Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Ezra Chapter 10
Overview
Ezr 10:1, Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages; Ezr 10:6, Ezra assembles the people; Ezr 10:9, The people repent, and promise amendment; Ezr 10:15, The care to perform it; Ezr 10:18, The names of them which had married strange wives.
when Ezra: Dan 9:3, Dan 9:4, Dan 9:20; Act 10:30
when he had: Lev 26:40, Lev 26:41; Psa 32:5; Hos 14:2; Jo1 1:8-10
weeping: Psa 119:136; Jer 9:1, Jer 13:17; Zac 12:10; Luk 19:41; Rom 9:2
before the house: Kg1 8:30, Kg1 9:3; Ch2 20:9
a very great: Deu 31:12; Ch2 20:13; Neh 10:28; Joe 2:16-18; Act 21:5
very sore: Heb. a great weeping, Jdg 2:4, Jdg 2:5; Neh 8:9
Shechaniah: Ezr 10:26; Neh 3:29
Elam: Ezr 2:7, Ezr 2:31; Neh 7:12, Neh 7:34
We have trespassed: Shechaniah here speaks in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable; for he is not in the following list., Compare, Jam 2:9; Exo 34:12; Neh 13:27
yet now there is hope: Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7; Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Jer 3:12, Jer 3:13; Jo1 1:7-9
let us make: Nichrath berith, "let us cut a covenant:" Deu 29:12; Jos 9:6; Kg2 11:17; Ch2 29:10, Ch2 34:31, Ch2 34:32; Neh 9:38; Neh 10:29-39
put away: Heb. bring forth
according to the counsel: Ch2 30:12
of those that: Ezr 9:4; Ch2 34:21, Ch2 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 Co1 7:12, Co1 7:13
Arise: Josh. 7:10-26; Ch1 22:16, Ch1 22:19; Ecc 9:10
for this matter: By the decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was authorised to do every thing that the law of God required. Ezr 7:23-28; Mar 13:34
we also will: Jos 1:16-18; Ch1 28:10, Ch1 28:21
be of good: Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4; Heb 10:24, Heb 12:12, Heb 12:13
arose: Pro 1:5, Pro 9:9, Pro 15:23, Pro 25:11, Pro 25:12, Pro 27:9
made: Ezr 10:3; Neh 5:12, Neh 10:29, Neh 13:25; Mat 26:63
the chamber: Neh 13:5
Johanan: Neh 3:1, Neh 3:20, Neh 12:10, Neh 12:22, Neh 13:28
he did eat: Deu 9:18; Job 23:12; Joh 4:31-34
he mourned: Ezr 9:4; Isa 22:12; Dan 9:3
And that whosoever: Ezr 7:26; Jdg 21:5; Sa1 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; Co1 5:13
the ninth month: That is, some time in December, which is the coldest and most rainy time of the year in Palestine. Dr. Russel, in his account of the weather at Aleppo, which very much resembles that in Judea, says, that the natives reckon the severity of the winter, which they call marbania, to last but forty days, beginning from the 12th of December, and ending the 20th of January, and that this computation comes in fact very near the truth, and that the air during this time is excessively piercing, even to those that are just come from a cold climate. Ezr 7:8, Ezr 7:9; Est 2:16
trembling: Sa1 12:17, Sa1 12:18; Jer 10:10, Jer 10:13
great rain: Heb. showers
taken: Heb. caused to dwell, or, brought back
to increase: Ezr 9:6; Num 32:14; Jos 22:17, Jos 22:18; Ch2 28:13; Mat 23:32
make confession: Lev 26:40-42; Jos 7:19; Psa 32:5; Pro 28:13; Jer 3:13; Jo1 1:7-9
do his: Isa 1:16-18, Isa 56:4; Rom 12:2; Col 1:10; Heb 13:21
separate: Ezr 9:1; Neh 13:3; Co2 6:17
and from the: Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4; Co1 2:12-14
As thou hast said: They all resolved to do what Ezra had commanded; and they did put away their wives, even those by whom they had children (Ezr 10:44), each of whom doubtless received a portion according to the circumstances of her husband, and was not turned away desolate. Humanity must have dictated this, and no law of God is contrary to humanity.
so must we do: Ezr 10:3, Ezr 10:4; Neh 13:23; Psa 78:37, Psa 78:57
the people: Ezra 10:18-44; Mat 7:13, Mat 7:14
we are many that have transgressed in this thing: or, we have greatly offended in this thing
our rulers: Deu 17:9, Deu 17:18, Deu 17:19; Ch2 19:5-7
the fierce: Num 25:4; Deu 13:17; Jos 7:26; Ch2 29:10, Ch2 30:8; Psa 78:38; Isa 12:1
for this matter be turned from us: or, be turned from us, till this matter be dispatched.
were employed: Heb. stood
Meshullam: Neh 3:6, Neh 10:20, Neh 12:33
Shabbethai: Neh 11:16
to examine the matter: Deu 13:14; Job 29:16; Joh 7:51
am 3548, bc 456
the first day: The cases brought before the council were either so many, or so complicated, that, though they separated themselves from other employments, yet they were three whole months in examining into their affairs, and making the necessary separations required by the law. Ezr 10:17
the sons: Ezr 9:1; Lev 21:7, Lev 21:13-15; Sa1 2:22-24; Neh 13:28; Jer 23:11, Jer 23:14; Eze 44:22; Mal 2:8, Mal 2:9; Ti1 3:11
Jeshua: Ezr 2:2, Ezr 3:2, Ezr 5:2; Ch1 6:14, Ch1 6:15; Neh 12:10; Hag 1:1; Zac 3:1, Joshua
gave their hands: They bound themselves in the most solemn manner to do as the rest of the delinquents had done, and make and acknowledgment to God of their iniquity, by offering each a ram for a trespass offering. Kg2 10:15; Ch1 29:24; Ch2 30:8 *marg. Lam 5:6; Gal 2:9
a ram: Lev 5:15, Lev 5:16, Lev 6:4, Lev 6:6
Immer: Ezr 2:37; Ch1 24:14; Neh 7:40
Harim: Ezr 2:39; Ch1 24:8; Neh 7:42
Pashur: Ezr 2:38; Ch1 9:12; Neh 7:41
Kelita: Neh 10:10
Moreover of Israel: That is, as Calmet observes, simple Israelites; thus distinguished from the priests, Levites, and singers, mentioned in Ezr 10:18, Ezr 10:23, Ezr 10:24.
sons of Parosh: Ezr 2:3; Neh 7:8
Elam: Ezr 10:2, Ezr 2:7, Ezr 2:31, Ezr 8:7; Neh 7:12, Neh 7:34
Jehiel: Ezr 10:2
Bebai: Ezr 2:11, Ezr 8:11; Neh 7:16
Bani: Ezr 2:10; Neh 7:15, Binnui
Malluch: Neh 10:4
Pahathmoab: Ezr 2:6, Ezr 8:4; Neh 7:11
Malchiah: This variation only exists in the translation, the original being uniformly Malchijah, or rather, Malkeeyah. Neh 3:11, Malchijah
Bani: Ezr 10:29
Machnadebai: or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies
strange wives: Pro 2:16, Pro 5:3, Pro 5:20
and some of them: This observation was probably intended to shew that only a few of them had children, and also how rigorously the law was put in execution. According to a passage in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew, Ezra offered a paschal lamb on this occasion, and addressed the people thus: "And Ezra said to the people, This pass-over is our Saviour and our Refuge; and if ye will be persuaded of it, and let it enter into your hearts, that we are to humble to Him in a sign, and afterwards shall believe in Him, this place shall not be destroyed forever, saith the Lord of hosts; but, if ye will not believe in Him, nor hearken to his preaching, ye shall be a laughing-stock to the Gentiles." This was probably a marginal note added by some early Christian.