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EZR A 10
page 425
Israel’s guilt. 11 So now confess your sin to the
Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what he
demands. Separate yourselves from the people
of the land and from these pagan women.”
12 Then the whole assembly raised their voices
and answered, “Yes, you are right; we must
do as you say!” 13 Then they added, “This isn’t
something that can be done in a day or two, for
many of us are involved in this extremely sinful
affair. And this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay out here much longer. 14 Let our leaders
act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a
pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so
that the fierce anger of our God concerning this
affair may be turned away from us.”
15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah
son of Tikvah opposed this course of action,
and they were supported by Meshullam and
Shabbethai the Levite.
16 So this was the plan they followed. Ezra selected leaders to represent their families, designating each of the representatives by name. On
December 29,* the leaders sat down to investigate the matter. 17 By March 27, the first day of
the new year,* they had finished dealing with
all the men who had married pagan wives.
Those Guilty of Intermarriage
18 These are the priests who had married pagan
wives:
From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak*
and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib,
and Gedaliah. 19 They vowed to divorce their
wives, and they each acknowledged their
guilt by offering a ram as a guilt offering.
20 From the family of Immer: Hanani and
Zebadiah.
21 From the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah,
Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 From the family of Pashhur: Elioenai,
Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad,
and Elasah.
23 These
are the Levites who were guilty:
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called
Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 This
is the singer who was guilty: Eliashib.
These are the gatekeepers who were guilty:
Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 These
are the other people of Israel who were
guilty:
From the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah,
10:16 Hebrew On the first day of the tenth month, of the ancient
Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was December 29, 458 b.c.;
also see note on 6:15. 10:17 Hebrew By the first day of the
first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day
was March 27, 457 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. 10:18 Hebrew
Jozadak, a variant spelling of Jehozadak. 10:25 As in parallel
text at 1 Esdras 9:26; Hebrew reads Malkijah. 10:37-38 As in
Greek version; Hebrew reads Jaasu, 38Bani, Binnui. 10:44 Or
and they sent them away with their children. The meaning of
the Hebrew is uncertain.
Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah,*
and Benaiah.
26 From the family of Elam: Mattaniah,
Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and
Elijah.
27 From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib,
Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch,
Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 From the family of Pahath-moab: Adna,
Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah,
Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah,
Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin,
Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From the family of Hashum: Mattenai,
Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai,
Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram,
Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah,
Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai,
and Jaasu.
38 From the family of Binnui*: Shimei,
39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 From the family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah,
Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 Each of these men had a pagan wife, and
some even had children by these wives.*
• Forgiveness
E ZR A 10:11
Ezra urged the people to confess their
sins to God. We confess sin to God, not
to inform him, for he already knows, but
to ask him to forgive us. Confession is
the first step toward forgiveness because
it shows that we agree with God that our
thoughts, words, or actions were contrary
to his will. Confession also indicates
our desire to be forgiven. When we
confess our sin, we are renouncing our
acts of disobedience and recommitting
ourselves to doing God’s will. It is a
conscious decision to turn away from
sin and toward God’s power, which will
help us live in a better way. We know
confession is more than lip service when
the confession is followed by corrected
behavior and changed attitudes. Not only
do we want to be free from sin, but we
want to be free to live in a way that is
pleasing to God and better for us.