mh_parser/vol_split/15 - Ezra/Chapter 10.xml

<div2 id="Ez.xi" n="xi" next="Neh" prev="Ez.x" progress="92.17%" title="Chapter X">
<h2 id="Ez.xi-p0.1">E Z R A</h2>
<h3 id="Ez.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ez.xi-p1">In this chapter we have that grievance redressed
which was complained of and lamented in the foregoing chapter.
Observe, I. How the people's hearts were prepared for the redress
of it by their deep humiliation for the sin, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.1" parsed="|Ezra|10|1|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. How it was proposed to Ezra by
Shechaniah, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.2-Ezra.10.4" parsed="|Ezra|10|2|10|4" passage="Ezr 10:2-4">ver. 2-4</scripRef>.
III. How the proposal was put in execution. 1. The great men were
sworn to stand to it, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.5" parsed="|Ezra|10|5|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:5">ver.
5</scripRef>. 2. Ezra appeared first in it, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.6" parsed="|Ezra|10|6|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:6">ver. 6</scripRef>. 3. A general assembly was called,
<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.7-Ezra.10.9" parsed="|Ezra|10|7|10|9" passage="Ezr 10:7-9">ver. 7-9</scripRef>. 4. They all, in
compliance with Ezra's exhortation, agreed to the reformation,
<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.10-Ezra.10.14" parsed="|Ezra|10|10|10|14" passage="Ezr 10:10-14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. 5.
Commissioners were appointed to sit "de die in diem"—day after
day, to enquire who had married strange wives and to oblige them to
put them away, which was done accordingly (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.15-Ezra.10.17" parsed="|Ezra|10|15|10|17" passage="Ezr 10:15-17">ver. 15-17</scripRef>), and a list of the names of
those that were found guilty given in, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.18-Ezra.10.44" parsed="|Ezra|10|18|10|44" passage="Ezr 10:18-44">ver. 18-44</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Ez.xi-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10" parsed="|Ezra|10|0|0|0" passage="Ezr 10" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ez.xi-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.1-Ezra.10.5" parsed="|Ezra|10|1|10|5" passage="Ezr 10:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.10.1-Ezra.10.5">
<h4 id="Ez.xi-p1.11">Ezra's Reformation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xi-p1.12">b. c.</span> 456.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xi-p2">1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had
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.   2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, <i>one</i> 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 hope in Israel concerning this thing.  
3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away 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.   4 Arise; for
<i>this</i> matter <i>belongeth</i> unto thee: we also <i>will
be</i> with thee: be of good courage, and do <i>it.</i>   5
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all
Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And
they sware.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p3">We are here told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p4">I. What good impressions were made upon the
people by Ezra's humiliation and confession of sin. No sooner was
it noised in the city that their new governor, in whom they
rejoiced, was himself in grief, and to so great a degree, for them
and their sin, than presently there <i>assembled to him a very
great congregation,</i> to see what the matter was and to mingle
their tears with his, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.1" parsed="|Ezra|10|1|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Our weeping for other people's sins may perhaps set
those a weeping for them themselves who otherwise would continue
senseless and remorseless. See what a happy influence the good
examples of great ones may have upon their inferiors. When Ezra, a
scribe, a scholar, a man in authority under the king, so deeply
lamented the public corruptions, they concluded that they were
indeed very grievous, else he would not thus have grieved for them;
and this drew tears from every eye: <i>men, women, and children,
wept very sore,</i> when he wept thus.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p5">II. What a good motion Shechaniah made upon
this occasion. The place was <i>Bochim</i>—a place of
<i>weepers;</i> but, for aught that appears, there was a profound
silence among them, as among Job's friends, who <i>spoke not a word
to him, because they saw that his grief was very great,</i> till
Shechaniah (one of Ezra's companions from Babylon, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.3 Bible:Ezra.8.5" parsed="|Ezra|8|3|0|0;|Ezra|8|5|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:3,5"><i>ch.</i> viii. 3, 5</scripRef>) stood up, and
made a speech addressed to Ezra, in which,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p6">1. He owns the national guilt, sums up all
Ezra's confession in one word, and sets to his seal that it is
true: "<i>We have trespassed against our God, and have taken
strange wives,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.2" parsed="|Ezra|10|2|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. The matter is too plain to be denied and too bad to
be excused." It does not appear that Shechaniah was himself
culpable in this matter (if he had had the beam in his own eye, he
could not have seen so clearly to pluck it out of his brother's
eye), but his father was guilty, and several of his father's house
(as appears <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.26" parsed="|Ezra|10|26|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>),
and therefore he reckons himself among the trespassers; nor does he
seek to excuse or palliate the sin, though some of his own
relations were guilty of it, but, in the cause of God, <i>says to
his father, I have not known him,</i> as Levi, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9" parsed="|Deut|33|9|0|0" passage="De 33:9">Deut. xxxiii. 9</scripRef>. Perhaps the strange wife that
his father had married had been an unjust unkind step-mother to
him, and had made mischief in the family, and he supposed that
others had done the like, which made him the more forward to appear
against this corruption; if so, this was not the only time that
private resentments have been over ruled by the providence of God
to serve the public good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p7">2. He encourages himself and others to hope
that though the matter was bad it might be amended: <i>Yet now
there is hope in Israel</i> (where else should there be hope but in
Israel? those that are strangers to that commonwealth are said to
have <i>no hope,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.12" parsed="|Eph|2|12|0|0" passage="Eph 2:12">Eph. ii.
12</scripRef>) even <i>concerning this thing.</i> The case is sad,
but it is not desperate; the disease is threatening, but not
incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the
guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and
so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented and all
will be well. <i>Now there is hope;</i> now that the disease is
discovered it is half-cured. Now that the alarm is taken the people
begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it, a spirit of
repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus
humbling themselves before God for it, <i>now there is hope</i>
that God will forgive, and have mercy. The <i>valley of Achor</i>
(that is, of <i>trouble</i>) is the <i>door of hope</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.15" parsed="|Hos|2|15|0|0" passage="Ho 2:15">Hos. ii. 15</scripRef>); for the sin that truly
troubles us shall not ruin us. There is hope now that Israel has
such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra to manage this
affair. Note, (1.) In melancholy times we must see and observe what
makes for us, as well as what makes against us. (2.) There may be
good hopes through grace, even when there is the sense of great
guilt before God. (3.) Where sin is seen and lamented, and good
steps are taken towards a reformation, even sinners ought to be
encouraged. (4.) Even great saints must thankfully receive
seasonable counsel and comfort from those that are much their
inferiors, as Ezra from Shechaniah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p8">3. He advises that a speedy and effectual
course should be taken for the divorcing of the strange wives. The
case is plain; what has been done amiss must be undone again as far
as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance. <i>Let us
put away all the wives, and such as are born of them,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.3" parsed="|Ezra|10|3|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Ezra, though he knew
this was the only way of redressing the grievance, yet perhaps did
not think it feasible, and despaired of ever bringing the people to
it, which put him into that confusion in which we left him in the
foregoing chapter; but Shechaniah, who conversed more with the
people than he did, assured him the thing was practicable if they
went wisely to work. As to us now, it is certain that sin must be
put away, a bill of divorce must be given it, with a resolution
never to have any thing more to do with it, though it be dear as
the wife of thy bosom, nay, as a right eye or a right hand,
otherwise there is no pardon, no peace. What has been unjustly got
cannot be justly kept, but must be restored; but, as to the case of
being <i>unequally yoked with unbelievers,</i> Shechaniah's
counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now; such
marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made, but
they are not null. <i>Quod fierinon debuit, factum valet—That
which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide.</i> Our
rule, under the gospel, is, <i>If a brother has a wife that
believeth not,</i> and <i>she be pleased to dwell with him, let him
not put her away,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.12-1Cor.7.13" parsed="|1Cor|7|12|7|13" passage="1Co 7:12,13">1 Cor. vii.
12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p9">4. He puts them in a good method for the
effecting of this reformation, and shows them not only that it must
be done, but how. (1.) "Let Ezra, and all those that are present in
this assembly, agree in a resolution that this must be done (pass a
vote immediately to this effect: it will now pass <i>nemine
contradicente—unanimously</i>), that it may be said to be done
<i>according to the counsel of my lord,</i> the president of the
assembly, with the unanimous concurrence of those that <i>tremble
at the commandment of our God,</i> which is the description of
those that were gathered to him, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.4" parsed="|Ezra|9|4|0|0" passage="Ezr 9:4"><i>ch.</i> ix. 4</scripRef>. Declare it to be the sense
of all the sober serious people among us, which cannot but have a
great sway among Israelites." (2.) "Let the command of God in this
matter, which Ezra recited in his prayer, be laid before the
people, and let them see that it is <i>done according to the
law;</i> we have that to warrant us, nay, that binds us to what we
do; it is not an addition of our own to the divine law, but the
necessary execution of it." (3.) "While we are in a good mind, let
us bind ourselves by a solemn vow and covenant that we will do it,
lest, when the present impressions are worn off, the thing be left
undone. Let us covenant, not only that, if we have strange wives
ourselves, we will put them away, but that, if we have not, we will
do what we can in our places to oblige others to put away theirs."
(4.) "Let Ezra himself preside in this matter, who is authorized by
the king's commission to enquire whether the law of God be duly
observed in Judah and Jerusalem (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.14" parsed="|Ezra|7|14|0|0" passage="Ezr 7:14"><i>ch.</i> vii. 14</scripRef>), and let us all resolve
to stand by him in it (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.4" parsed="|Ezra|10|4|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>): <i>Arise, be of good courage.</i> Weeping, in this
case, is good, but reforming is better." See what God said to
Joshua in a like case, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.7.10-Josh.7.11" parsed="|Josh|7|10|7|11" passage="Jos 7:10,11">Josh. vii.
10, 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p10">III. What a good resolution they came to
upon this good motion, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.5" parsed="|Ezra|10|5|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. They not only agreed that it should be done, but
bound themselves with an oath that they would do according to this
word. Fast bind, fast find.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.xi-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.6-Ezra.10.14" parsed="|Ezra|10|6|10|14" passage="Ezr 10:6-14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.10.6-Ezra.10.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xi-p11">6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of
God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and
<i>when</i> 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.   7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah
and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they
should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;   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.   9 Then all the men of Judah and
Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three
days. It <i>was</i> the ninth month, on the twentieth <i>day</i> of
the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of
God, trembling because of <i>this</i> matter, and for the great
rain.   10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them,
Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the
trespass of Israel.   11 Now therefore make confession unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xi-p11.1">Lord</span> God of your fathers, and do
his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land,
and from the strange wives.   12 Then all the congregation
answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we
do.   13 But the people <i>are</i> many, and <i>it is</i> a
time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither
<i>is this</i> a work of one day or two: for we are many that have
transgressed in this thing.   14 Let 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p12">We have here an account of the proceedings
upon the resolutions lately taken up concerning the strange wives;
no time was lost; they struck when the iron was hot, and soon set
the wheels of reformation a-going. 1. Ezra went to the
council-chamber where, it is probable, the priests used to meet
upon public business; <i>and till he came thither</i> (so bishop
Patrick thinks it should be read), till he saw something done, and
more likely to be done, for the redress of this grievance, <i>he
did neither eat nor drink,</i> but continued mourning. Sorrow for
sin should be abiding sorrow; be sure to let it continue till the
sin be put away. 2. He sent orders to all the children of the
captivity to attend him at Jerusalem <i>within three days</i>
(<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.7-Ezra.10.8" parsed="|Ezra|10|7|10|8" passage="Ezr 10:7,8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>); and,
being authorized by the king to enforce his orders with penalties
annexed (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.26" parsed="|Ezra|7|26|0|0" passage="Ezr 7:26"><i>ch.</i> vii.
26</scripRef>), he threatened that whosoever refused to obey the
summons should forfeit his estate and be outlawed. The doom of him
that would not attend on this religious occasion should be that his
substance should, in his stead, be for ever after appropriated to
the service of their religion, and he himself, for his contempt,
should for ever after be excluded from the honours and privileges
of their religion; he should be excommunicated. 3. Within the time
limited the generality of the people met at Jerusalem and made
their appearance <i>in the street of the house of God,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.9" parsed="|Ezra|10|9|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Those that had
no zeal for the work they were called to, nay, perhaps had a
dislike to it, being themselves delinquents, yet paid such a
deference to Ezra's authority, and were so awed by the penalty,
that they durst not stay away. 4. God gave them a token of his
displeasure in the great rain that happened at that time (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.9 Bible:Ezra.10.13" parsed="|Ezra|10|9|0|0;|Ezra|10|13|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:9,13"><i>v.</i> 9 and again <i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), which perhaps kept some away, and was very grievous
to those that met in the open street. When they wept the heavens
wept too, signifying that, though God was angry with them for their
sin, yet he was well pleased with their repentance, and (as it is
said, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.16" parsed="|Judg|10|16|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:16">Judg. x. 16</scripRef>) <i>his
soul was grieved for the misery of Israel;</i> it was also an
indication of the good fruits of their repentance, for the rain
makes the earth fruitful. 5. Ezra gave the charge at this great
assize. He told them upon what account he called them together now,
that it was because he found that since their return out of
captivity they had <i>increased the trespass of Israel</i> by
<i>marrying strange wives,</i> had added to their former sins this
new transgression, which would certainly be a means of again
introducing idolatry, the very sin they had smarted for and which
he hoped they had been cured of in their captivity; and he called
them together that they might <i>confess their sin to God,</i> and,
having done that, might declare themselves ready and willing to do
his pleasure, as it should be made known to them (which all those
will do that truly repent of what they have done to incur his
displeasure), and particularly that they might separate themselves
from all idolaters, especially idolatrous wives, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.10-Ezra.10.11" parsed="|Ezra|10|10|10|11" passage="Ezr 10:10,11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. On these heads, we may
suppose, he enlarged, and probably made such another confession of
the sin now as he made <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.5-Ezra.9.15" parsed="|Ezra|9|5|9|15" passage="Ezr 9:5-15"><i>ch.</i>
ix.</scripRef>, to which he required them to say <i>Amen.</i> 6.
The people submitted not only to Ezra's jurisdiction in general,
but to his inquisition and determination in this matter: "<i>As
thou hast said, so must we do,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.12" parsed="|Ezra|10|12|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. We have sinned in mingling
with the heathen, and have thereby been in danger, not only of
being corrupted by them, for we are frail, but of being lost among
them, for we are few; we are therefore convinced that there is an
absolute necessity of our separating from them again." There is
hope concerning people when they are convinced, not only that it is
good to part with their sins, but that it is indispensably
necessary: we must do it, or we are undone. 7. It was agreed that
this affair should be carried on, not in a popular assembly, nor
that they should think to go through with it all on a sudden, but
that a court of delegates should be appointed to receive complaints
and to hear and determine upon them. It could not be done at this
time, for it was not put into a method, nor could the people stand
out because of the rain. The delinquents were many, and it would
require time to discover and examine them. Nice cases would arise,
which could not be adjudged without debate and deliberation,
<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.9" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.13" parsed="|Ezra|10|13|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. "And
therefore let the crowd be dismissed, and the rulers stand to
receive informations; let them proceed city by city, and let the
offenders be convicted before them in the presence of the judges
and elders of their own city; and let them be entrusted to see the
orders executed. Thus <i>take time and we shall have done the
sooner;</i> whereas, if we do it in a hurry, we shall do it by
halves, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p12.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.14" parsed="|Ezra|10|14|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. If,
in this method, a thorough reformation be made, the <i>fierce wrath
of God</i> will be <i>turned from us,</i> which, we are sensible,
is ready to break forth against us for this transgression." Ezra
was willing that his zeal should be guided by the people's
prudence, and put the matter into this method; he was not ashamed
to own that the advice came from them, any more than he was to
comply with it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.xi-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.15-Ezra.10.44" parsed="|Ezra|10|15|10|44" passage="Ezr 10:15-44" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.10.15-Ezra.10.44">
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xi-p13">15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah
the son of Tikvah were employed about this <i>matter:</i> and
Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.   16 And the
children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, <i>with</i>
certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and
all of them by <i>their</i> names, were separated, and sat down in
the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.   17
And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives
by the first day of the first month.   18 And among the sons
of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives:
<i>namely,</i> of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his
brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.   19
And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and
<i>being</i> guilty, <i>they offered</i> a ram of the flock for
their trespass.   20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and
Zebadiah.   21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah,
and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.   22 And of the sons of
Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and
Elasah.   23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and
Kelaiah, (the same <i>is</i> Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and
Eliezer.   24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the
porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.   25 Moreover of Israel:
of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and
Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.   26 And of
the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and
Jeremoth, and Eliah.   27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.   28
Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, <i>and</i>
Athlai.   29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and
Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.   30 And of the sons of
Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah,
Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.   31 And <i>of</i> the
sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
  32 Benjamin, Malluch, <i>and</i> Shemariah.   33 Of the
sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai,
Manasseh, <i>and</i> Shimei.   34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai,
Amram, and Uel,   35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,   36
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,   37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and
Jaasau,   38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,   39 And
Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,   40 Machnadebai, Shashai,
Sharai,   41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,   42
Shallum, Amariah, <i>and</i> Joseph.   43 Of the sons of Nebo;
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.  
44 All these had taken strange wives: and <i>some</i> of them had
wives by whom they had children.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xi-p14">The method of proceeding in this matter
being concluded on, and the congregation dismissed, that each in
his respective place might gain and give intelligence to facilitate
the matter, we are here told, 1. Who were the persons that
undertook to manage the matter and bring the causes regularly
before the commissioners—<i>Jonathan</i> and <i>Jahaziah,</i> two
active men, whether of the priests or of the people does not
appear; probably they were the men that made that proposal
(<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.13-Ezra.10.14" parsed="|Ezra|10|13|10|14" passage="Ezr 10:13,14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>) and
were therefore the fittest to see it pursued; two honest Levites
were joined with them, and <i>helped them,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.15" parsed="|Ezra|10|15|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Dr. Lightfoot gives a contrary
sense of this: <i>only</i> (or <i>nevertheless) Jonathan and
Jahaziah stood against this matter</i> (which reading the original
will very well bear), and these two <i>Levites helped them</i> in
opposing it, either the thing itself or this method of proceeding.
It was strange if a work of this kind was carried on and met with
no opposition. 2. Who were the commissioners that sat upon this
matter. Ezra was president, and with him <i>certain chief</i> men
<i>of the fathers</i> who were qualified with wisdom and zeal above
others for this service, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.16" parsed="|Ezra|10|16|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. It was happy for them that they had such a man as
Ezra to head them; they could not have done it well without his
direction, yet he would not do it without their concurrence. 3. How
long they were about it. They began <i>the first day of the tenth
month to examine the matter</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.16" parsed="|Ezra|10|16|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), which was but ten days after
this method was proposed (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.9" parsed="|Ezra|10|9|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>), and they finished in three months, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.17" parsed="|Ezra|10|17|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. They sat closely and
minded their business, otherwise they could not have despatched so
many causes as they had before them in so little time; for we may
suppose that all who were impeached were fairly asked what cause
they could show why they should not be parted, and, if we may judge
by other cases, provided the wife were proselyted to the Jewish
religion she was not to be put away, the trial of which would
require great care. 4. Who the persons were that were found guilty
of this crime. Their names are here recorded to their perpetual
reproach; many of the priests, nay, of the family of Jeshua, the
high priest, were found guilty (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.18" parsed="|Ezra|10|18|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), though the law had
particularly provided, for the preserving of their honour in their
marriages, that being holy themselves they should not marry such as
were profane, <scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.7" parsed="|Lev|21|7|0|0" passage="Le 21:7">Lev. xxi. 7</scripRef>.
Those that should have taught others the law broke it themselves
and by their example emboldened others to do likewise. But, having
lost their innocency in this matter, they did well to recant and
give an example of repentance; for they promised <i>under their
hand</i> to put away their strange wives (some think that they made
oath to do so with their <i>hands lifted up</i>), and they took the
appointed way of obtaining pardon, bringing the ram which was
appointed by the law <i>for a trespass offering</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.6" parsed="|Lev|6|6|0|0" passage="Le 6:6">Lev. vi. 6</scripRef>), so owning their guilt and
the desert of it, and humbly suing for forgiveness. About 113 in
all are here named who had married strange wives, and some of them,
it is said (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.10.44" parsed="|Ezra|10|44|0|0" passage="Ezr 10:44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>),
had children by them, which implies that not many of them had, God
not crowning those marriages with the blessing of increase. Whether
the children were turned off with the mothers, as Shechaniah
proposed, does not appear; it should seem not: however it is
probable that the wives which were put away were well provided for,
according to their rank. One would think this grievance was now
thoroughly redressed, yet we meet with it again (<scripRef id="Ez.xi-p14.11" osisRef="Bible:Neh.13.23 Bible:Mal.2.11" parsed="|Neh|13|23|0|0;|Mal|2|11|0|0" passage="Ne 13:23,Mal 2:11">Neh. xiii. 23 and Mal. ii. 11</scripRef>), for
such corruptions are easily and insensibly brought in, but not
without great difficulty purged out again. The best reformers can
but do their endeavour, but, when the Redeemer himself shall
<i>come to Sion,</i> he shall effectually <i>turn away ungodliness
from Jacob.</i></p>
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