Ezra 10:1-15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:8

And that whosoever would not come within three days ,.... Or at the end of three days, as Jarchi, this was the space of time allowed, and which was decided upon for the quick dispatch of this affair, to prevent any schemes that might be formed to obstruct it, and lest those who had agreed to it, and promised to assist in it, should repent and go from their word: according to the counsel of the princes, and of the elders ; for though Ezra had a commission at large from the king of Persia,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:9

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin ,.... And such of the ten tribes that returned and dwelt among them: gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days ; the time fixed: which they were the more careful to observe, since it was enjoined by the authority of princes and elders, and the punishment in case of disobedience very severe: it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month ; the month Chisleu, which answers to part of November and part of December, so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:10

And Ezra the priest stood up ,.... In the midst of the assembly to make his speech, acquainting them with the reason of their meeting together: and said unto them, ye have transgressed ; the law of God in the following instance: and have taken strange wives ; of the people of the land and others, idolatrous persons: to increase the trespass of Israel ; to add to former iniquities, which had been the cause of the captivity. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:11

Now therefore make confession to the Lord God of your fathers ,.... Of their sin, and express their detestation of it, and repentance for it: and do his pleasure ; obey his will, and particularly in this case: and separate yourselves from the people of the land ; the Canaanites, &c.; have no fellowship with them, make no covenants, contracts, and alliances with them for the future: and from the strange wives ; they had taken; put them away. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:12

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice ,.... That they might be heard, and to show that they were willing and ready to comply with what was proposed: as thou host said, so must we do ; being convinced of their sin, they saw it was a duty incumbent on them to put away their strange wives, and that there was a necessity of it, to avert the wrath of God from them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:13

But the people are many ,.... Who have been guilty of this evil: and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without : in the street, because of the rain: neither is this a work of one day or two ; to inquire into this affair, who they are that have taken strange wives, and to persuade or oblige them to put them away: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing ; in marrying strange wives. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:14

Let now our rulers of all the congregations stand ,.... Let the great sanhedrim, or court of judicature at Jerusalem, be fixed and continued, and others: and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times ; to the court at Jerusalem, at certain and fixed known times of their sittings there for this purpose: and with the elders of every city and the judges thereof ; the principal magistrates of it, who were to testify that upon search and inquiry... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 10:15

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah, were employed about the matter ,.... To see that this affair was conducted in the manner proposed; that the magistrates of every city brought the persons that had been delinquents, in their turns, of which they gave them notice, and took the account of them as they came: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them ; assisted them in this work; the other two perhaps were priests, and both these Levites; and these... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 10:1

The people wept very sore - They were deeply affected at the thought of God's displeasure, which they justly feared was about to light upon them, because of their transgressions. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 10:2

Shechaniah the son of Jehiel - He speaks here in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable, for he is not in the following list. It is in the same form of speech with that in James, James 3:9 . With the tongue curse we men. He seems to have been a chief man among the people; and Ezra, at present, stood in need of his influence and support. Yet now there is hope in Israel - מקוה mikveh , expectation, of pardon; for the people were convinced of... read more

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