲנַנְיָ֖ה זַבַּ֥י עַתְלָֽי׃ 29וּמִבְּנֵ֖י בָּנִ֑י מְשֻׁלָּ֤ם מַלּוּךְ֙ וַעֲדָיָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב וּשְׁאָ֥ל וִירָמֽוֹת׃ 30וּמִבְּנֵ֖י פַּחַ֣ת מוֹאָ֑ב עַדְנָ֤א וּכְלָל֙ בְּנָיָ֣ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֔ה מַתַּנְיָ֥ה בְצַלְאֵ֖ל וּבִנּ֥וּי וּמְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ 31וּבְנֵ֖י חָרִ֑ם אֱלִיעֶ֧זֶר יִשִּׁיָּ֛ה מַלְכִּיָּ֖ה שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃ 32בִּנְיָמִ֥ן מַלּ֖וּךְ שְׁמַרְיָֽה׃ 33מִבְּנֵ֖י חָשֻׁ֑ם מַתְּנַ֤י מַתַּתָּה֙ זָבָ֣ד אֱלִיפֶ֔לֶט יְרֵמַ֥י מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה שִׁמְעִֽי׃ 34מִבְּנֵ֥י בָנִ֖י מַעֲדַ֥י עַמְרָ֖ם וְאוּאֵֽל׃ 35בְּנָיָ֥ה בֵדְיָ֖ה כְּלֽוּהוּ׃ 36וַנְיָ֥ה מְרֵמ֖וֹת אֶלְיָשִֽׁיב׃ 37מַתַּנְיָ֥ה מַתְּנַ֖י וְיַעֲשָֽׂי׃ 38וּבָנִ֥י וּבִנּ֖וּי שִׁמְעִֽי׃ 39וְשֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֥ה וְנָתָ֖ן וַעֲדָיָֽה׃ 40מַכְנַדְבַ֥י שָׁשַׁ֖י שָׁרָֽי׃ 41עֲזַרְאֵ֥ל וְשֶׁלֶמְיָ֖הוּ שְׁמַרְיָֽה׃ 42שַׁלּ֥וּם אֲמַרְיָ֖ה יוֹסֵֽף׃ 43מִבְּנֵ֖י נְב֑וֹ יְעִיאֵ֤ל מַתִּתְיָה֙ זָבָ֣ד זְבִינָ֔א יַדַּ֥י וְיוֹאֵ֖ל בְּנָיָֽה׃ 44כָּל־אֵ֕לֶּה נָשְׂא֖וּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת וְיֵ֣שׁ מֵהֶ֣ם נָשִׁ֔ים וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ בָּנִֽים׃
18wayyimmāṣēʾ mibbĕnê hakkōhănîm ʾăšer hōšîbû nāšîm nokrîyôt mibbĕnê yēšûaʿ ben-yôṣādāq wĕʾeḥāyw maʿăśêyâ weʾĕlîʿezer wĕyārîb ûgĕdalyâ. 19wayyittĕnû yādām lĕhôṣîʾ nĕšêhem waʾăšēmîm ʾêl-ṣōʾn ʿal-ʾašmātām. 20ûmibbĕnê ʾimmēr ḥănānî ûzĕbadyâ. 21ûmibbĕnê ḥārîm maʿăśêyâ wĕʾēlîyâ ûšĕmaʿyâ wîḥîʾēl wĕʿuzzîyâ. 22ûmibbĕnê pašḥûr ʾelyôʿênay maʿăśêyâ yišmāʿēl nĕtanʾēl yôzābād wĕʾelʿāśâ. 23ûmin-halwîyim yôzābād wĕšimʿî wĕqēlāyâ hûʾ qĕlîṭāʾ pĕtaḥyâ yĕhûdâ weʾĕlîʿezer. 24ûmin-hamšōrĕrîm ʾelyāšîb ûmin-haššōʿărîm šallum wāṭelem wĕʾûrî. 25ûmîyiśrāʾēl mibbĕnê parʿōš ramyâ wĕyizzîyâ ûmalkîyâ ûmîyāmin wĕʾelʿāzār ûmalkîyâ ûbĕnāyâ. 26ûmibbĕnê ʿêlām mattanyâ zĕkaryâ wîḥîʾēl wĕʿabdî wîrēmôt wĕʾēlîyâ. 27ûmibbĕnê zattûʾ ʾelyôʿênay ʾelyāšîb mattanyâ wîrēmôt wĕzābād waʿăzîzāʾ. 28ûmibbĕnê bēbāy yĕhôḥānān ḥănanyâ zabbay ʿatlāy. 29ûmibbĕnê bānî mĕšullām mallûk waʿădāyâ yāšûb ûšĕʾāl wîrāmôt. 30ûmibbĕnê paḥat môʾāb ʿadnāʾ ûkĕlāl bĕnāyâ maʿăśêyâ mattanyâ bĕṣalʾēl ûbinnûy ûmĕnaššê. 31ûbĕnê ḥārîm ʾĕlîʿezer yiššîyâ malkîyâ šĕmaʿyâ šimʿôn. 32binyāmin mallûk šĕmaryâ. 33mibbĕnê ḥāšum mattnay mattattâ zābād ʾĕlîpeleṭ yĕrēmay mĕnaššê šimʿî. 34mibbĕnê bānî maʿăday ʿamrām wĕʾûʾēl. 35bĕnāyâ bēdĕyâ kĕlûhû. 36wanyâ mĕrēmôt ʾelyāšîb. 37mattanyâ mattnay wĕyaʿăśāy. 38ûbānî ûbinnûy šimʿî. 39wĕšelemyâ wĕnātān waʿădāyâ. 40maknabday šāšay šārāy. 41ʿăzarʾēl wĕšelemyāhû šĕmaryâ. 42šallûm ʾămaryâ yôsēp. 43mibbĕnê nĕbô yĕʿîʾēl mattityâ zābād zĕbînāʾ yadday wĕyôʾēl bĕnāyâ. 44kol-ʾēllê nāśĕʾû
Key Words
Grammar & Argument