Ezra 10:12

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice,.... 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

Now 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. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Ezra 10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.Ver. 12. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice] But not with a true heart, Hebrews 10:22. For within a few years they returned to their vomit again. As thou hast said, so must we do] These were good words, and not unlike those of Laelius, in Lucan, spoken to Caesar: Iussa sequi tam velle mihi, quam posse, necesse est. But many of these fair promisers turned back, and dealt unfaithfully, like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow, Psalms 78:57. Look how a rotten bow, though otherwise fair, when an arrow is drawn to the head, and both eye and arrow is levelled to the mark, yet it miscarrieth; so do the desires, purposes, and promises that unsound hearts conceive in their afflictions, and under just convictions.

(7-17) Conference of the people and commission to try individual cases. (8) Forfeited.—This, as also what precedes and what follows, again recalls the express commission of Ezra 7. But “according to the counsel” removes all appearance of arbitrariness on the part of Ezra. (9) Within three days.—From the time of hearing the summons. No town was more than forty miles distant; and of course only those would come that were able, and who came within the scope of the proclamation, the precise terms of which are not given. They were not more than could assemble “in the street,” or open court of the Temple. The minute specifications of date, and the two reasons for the trembling of the people, and the whole strain of the narrative, bear witness to the veracity of an eye-witness. It was the ninth month.—Chisleu, our December, the rainy month in Palestine. (10) Ezra the priest.—He stood up, not as the commissioner of Artaxerxes, not at this moment as the scribe, but as the representative of God. (11) Do his pleasure.—This procedure, humanly severe, is connected with the Divine will. From the people of the land, and from the strange wives.—The marriages were but a subordinate branch, though a very important one, of the wider sin: that of confederacy with idolators. (13) We are many.—Better, we have greatly offended in this thing. The greatness of the offence of course implied the number of the offenders. (14) Stand.—As a representative body in session. Until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.—A difficult verse, owing to a slight peculiarity in the original. The meaning seems to be: until the fierce wrath of our God—fierce while this matter lasts—be turned away from us.(15) Were employed about.—Rather, stood against. Nothing is said as to the reason for opposition on the part of these and the two who abetted them. But the reason is obvious enough. Some modern expositors are of their mind, and regard the act of Ezra as remedying one sin by another still greater. They bring Malachi (Ezra 2:15) to their support; but nothing in his prediction about “the wife of thy youth,” rightly understood, tends to condemn the conduct here described. (16) By their names.—As in Ezra 8:20, the names were before the writer, but are not given. And sat down.—That is, held a session. This was ten days after the general assembly. (17) And they made an end.—Though the number of transgressors was only one hundred and thirteen, two months were occupied, which shows the care taken to do justice, especially to the claims of the women put away.

Verse 12. As thou hast said, so must we do.] They all resolved to do what Ezra then commanded, they did put away their wives, even those by whom they had children; Ezra 10:44: this was a great hardship on the women and children. Though by the Jewish laws such marriages were null and void, yet as the women they had taken did not know these laws, their case was deplorable. However, we may take it for granted that each of them received a portion according to the circumstances of their husbands, and that they and their children were not turned away desolate, but had such a provision as their necessities required. Humanity must have dictated this, and no law of God is contrary to humanity. After all, there is some room to doubt whether they did put them finally away, for several years after Nehemiah found Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab; Ne 13:23. And if these were not the same women, we find that the same offense was continued.

12–14. The resolution of the general assembly epitomised. A general assent to Ezra’s proposal. The time of the year and the magnitude of the task make it necessary to appoint a commission to carry it into execution.

12. All… answered — It was the loud uttered vow and pledge of a vast assembly to conform to the Divine requirement. Compare Joshua 1:16-18, notes.