And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
Read it in contextThe People’s Confession of Sin
Start reading at Ezra 10:6 (Ezra 10:6 to Ezra 10:17).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
Reports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting.
10:6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
10:7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
10:8And 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.
10:9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
10:10And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
10:11Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
10:12Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
10:13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
10:14Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
10:15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
10:16And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
10:17And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Ezra the priest and scribe supplies first-person material and is the traditional principal author. The complete book also incorporates earlier documents and third-person narrative. Biblical references: Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:27; Ezra 8:1. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Ezra 9:1–10:44): Ezra, the returned people, their leaders, and the households implicated in the marriage crisis are involved in confession and the proposed remedy. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? The Jewish community restored from exile, including those rebuilding its worship and ordering its life by the law. Biblical references: Ezra 1:3; Ezra 7:10; Ezra 10:1. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? The People’s Confession of Sin. Read Ezra 10:6 through Ezra 10:17 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? Reports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The account is set after exile under Persian rule and distinguishes the returns and activities associated with different kings. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narrative moves from Persian-controlled exile to Jerusalem, with the temple and returning community at its center. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in The People’s Confession of Sin (Ezra 10:6 to Ezra 10:17).
Start reading at Ezra 10:6. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The restored temple belongs to the history leading into the world of the Gospels. A broader connection to Christ concerns worship and restoration, not an assertion that each returnee or building detail is a direct prediction. See Ezra 6:16, Luke 2:27, John 2:19, John 2:21. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Join renewed worship with attention to conduct and communal responsibility. Apply the account's marriage-related actions with awareness of the particular covenant problem being addressed. interpretation
Cited: Ezra 10:6, Ezra 10:17, Ezra 6:16, Luke 2:27, John 2:19, John 2:21
Who wrote it, and how we know
EzraNamed in Scripture
What Scripture saysLarge sections are written in the first person by Ezra himself. Ezra 7:27Ezra 8:1Ezra 9:1
Early traditionJewish tradition names Ezra.
What is debatedThe book also contains third-person narrative, which suggests compilation.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Ezra 10
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Ezra concerns the return from exile, the rebuilding of the temple, and Ezra's later work. The narrative distinguishes successive Persian reigns; modern calendar dates are historical reconstructions, not dates printed in the verses. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Reports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting.
Connection to the wholeReports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Reports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Ezra
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Ezra concerns the return from exile, the rebuilding of the temple, and Ezra's later work. The narrative distinguishes successive Persian reigns; modern calendar dates are historical reconstructions, not dates printed in the verses.
Connection to the wholeReports of intermarriage lead to Ezra's confession and communal action, which must be read within this covenant and historical setting.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.