Upon Ezra’s prayer and confession, it was proposed by Shechaniah, that those who had married strange wives should put them away with their children, which they swore to do, Ezra 10:1–5, and proclamation was made throughout the land for all to meet at Jerusalem in three days’ time, and accordingly…

Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping, &c.] Had confessed the sins of the people in prayer and supplication, with many tears: and casting himself down before the house of God; in the outward court before the temple, his face turned towards it, where he lay prostrate: there…

And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra This man seems to be one of those that now came with Ezra from Babylon, see (Ezra 8:3, Ezra 8:5) , we have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land; not that he had taken…

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…

Arise From the ground, where he lay prostrate: for this matter belongeth unto thee; as a priest and scribe of the law, well versed in it, and therefore could direct what was to be done according to it; and as a ruler under the king of Persia, and a commissioner of his, to inquire whether the law of…

Then arose Ezra From the ground where he lay: and made the chief priests, and the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word: he took an oath of all that were present to do what was proposed, namely, to put away strange wives and their children: and they sware; by…

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God Departed from thence: and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib; who was of the family of the high priest.

And they made proclamation By the voice of an herald: throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children of the captivity; who were returned from it: that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; within a time after mentioned.

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…

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin And such of the ten tribes that returned and dwelt among them: gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days; the time fixed: which they were the more careful to observe, since it was enjoined by the authority of princes and elders, and the…

And Ezra the priest stood up In the midst of the assembly to make his speech, acquainting them with the reason of their meeting together: and said unto them, ye have transgressed; the law of God in the following instance: and have taken strange wives; of the people of the land and others,…

Now therefore make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, &c.] Of their sin, and express their detestation of it, and repentance for it: and do his pleasure; obey his will, and particularly in this case: and separate yourselves from the people of the land; the Canaanites, &c.

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, &c.] That they might be heard, and to show that they were willing and ready to comply with what was proposed: as thou host said, so must we do; being convinced of their sin, they saw it was a duty incumbent on them to put away their…

But the people are many Who have been guilty of this evil: and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without: in the street, because of the rain: neither is this a work of one day or two; to inquire into this affair, who they are that have taken strange wives, and to persuade or…

Let now our rulers of all the congregations stand Let the great sanhedrim, or court of judicature at Jerusalem, be fixed and continued, and others: and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times; to the court at Jerusalem, at certain and fixed known times of…

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah, were employed about the matter To see that this affair was conducted in the manner proposed; that the magistrates of every city brought the persons that had been delinquents, in their turns, of which they gave them notice, and took…

And the children of the captivity did so Put away their strange wives: 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; from all their other business, and gave themselves up to attend to this wholly: and sat…

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives Finished their inquiry and examination of them: by the first day of the first month; the month Nisan, answering to part of March and April; so that they were three months about this work.

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives So that it need not be wondered at that this evil should spread among the people, when those who understood the law, and should have instructed the people in it, set such an example: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the…

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives They proposed to do it, and actually did it: and being guilty; of which they were fully convinced: they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass; to make atonement for it, and thereby set an example to others to do the like.

All these had taken strange wives In all about one hundred and thirteen: and some of them had wives by whom they had children; and yet they put them away, which made it the more difficult for them to do; and those that had none, it is thought to be a mark of God’s displeasure at such marriages.