Ezra
Chapter 10
While Ezra bowed before the house of God, weeping, praying, and making this confession, a great crowd of men, women, and children of Israel gathered around him, and these people wept bitterly.
Then Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra: “We have mistreated our God by marrying foreign women taken from the people of this land, but Israel is not without hope because of this.
Let us make a Covenant with our God and send these women away with their children according to the statement of my lord and all of us who respect the commandment of our God.
Let the law be obeyed. You command, and we are with you. Have courage and command.”
So Ezra arose and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do what had just been said. So they swore.
Then, Ezra withdrew from where he stood, in front of the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib, but he did not eat bread or drink water there, for he was much afflicted by the sin of those who had returned from exile.
A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all who had returned from exile should assemble in Jerusalem,
and if anyone would not come within three days, according to the decision of the leaders and the local elders, all his property would be confiscated. He banned those who had returned from exile from the assembly.
Judah and Benjamin’s men assembled in Jerusalem within three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month, and all the people were in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because it was raining.
Then the priest Ezra stood up and said: “You have been rebels in marrying foreign women and have increased the offense of Israel.
Now then, acknowledge your sin before the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and carry out his will. Separate yourselves from the people of this land and your foreign wives.”
The assembly answered loudly:
“Yes, we shall do as you say. ?But the people are so numerous, and we are now in the rainy season. We cannot endure the inclement weather; this matter cannot be settled in a day or two, for many have committed this sin.
Our leaders can represent the whole assembly: those in our cities who have married foreign women shall come at appointed times, accompanied by the local leaders and judges of every city, until we have turned aside from us the anger of our God because of this matter.”
The only ones who opposed this option were Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, supported by the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai.
But those who had returned from exile complied. According to the instructions of the priest Ezra, they selected a family head for each family group, each designated personally, and they sat down to resolve the matter on the first day of the tenth month.
On the first day of the first month, they finished attending to all the cases of Jews who had been married to foreign women.
From the descendants of the priests, these are the names of those who were found to have married foreign women: among the clan of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
They pledged their word to put their wives away and, for their sin, offered a ram as a sacrifice of reparation.
In the clan of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
In the clan of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
In the clan of Pashhur: Elioenia, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah—that is, Kelita—Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Among the temple musicians: Elia-shib and Zaccur. Among the gatekeepers are Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
And among the Israelites: Of the clan of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
Of the clan of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Meremoth, and Elijah.
Of the clan of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
Of the clan of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Of the clan of Bigvai: Meshullam, Malluch, Jedaiah, Jashub, Sheal, Jeremoth.
Of the clan of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
Of the clan of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.
Of the clan of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.
Of the clan of Bani: Maadai, Amran, Uel,
Benaiah, Bediah, Cheluhi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu;
Of the clan Binnui; Shimei,
Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah.
Of the clan of Zaccai: Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Of the clan of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
All these had married foreign wives. They put them away, both women and children.
Commentaries
The Problem of Marriages with Foreigners.
In this chapter and the next, Ezra describes his actions in a manner he considers important: the issue of mixed marriages. The fear of idolatry or syncretism drove the prohibitions in Exodus and Deuteronomy, a threat that was resurfacing. Within a large, unified empire, the presence of different groups posed the biggest threat to national identity. A single Temple meant little if families practiced strange cults and rites around it. Ezra’s decisive actions aim to cut off and stop these dangers. The community of the chosen people is still called “the exiles,” even though most were born in Judah, as if exile were a necessary part of their identity. If we compare the list in 10:18-43 with the group of returnees (2:1-70), we see that almost all are descendants of families from the first caravan. Ezra leaves the scene, leaving his people with a focus on separation to protect their national and religious identity. His legacy is a strict interpretation of the Law.