Ezra 10
Lutheran reading notes
In Ezra chapter 10, the account continues the story of the return from exile and rebuilding of the temple. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
1
Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. {wept...: Heb. wept a great weeping}
Ezra 10:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, {one} of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Ezra 10:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. {to put...: Heb. to bring forth}
Ezra 10:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
Arise; for {this} matter {belongeth} unto thee: we also {will be} with thee: be of good courage, and do {it}.
Ezra 10:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
Ezra 10:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and {when} he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
Ezra 10:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
Ezra 10:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. {forfeited: Heb. devoted}
Ezra 10:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It {was} the ninth month, on the twentieth {day} of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of {this} matter, and for the great rain. {the great...: Heb. the showers}
Ezra 10:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. {have taken: Heb. have caused to dwell, or, have brought back}
Ezra 10:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
Ezra 10:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
Ezra 10:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
But the people {are} many, and {it is} a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither {is this} a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. {we are many...: or, we have greatly offended in this thing}
Ezra 10:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us. {for this...: or, till this matter be dispatched}
Ezra 10:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this {matter}: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. {were...: Heb. stood}
Ezra 10:15 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, {with} certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by {their} names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
Ezra 10:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
Ezra 10:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: {namely}, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
Ezra 10:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and {being} guilty, {they offered} a ram of the flock for their trespass.
Ezra 10:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
Ezra 10:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
Ezra 10:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Ezra 10:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same {is} Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
Ezra 10:24 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
25
Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
Ezra 10:25 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
Ezra 10:26 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
27
And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
Ezra 10:27 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
28
Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, {and} Athlai.
Ezra 10:28 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
Ezra 10:29 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
30
And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
Ezra 10:30 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
31
And {of} the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Ezra 10:31 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
Benjamin, Malluch, {and} Shemariah.
Ezra 10:32 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
33
Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, {and} Shimei.
Ezra 10:33 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
34
Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
Ezra 10:34 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
35
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
Ezra 10:35 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
36
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
Ezra 10:36 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
37
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
Ezra 10:37 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
38
And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39
And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
Ezra 10:39 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
40
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, {Machnadebai: or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies}
Ezra 10:40 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
41
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Ezra 10:41 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
42
Shallum, Amariah, {and} Joseph.
Ezra 10:42 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
43
Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
Ezra 10:43 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
44
All these had taken strange wives: and {some} of them had wives by whom they had children.
Ezra 10:44 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.