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Ezra
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes

Ezr 1:1

1:1 Now in the {a} first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the {b} mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the {c} spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

The Argument - As the Lord is always merciful to his Church, and does not punish them, but so that they should see their own miseries, and be exercised under the cross, that they might contemn the world, and aspire to the heavens: so after he had visited the Jews, and kept them in bondage 70 years in a strange country among infidels and idolaters, he remembered his tender mercies and their infirmities, and therefore for his own sake raised up a deliverer, and moved both the heart of the chief ruler to pity them, and also by him punished those who had kept them in slavery. Nonetheless, lest they should grow into a contempt of God's great benefits, he keeps them still in exercise, and raises domestic enemies, who try as much as they can to hinder their worthy enterprises: yet by the exhortation of the prophet they went forward little by little till their work was finished. The author of this book was Ezra, who was a priest and scribe of the Law, as in Ezr 7:6. He returned to Jerusalem the sixth year of Darius, who succeeded Cyrus, that is, about fifty years after the first return under Zerubbabel, when the temple was built. He brought with him a great company and much treasure, with letters to the king's officers for all things needed for the temple: and at his coming he fixed that which was amiss, and set things in order.

(a) After he and Darius had won Babylon.
(b) Who promised deliverance to them after 70 years were past, Jer 25:12.
(c) That is, moved him and gave him heart.

Ezr 1:2

1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me {d} all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.

(d) For he was chief monarch and had many nations under his dominion, which this heathen king confesses to have received from the living God.

Ezr 1:4

1:4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, {e} let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, {f} beside the freewill offering for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.

(e) If any through poverty were not able to return, the king's commission was that he should be furnished with all he needed.
(f) Which they themselves should send for the repairing of the temple.

Ezr 1:6

1:6 And all {g} they that [were] about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all [that] was willingly offered.

(g) The Babylonians and Chaldeans gave them these presents: thus rather than have the children of God be in need, he would stir the heart of the infidels to help them.

Ezr 1:8

1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto {h} Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

(h) So the Chaldeans called Zerubbabel who was the chief governor, so that the preeminence still remained in the house of David.

Ezr 1:9

1:9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty {i} knives,

(i) Which served to kill the beasts that were offered in sacrifice.

Ezr 1:11

1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand and four hundred. All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring up {k} with [them of] the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

(k) With the Jews who had been kept captive in Babylon.

Ezr 2:1

2:1 Now these [are] the children {a} of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

(a) Meaning Judea, which was a province that is, a country which was in subjection.

Ezr 2:2

2:2 Which came with {b} Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, {c} Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number {d} of the men of the people of Israel:

(b) Zerubbabel was chief captain and Joshua the high priest: but Nehemiah a man of great authority did not come now, but came after 64 years.
(c) This was not the Mordecai who was Esther's kinsman.
(d) Meaning, of the common people.

Ezr 2:16

2:16 The children of Ater of {e} Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

(e) Who were of the posterity of Hezekiah.

Ezr 2:21

2:21 {f} The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

(f) That is inhabitants, for so this word (some) signifies when it is joined with the names of places.

Ezr 2:36

2:36 The {g} priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

(g) Before he has declared the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and now comes to the tribe of Levi and begins at the priests.

Ezr 2:43

2:43 The {h} Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

(h) So called because they were given to the temple, to cut wood and bear water for the use of the sacrifices and came of the Gibeonites who were appointed to this use by Joshua, Jos 9:23.

Ezr 2:55

2:55 The children of Solomon's {i} servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

(i) Which came of them that Solomon had appointed for the work of the temple.

Ezr 2:61

2:61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of {k} Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

(k) He is mentioned in 2Sa 17:27,19:31 and because the priest's office was held in contempt these would have changed their estate by their name, and so by God's just judgment lost both the estimation of the world and the dignity of their office.

Ezr 2:63

2:63 And the {l} Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with {m} Urim and with Thummim.

(l) This is a Chaldee name, and signifies him who has authority over others.
(m) Read Ex 28:30.

Ezr 2:69

2:69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand {n} drams of gold, and five thousand {o} pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

(n) Which in our money amounts to 24,826 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence, valuing the french crown at 6 shillings and 4 pence for the dram is the eighth part of an ounce, and the ounce the eighth part of a mark.
(o) Which are called "mina" and contain 2 marks apiece, so 50,000 minas make 55,000 franks which in our money amounts to 69,666 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence so that the whole sum was 94,493 pounds, 6 shillings, and 8 pence.

Ezr 3:1

3:1 And when the {a} seventh month was come, and the children of Israel [were] in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

(a) Called Tishri which had part of September and part of October.

Ezr 3:2

3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the {b} son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as [it is] written in the law of Moses the man of God.

(b) Meaning nephew, for he was the son of Pedaiah, 1Ch 3:19.

Ezr 3:3

3:3 And they set the altar upon {c} his bases; for fear [was] upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, [even] burnt offerings morning and evening.

Ezr 3:5

3:5 And afterward [offered] {d} the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.

(d) That is, after the feast of tabernacles.

Ezr 3:8

3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the {e} second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.

(e) Which contains part of April and part of May, for in the mean season they had provided for things needed for the work.

Ezr 3:9

3:9 Then stood Jeshua {f} [with] his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, [with] their sons and their brethren the Levites.

(f) They gave them exhortations and encouraged every man forward in the work.

Ezr 3:12

3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, [who were] ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, {g} wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

(g) Because they saw that it was not nearly as glorious as the temple Solomon had built, nonetheless Aggeus comforted them and prophesied that it would be more beautiful than the first, meaning the spiritual temple, they who are the members of Christ's body.

Ezr 4:1

4:1 Now when {a} the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

(a) Meaning, the inhabitants of Samaria, whom the king of Assyria had placed in the place of the ten tribes, 2Ki 17:24,19:37. They professed God but worshipped idols and therefore were the greatest enemies to the true servants of God.

Ezr 4:3

4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; {b} but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

(b) For they knew their pretence, that is to erect idolatry instead of true religion.

Ezr 4:5

4:5 And {c} hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

(c) They bribed the governors under the king to hinder their work, thus they that hinder cannot understand that God would be purely served.

Ezr 4:6

4:6 And in the reign of {d} Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

(d) He was also called Artaxerxes which is a Persian name, some think it was Cambises Cyrus' son, or Darius, as in Ezr 4:5.

Ezr 4:7

4:7 And in the days of {e} Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

(e) Called Artaxerxes, which signifies in the Persian tongue an excellent warrior.

Ezr 4:9

4:9 Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the {f} Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,

(f) These were people whom the Assyrians placed in Samaria instead of the ten tribes.

Ezr 4:10

4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble {g} Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the {h} river, and {i} at such a time.

(g) Some think it was not Sennacherib, but rather Salmanasar.
(h) That is, Euphrates, and he means in respect to Babel that they dwelt beyond it.
(i) Or Cheeneth, who were a certain people who envied the Jews.

Ezr 4:13

4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and {k} custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

(k) Meaning, the gifts that are wont to be given to kings when they pass by any country.

Ezr 4:17

4:17 [Then] sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and [unto] the rest beyond the river, {l} Peace, and {m} at such a time.

(l) Or Shalom, salvation or greeting.
(m) Or, Cheeth, also called Cheeneth as in Ezr 4:10.

Ezr 4:24

4:24 Then {n} ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

(n) Not altogether for the prophets exhorted them to continue but they used less diligence because of the troubles.

Ezr 5:2

5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God {a} helping them.

(a) Who encouraged them to go forward, and cursed them because they were more careful to build their own houses, than zealous to build the temple of God.

Ezr 5:4

5:4 {b} Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

(b) That is, the enemies asked this, as in Ezr 5:10.

Ezr 5:5

5:5 But the {c} eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this [matter].

Ezr 5:11

5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a {d} great king of Israel builded and set up.

(d) That is, Solomon.

Ezr 5:13

5:13 But in the {e} first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon [the same] king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

(e) Read Ezr 1:1,2.

Ezr 5:14

5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto [one], whose name [was] {f} Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

(f) Read Ezr 1:8.

Ezr 5:17

5:17 Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let there be search made in the king's {g} treasure house, which [is] there at Babylon, whether it be [so], that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

(g) Meaning in the library or places where lay the register or record of times.

Ezr 6:2

6:2 And there was found at {a} Achmetha, in the palace that [is] in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus written:

(a) In which were the acts of the kings of the Medes and Persians.

Ezr 6:5

6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and {b} brought again unto the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, [every one] to his place, and place [them] in the house of God.

(b) Meaning Zerubbabel to whom he gives charge.

Ezr 6:6

6:6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which [are] beyond the river, be ye far {c} from thence:

Ezr 6:8

6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be {d} not hindered.

(d) For lack of money.

Ezr 6:12

6:12 And the God that hath caused his name {e} to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter [and] to destroy this house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

(e) Who has appointed that place to have his Name called on there.

Ezr 6:14

6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of {f} Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished [it], according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

(f) Whom God stirs up to assure them that he would give their work good success.

Ezr 6:15

6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month {g} Adar, which was in {h} the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

(g) This is the twelfth month and contains part of February and part of March.
(h) The 42nd year after their first return.

Ezr 6:21

6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had {i} separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

(i) Who were of the heathen and forsook their idolatry to worship the true God.

Ezr 6:22

6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of {k} Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

(k) Meaning Darius who was king of the Medes, Persians and Assyrians.

Ezr 7:1

7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of {a} Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

(a) The Hebrews write that many of the kings of Persia were called by this name, as Pharaoh was a common name to the kings of Egypt and Caesar to the Romans emperors.

Ezr 7:5

7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of {b} Aaron the chief priest:

(b) Ezra traces his family till he comes to Aaron, to prove that he came from him.

Ezr 7:6

7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he [was] a ready {c} scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

(c) He shows here what a scribe is, who had charge to write the law and to expound it. Whom Mark calls a scribe, Mr 12:28 , Matthew and Luke called a lawyer or doctor of the law, Mt 22:35, Lu 10:25.

Ezr 7:8

7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the {d} fifth month, which [was] in the seventh year {e} of the king.

(d) That contained part of July and part of August.
(e) Of king Darius.

Ezr 7:12

7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and {f} at such a time.

(f) Some take this for the name of a people, some for time or continuance, meaning that the king wished him long life.

Ezr 7:13

7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill {g} to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

(g) Who still remained in Babylon and had not returned with Zerubbabel.

Ezr 7:14

7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to {h} enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which [is] in {i} thine hand;

(h) To examine who lived according to the law.
(i) Of which you are an expert.

Ezr 7:18

7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your {k} God.

(k) As you know best may serve to God's glory.

Ezr 7:21

7:21 And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which [are] beyond {l} the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

(l) Which was the Euphrates river and they were beyond it in respect to Babylon.

Ezr 7:22

7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred {m} baths of oil, and salt without prescribing [how much].

(m) Read 1Ki 7:26, 2Ch 2:10.

Ezr 7:23

7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath {n} against the realm of the king and his sons?

(n) This declares that the fear of God's judgment causes him to use this liberality, and not the love that he bore for God's glory or affection for his people.

Ezr 7:25

7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in thine hand, {o} set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that [are] beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know [them] not.

(o) He gave Ezra full authority to restore all things according to the word of God, and to punish them who resisted and would not obey.

Ezr 7:27

7:27 {p} Blessed [be] the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem:

(p) Thus Ezra gave thanks to God for giving him success in his business with the king.

Ezr 8:1

8:1 These [are] now the chief of their fathers, and [this is] the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of {a} Artaxerxes the king.

(a) Read Ezr 7:1-28.

Ezr 8:13

8:13 And of the {b} last sons of Adonikam, whose names [are] these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

(b) That came to go with Ezra.

Ezr 8:15

8:15 And I gathered them together to the {c} river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

Ezr 8:17

8:17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the {d} chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, [and] to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.

(d) He was the chief teacher of the law to the Levites.

Ezr 8:21

8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict {f} ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

(f) He shows that the purpose of fasting is to humble the body to the spirit, which must proceed from the heart that is touched, or else it is hypocrisy.

Ezr 8:22

8:22 For I was {g} ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God [is] upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath [is] against all them that forsake him.

(g) He thought it better to commit himself to the protection of God, than by seeking these ordinary means to give others a reason to think that he doubted God's power.

Ezr 8:26

8:26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty {h} talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, [and] of gold an hundred talents;

(h) Read 1Ki 9:14.

Ezr 8:27

8:27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand {i} drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

(i) Read Ezr 2:69.

Ezr 8:31

8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth [day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in {k} wait by the way.

(k) This declared that their journey was full of danger and yet God delivered them according to their prayer.

Ezr 8:33

8:33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, {l} Levites;

(l) This was a token of a good conscience and of his integrity that he would have witnesses of his fidelity.

Ezr 9:1

9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not {a} separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

(a) From the time they came home under Zerubbabel until the coming of Ezra, they had degenerated contrary to the law of God, and married where it was not lawful, De 7:3.

Ezr 9:2

9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the {b} princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

(b) That is, the governors are the chief beginners of it.

Ezr 9:3

9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down {c} astonied.

Ezr 9:6

9:6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased {d} over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the {e} heavens.

(d) That is, we are drowned in sin.
(e) They so exceed that they cannot grow greater.

Ezr 9:8

9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shewed] from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a {f} nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

(f) In giving us a resting place it is a comparison taken from them that still remain in a place who strike nails to hang things on, Isa 22:23.

Ezr 9:13

9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our {g} iniquities [deserve], and hast given us [such] deliverance as this;

(g) Has not utterly cast us down and destroyed us for our sins, De 28:13.

Ezr 9:15

9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we {h} remain yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

(h) He shows that God is just in punishing his people, and yet merciful in preserving a residue in whom he shows favour.

Ezr 10:1

10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had {a} confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

(a) He confessed his sins, and the sins of the people.

Ezr 10:2

10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, [one] of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is {b} hope in Israel concerning this thing.

(b) Meaning, that God would receive them in mercy.

Ezr 10:3

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.

Ezr 10:4

10:4 Arise; for [this] matter {d} [belongeth] unto thee: we also [will be] with thee: be of good courage, and do [it].

(d) Because God has given you authority and learning to persuade the people in this and to command them.

Ezr 10:9

10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It [was] the {e} 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 {f} rain.

(e) Which contained part of November and part of December.
(f) For the season was given to rain and so the weather was more sharp and cold and also their conscience touched them.

Ezr 10:10

10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to {g} increase the trespass of Israel.

(g) You have laid one sin on another.

Ezr 10:11

10:11 Now therefore {h} 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.

(h) Read Jos 7:19.

Ezr 10:14

10:14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, {i} 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.

(i) Let them be appointed to examine this matter.

Ezr 10:16

10:16 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, {k} were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

(k) They went to the chief cities to sit on this matter which took three months to finish.

Ezr 10:19

10:19 And they gave {l} their hands that they would put away their wives; and [being] guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their trespass.

(l) As a token that they would keep their promise and do it.

Ezr 10:25

10:25 Moreover of {m} Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

(m) Meaning of the common people: for before he spoke of the priests and Levites.

Ezr 10:44

10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and [some] of them had wives by whom they had {n} children.

(n) Who also were made illegitimate because the marriage was unlawful.

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