Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 10:3
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.
3. let us make a covenant &c.] Compare other covenants undertaken by the people, e.g. 2Ch 15:12; 2Ch 29:10; 2Ch 34:31-32; Neh 10:29; Jer 34:15.
to put away the wives &c.] Either legal divorce or the annulling of the marriages by public decree. The marriages had been valid, but were now declared sinful. The method of separation was forcible expulsion. The case of the wives and of their children, who had become ‘proselytes’ and embraced the Israelite religion, is not taken into account. The words ‘and such as are born of them’ probably refer to the children of tender years.
according to the counsel of my lord ] so R.V. text: R.V. Marg. Or, ‘ the Lord ’. The Hebrew text is ‘Adonai’, ‘my Lord’, and the Vulgate accordingly renders ‘juxta voluntatem Domini’. It is objected, (1) that the word ‘counsel’ (as in Ezr 10:8) seems in this context to imply human counsel, as generally. (2) Used of the Divine purpose, it is found chiefly in poetry and prophecy (e.g. Psa 33:11; Isa 5:19; Isa 19:17; Jer 49:20; Jer 50:45). (3) The name ‘Adonai’ (Lord) as a Divine title only occurs elsewhere in these books, Neh 1:11; Neh 4:14; Neh 8:10; Neh 10:30. (4) The expression ‘the counsel of the Lord and of those that tremble at the word of God’ is harsh. The rendering ‘my lord’ requires us to read ‘Adoni’, a very slight change. This was apparently read by the LXX. and by 1 Esdr., where there is no mention of the Divine name. The application of the title ‘my lord’ to Ezra is peculiar (but see Neh 3:5), and the allusion to his ‘counsel’, which can only refer to the substance of Ezra’s prayer, is not very natural. It is not easy to decide between the two readings. On the whole the R.V. text rendering is to be preferred. The tendency of Jewish scribes would be rather to introduce the Divine Name, if it was not in the text, than to alter it, if it was in the text, into a common word: and this tendency would be assisted, in this case, by the use of ‘Adonai’ in Neh 1:11; Neh 4:14. If the rendering of the R.V. marg. be adopted, then the ‘counsel of the Lord’ will refer to the teaching of the law. The combination of the Divine name ‘with those who trembled at the commandment of our God’ may be paralleled by Ezr 6:14, or Act 15:28.
of those that tremble at &c.] Cf. note on Ezr 9:4.
and let it be done according to the law ] or ‘and according to the law it shall be done’. The clause is not very definitely expressed. And it has been differently understood to mean either that the general law forbidding marriage with the heathen should now be observed, or that this particular act of ‘putting away the strange wives’ should be performed in accordance with the regulations for divorce contained in the law (e.g. Deu 24:1-4).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let it be done according to the law – i. e., let a formal bill of divorcement be given to each foreign wife, whereby she will be restored to the condition of an unmarried woman, and be free to marry another husband (see Deu 24:1-2). The facility of divorce among the Jews is well-known. According to many of the rabbis, a bill of divorcement might he given by the husband for the most trivial cause. Thus, no legal difficulty stood in the way of Shechaniahs proposition; and Ezra regarded it as necessary for the moral and religious welfare of the people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Let us make a covenant] nichrath berith, let us cut or divide the covenant sacrifice. See Clarke on Ge 15:10.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To put away all the wives; which though it may seem harsh, yet is not unjust, if it be considered,
1. That marriages made between some prohibited persons; as suppose, between a father and his daughter, a brother and a sister, are not only unlawful, but void marriages, and ipso facto null, by the political laws of civil nations. And therefore these marriages with idolatrous and heathen women, being expressly and severely forbidden by God, might well be disannulled. And it was one of good Theodosiuss laws, that those actions which were done against law, should be accounted not only unlawful, but null.
2. That there were many peculiar laws given to the Jews concerning the marrying and putting away of wives, as hath been observed before in their proper places, and therefore it is not strange if there be something more in this case that is now usual with us.
3. Supposing the matrimonial tie had continued, yet they might be excluded from cohabitation with them, as a just punishment upon them for the wilful breach of a known and positive law of God.
And such as are born of them: this may seem harder than the former, but many things may be said.
1. Whatsoever evil befell either them or their children, they had all reason to accept it as the just and deserved fruit of their own sin.
2. That children may and sometimes do suffer, at least temporal evils, for their parents sins, or upon occasion of them, is most evident, both by the Scripture instances, and by the laws and usages of nations in some cases.
3. This may seem to have been a necessary part of severity, partly, as a proper punishment of the parents sin herein, and to deter others more effectually from the like practices; partly, to prevent the corruption of their other children by the conversation and society of this ungodly and idolatrous brood; and partly, lest such children, being continually present with them, and stealing into their affections, might at last prevail with them to take their ejected wives again.
4. These children were only cast out of the families and commonwealth of Israel, but were not utterly forsaken and ruined; but due care was probably taken by authority that they should have some provision made for them, and some care taken about their education in the Jewish religion, &c.
According to the counsel of my lord; either,
1. As thou counsellest and desirest us to do. Or,
2. Let us do it in such manner as thou shalt think fit and agreeable to the law, as it follows; for it requires great caution, as being a matter of no small difficulty.
And of those that tremble at the commandment of our God: and of other serious and religious persons who may with thee consider and regulate the business.
Let it be done according to the law: this is meant, either,
1. Of the matter of the business, let that be done which the law requires; let them be put away. Or,
2. Of the manner of it, which must be according to the rules of Gods law.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God,…. Renew our covenant with him, and lay ourselves under fresh obligation by promise and oath, and unanimously agree
to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them; he means all the strange wives, such marriages being unlawful; and such wives might the more easily be put away, since bills of divorce were in frequent use with the Jews, and the children of such also being illegitimate; and the rather they were to be put away, lest they should corrupt other children, or get into the affections of their fathers, which might lead on to receive their mothers again, and especially this was to be done as a punishment of their sin: though no doubt but a provision was to be made, and was made, for the maintenance both of wives and children:
according to the counsel of my Lord; either of Ezra, whom he honours with this title, being a ruler under the king of Persia; or of the Lord God, according to his will declared in his words, which is his counsel:
and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; feared to break it, and dreaded the effect of such a breach; and who no doubt would follow the counsel of the Lord, and join in their advice to act according to the proposal made:
and let it be done according to the law; as that directs in such cases.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. Make a covenant Enter into a solemn agreement, and swear to put away all the wives. Comp. Ezr 10:5; Ezr 10:12; Ezr 10:19.
And such as are born of them This was Shechaniah’s proposition; but how far the children with their mothers were put away does not appear, for in Ezr 10:11; Ezr 10:19 there is no mention of children. Doubtless all infant children went with their mothers, and this would be likely to be the rule with all children, unless some, old enough to express a choice, preferred to be adopted into the Jewish community. Such might have been retained as proselytes. See note on Ezr 10:44.
The counsel of my lord The advice and arrangements which Ezra might propose. Thus Shechaniah courteously addresses Ezra.
Those that tremble Those who, like Ezra, had a keen sense of the dangers of the hour, and the people’s exposure to the curse of God. See note on Ezr 9:4.
According to the law The whole reform should proceed in strict accordance with the law of Moses.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 3. To put away all the wives, and such as are born of them It has been objected by some, that it seems an act of extreme severity, if not of injustice, upon the dissolution of these illegal marriages, to turn the children adrift, and cause them to suffer. Now let it be first observed, that the law, Deu 7:1; Deu 7:26 was express, and enforced with weighty reasons against these pagan marriages; and therefore, since whatever is done contrary to law is ipso facto null and void, these marriages with idolatrous women, which were strictly forbidden by God, were, properly speaking, no marriages at all; and the children which proceeded from them were in no better condition than those whom we call bastards. No interposition of civil authority, therefore, was needful to dissolve these marriages; the infidelity of the party espoused was as much an interdiction as any the most proximate degree of consanguinity, which, by the laws of all civilized nations, is known to vacate the marriage. But, even supposing that the civil authority thought proper to interpose in this matter, yet wherein had the Jews any reason to complain, if, in just punishment of their wilful breach of a known and positive law, they were excluded from living with these illegal wives; those Jews, who, for every light and trivial cause, made no scruple to give even their lawful wives a bill of divorcement, and might therefore, with much less difficulty, be supposed willing to repudiate those whom the laws of their God, for fear of their catching the infection of idolatry, had forbidden them to live with? See Selden Uxor. Heb. l. iii. c. 18.
REFLECTIONS.Great is the influence of one good man. No sooner was Ezra’s deep concern noised abroad, than we find,
1. The congregation assembled before the house of God, men, women, and children; and while they beheld him thus weeping over their sins, their eye affected their heart, and they wept sore for themselves, brought to a deep conviction of the great evil which they had committed. Note; It is very affecting when ministers weep over their flocks; their tears are often more moving than their words.
2. When nothing but the sound of weeping is heard, asif there were no hope, the voice of Shechaniah, like a good angel, revives the disconsolate hearts of Ezra and the people. He owns the guilt which was evidently upon them, and in which his own family was deeply involved; but he encourages them not to despair. The case, though bad, was not utterly desperate; a remedy might still be found for the inveterate disease, and God yet pardon their past transgression. He advises, therefore, that without delay they should solemnly engage to put away their strange wives, and the children begotten of them; and encourages them to believe, that if Ezra, with those who trembled at God’s word, zealously prosecuted the matter, as he exhorted them, they would find enough to support them; and the affair, however difficult, would be found practicable. Note; (1.) In the deepest distresses, let us never despair. (2.) When our sin is seen and felt, however terrible and discouraging the view, there is then hope. (3.) It is a great mercy, in times of soul-dejection, to have one to support our fainting hearts. (4.) However dear to us our sins be, we must entirely part with them; otherwise there is, indeed, no hope. (5.) That which seems desperate to the dejected, the spirit of a courageous Israelite can bring about. To have a good heart in times of difficulty, is more than half to overcome them.
3. Ezra immediately consented to a proposal so agreeable to his desires, and disdained not to be encouraged by an inferior. On the spot he engaged the chief priests and Levites, and the assembled congregation, upon oath, to stand by him; and thereto they consented.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Ezr 10:3 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.
Ver. 3. Now therefore let us make a covenant ] And so tie ourselves thereby to the better abearance; that we slip not collar, that we detract not the yoke of God’s obedience, Deu 10:20 . Cleaving to God with full purpose of heart will require swearing. Broken bones must have strong bands to close them. Tottering houses must be cramped with iron bars, or they will soon fall down. If the vows of God be upon us, if we are covenanters, it will help against the fickleness of our false hearts; which cannot but know that if God shall be all-sufficient to us, we must be altogether his, Son 2:16 . His is a covenant of mercy, even the sure mercies of David; ours is a covenant of obedience to him, in every part and point of duty.
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 accordiny to the law
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
such as are born. It does not appear that Shechaniah’s proposal was carried out. Compare verses: Ezr 10:11, Ezr 10:14.
counsel. See Psa 33:11; Psa 73:24; Psa 106:13. Pro 8:14; Pro 19:21. Isa 46:10, Isa 46:11.
my LORD* = Jehovah. One of the 134 places where Jehovah was altered by the Sopherim to Adonay. See App-32and App-4.
tremble. Compare Ezr 9:4.
according to the law. See Deu 24:1, Deu 24:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
let us make: Nichrath berith, “let us cut a covenant:” Deu 29:12, Jos 9:6, 2Ki 11:17, 2Ch 29:10, 2Ch 34:31, 2Ch 34:32, Neh 9:38, Neh 10:29-39
put away: Heb. bring forth
according to the counsel: 2Ch 30:12
of those that: Ezr 9:4, 2Ch 34:21, 2Ch 34:27, Psa 119:59, Psa 119:120, Isa 66:2, Eze 9:4
at the commandment: Deu 7:2, Deu 7:3, Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13
let it: Neh 8:14, Neh 13:1-3, Isa 8:20, Shechaniah’s counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now: such marriages, it is certain, are contrary to the will of God, and ought not to be made; but they are not null. Our rule under the gospel is Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet, “That which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide.” See note on 1Co 7:12, 1Co 7:13
Reciprocal: 2Ki 23:3 – made a covenant 2Ch 23:16 – made a covenant Ezr 10:5 – made Ezr 10:12 – so must we do Pro 13:13 – he Mal 2:10 – by Act 24:25 – Felix Phi 2:12 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ezr 10:3. To put away all the wives, and such as are born of them If this seem to any to have been an act of great severity, if not injustice, let it be observed that the law (Deu 7:1, &c.) was express, and enforced with weighty reasons against these pagan marriages; and, therefore, since whatever is done contrary to law is, ipso facto, null and void, these marriages with idolatrous women, which were strictly forbidden by God, were, properly speaking, no marriages at all; and the children which proceeded from them were in no better condition than those whom we call bastards. No interposition of civil authority was therefore needful to dissolve these marriages; the infidelity and idolatry of the party espoused were as much an interdiction as any the most proximate degree of consanguinity, which, by the laws of all civilized nations, is known to vacate the marriage. But even suppose the civil authority thought proper to interpose in this matter, yet wherein had the Jews any reason to complain, if, in just punishment of their wilful breach of a known and positive law, they were excluded from cohabiting with these illegal wives; those Jews, who, for every light and trivial cause, made no scruple to give even their lawful wives a bill of divorcement, and might, therefore, with much less difficulty, be supposed willing to repudiate those whom the laws of their God, for fear of their catching the infection of idolatry, had forbidden them to live with? Dodd. See Selden, Uxor. Hebrews, 50:3, c. 18. It may be observed further here, that these wives and children were only cast out of the commonwealth of Israel, but were not utterly forsaken: probably care was taken by authority that they should have some provision made for them. For all was to be done according to the counsel of Ezra, and other good men, who feared God, and would not enjoin or advise any thing that was unjust or unmerciful. They would also probably take care that the children should be educated in the Jewish religion.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away {c} 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.
(c) Who are strangers and married contrary to the law of God.