Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 10:8
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.
8. and that whosoever would not come ] R.V. and that whosoever came not, i.e. whosoever failed (not, whosoever refused) to appear. The causes for non-appearance are not hinted at. All defaulters were to be treated as contumacious.
within three days ] An expression which shows within what narrow limits the new community was established. The mention of Bethel (Ezr 2:28), Lod (Ezr 2:33), and Jericho (Ezr 2:34) as some of the most distant towns belonging to the Jews, shows that the requirement to be in Jerusalem within three days made no impossible demand upon the powers of an ordinarily active man.
according to the counsel of the princes and the elders ] The real administrative body in Jerusalem. The representatives of the chief households and families. On the elders cf. Ezr 5:5.
all his substance should be forfeited ] R.V. marg. Heb. devoted. A man’s substance is his possessions, ‘goods’. Cf. Ezr 1:4. The first part of the penalty was confiscation of property and the appropriation of the money, realized from its sale, by the Temple treasury. On ‘devotion’ (erem) see Lev 27:28-29. In early times ‘devotion’ was tantamount to ‘destruction’ (cf. Exo 22:20; Jos 7:1-26, &c.; 1Sa 15:8; 1Sa 15:33).
and himself separated ] The sentence of excommunication (see on Neh 13:28). To be separated from the congregation was no mere decree of banishment. A man with such a sentence was to be outlawed and disowned by his own race. The community was a religious one. Its heaviest punishment was exclusion from its privileged ranks.
from the congregation of those that had been carried away ] R.V. from the congregation of the captivity.
Separated from the congregation – i. e., excommunicated (compare Exo 12:19; Num 19:20, etc.). The power assigned to Ezra is stated in Ezr 7:25-26. Verse 8. All his substance should be forfeited] To the use of the temple. So the Septuagint understood the place: , “All his substance shall be devoted to a holy use.” Himself separated] Excommunicated from the Church of God, and exiled from Israel. Either by banishment; or rather, by excommunication from the church, and people, and house, and public worship of God. 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, to inquire into and reform all abuses, he chose not to act of himself, but to have the opinion and consent of the senate of the nation; this he prudently did to avoid their envy, and that he might have less opposition, and better success:
his substance should be forfeited; or “devoted” p to sacred uses, to be put into the treasury of the temple, and used in the service of it, and therefore never to be returned:
and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away; into captivity, but now returned from it; that is, should be excommunicated from them as a church, and be no more reckoned of the body politic, or a freeman of Israel, and so deprived of all privileges both in church and state.
p “anathema erit [vel] fore”, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “devoveretur”, Michaelis.
8. Forfeited Placed under ban, and thereby devoted to Jehovah. See note on Jos 6:17.
Ver. 8. Separated Or, excommunicated, by which he was excluded from all society. After sixty days contumacy, the anathema or execration followed; which, however, was rescinded upon repentance: nevertheless, it was not allowable for any one to kill the person under such an anathema; but he might be supported in a tent or cottage entirely separated from all society.
Ezr 10:8 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.
Ver. 8. And that whosoever would not come, &c. ] Laws, if they be not penal and compulsory, will soon be slighted by lawless, aweless persons. Howbeit, flies must not be killed upon men’s brows with beetles; peccadillos must not be punished as heinous crimes. Draco made it a capital offence to be idle, to steal pot herbs, &c. Of his laws Aristotle saith that they were not worthy of remembrance, but only for their too great severity; Ezra’s laws were more mild.
All his substance shall be forfeited
And himself separated from the congregation forfeited = devoted.
carried away = into captivity.
And that whosoever: Ezr 7:26, Jdg 21:5, 1Sa 11:7
forfeited: Heb. devoted, Lev 27:28, Jos 6:19
himself separated: Neh 13:3, Mat 18:17, Joh 9:22, Joh 9:34, Joh 16:2, 1Co 5:13
Reciprocal: Lev 27:21 – devoted Deu 17:12 – will do Jos 6:17 – accursed Ezr 9:1 – the princes
Ezr 10:8. That whosoever would not come, &c., all his substance should be forfeited In the Hebrew it is devoted, which signifies that his goods were to be so forfeited as to become sacred to God, and so rendered incapable of being restored to the former owner, being put into the treasury of Gods house. And himself separated from the congregation, &c. No longer counted a Hebrew, but looked upon as a Gentile, and excluded all communication with the Israelites: shut out from the church, and people, and house, and public worship of God: excommunicated, says Mr. Locke, by which he was excluded from all society; was not permitted to come within four cubits of the altar till absolved upon repentance. After sixty days contumacy, the anathema or execration followed, which, however, was rescinded upon repentance: nevertheless, it was not allowable for any one to kill the person under such an anathema, but he might be supported in a tent or cottage entirely separated from all society. See Dodd.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments