Ezra 10:6

The Assembly and the Reform

6. went into the chamber See on Ezra 8:29, and cf. Nehemiah 13:4.

Johanan the son of Eliashib R.V. Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. The best-known Eliashib of this period is the High-priest who appears as a contemporary of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah 13:4; Nehemiah 13:28). In Nehemiah 12:23 we find the mention of a -Johanan the son of Eliashib", but who, by comparison with Ezra 10:7; Ezra 10:22, must have been this Eliashib's grandson. It is probable that the -Jehohanan the son of Eliashib" is the same as that -Johanan the son of Eliashib". If so, how are we to account for a chamber, presumably in the Temple precincts, being assigned to one who was the grandson of the High-priest Eliashib? (a) Some suppose that Johanan the grandson of Eliashib was old enough at this time to receive as one of the High-priestly family a special chamber. But why should Ezra betake himself to the chamber of one who must have been but a mere boy? For Eliashib was living 20 years later (cf. Nehemiah 13:7). (b) Others suppose the Compiler to be using the language of a considerably later generation than that of Ezra; he knew of a certain chamber in the Temple's precincts as Johanan's chamber, because it had become associated with the name of Eliashib's grandson during his High-priesthood. This appears to be the most probable explanation. If so, the use of the name helps to determine the date at which Ezra's Memoirs were compiled. It is however possible that the Jehohanan the son of Eliashib was of a different family from the Johanan the son of Joiada and grandson of Eliashib, and that the difficulty is only an apparent one arising from the similarity of names in the families of the same great house or tribe.

andwhen he came thither, he did eat, &c. So the R.V. text. The R.V. marg. says -According to some ancient versions, and he lodged there". The Hebrew word for -he came" is the same as that for -went" in the previous clause. This reading is supported by the Hebrew text and by the LXX. (καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖ). It is however hard to believe that it can be the original reading. (1) The repetition of the word is awkward. (2) The clause, stating that he refused to taste food, does not follow suitably upon the mention of his arrival. (3) The adverb in the original does not strictly mean -thither", but -there". The parallel passage in 1 Esdras (Ezra 9:2) has -and having lodged there", and this reading is supported by the Syriac Peshitto and the Arabic. The variation in the Hebrew text requisite to give this meaning is exceedingly small. In the old Hebrew characters the two letters (ן and ך) are very liable to be confused, while the use of the very similar verb just before made an accidental repetition very possible.

This reading is probably correct, and we should accordingly translate -And he lodged (or passed the night) there". The words are then the same as in Genesis 28:11, -And he tarried there all night"; Genesis 32:13, -And he lodged there that night"; Joshua 8:9, -but Joshua lodged that night". The point emphasized is that Ezra continued in the precincts of the Temple all that night and protracted his fast. -He lodged there and did eat no bread nor drink water": i.e. while he lodged there, he fasted.

because of the transgression of them that had been carried away R.V. because of the trespass of them of the captivity. -Trespass", cf. Ezra 9:4. -Them of the captivity", i.e. -haggolah", cf. on Ezra 8:35.