Ezra 10:7

_AND THEY MADE PROCLAMATION THROUGHOUT JUDAH AND JERUSALEM UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY, THAT THEY SHOULD GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER UNTO JERUSALEM;_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

6-14 There is hope concerning people, when they are convinced, not only that it is good to part with their sins, but that it is necessary; we must do it, or we are undone. So rich is the mercy, and so plenteous the redemption of God, that there is hope for the vilest who hear the gospel, and are willing to accept of free salvation. When sinners mourn for their sins, and tremble at the word of God, there is hope that they will forsake them. To affect others with godly sorrow or love to God, we must ourselves be affected. It was carefully agreed how this affair should be carried on. That which is hastily resolved on seldom proves lasting....

EXPOSITION REPENTANCE OF THE PEOPLE, AND COVENANT SWORN TO, ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF SHECHANIAH (Ezra 10:1). While Ezra was uttering his prayer aloud, upon his knees, in front of the temple, where the evening sacrifice was being offered upon the great brazen altar (Ezra 3:2), the people gathered about him, heard what he said, and had their feelings so stirred that numbers of them burst into tears and "wept very sore" (Ezra 10:1). When he had ended, Sheehaniah, the son of Jehiel, took the word, and suggested an

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....

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The effect of Ezra's prayer on the people (Ezra 10:1)_ 2. Ezra summons an assembly (Ezra 10:5) 3. The gathering, confession and the evil judged (Ezra 10:9) 4. The register of those who had married strange women (Ezra 10:18) Ezra 10:1. Ezra's prayer, confession and humiliation were before the house of the LORD.” The people saw his great sorrow and his tears, they heard his words confessing the nation's sins. It produced a wonderful effect among the people. “There assembled unto him out of Israel a great congregation of me

THE JEWS ASSEMBLE IN JERUSALEM; OFFICERS ARE APPOINTED FROM EACH CITY TO SEE THAT THE FOREIGN WIVES ARE PUT AWAY. Ezra 10:6. Jehohanan: _cf._ Nehemiah 12:13. AND WHEN HE CAME THITHER: read, and he lodged there (_mg.), i.e._ spent the night there. Ezra 10:8. forfeited: devoted, _i.e._ put under a religious ban (see pp. 99, 114, Deuteronomy 2:34 * Joshua 6:17 *). SEPARATED FROM THE CONGREGATION: equivalent to the later put out of the synagogue; _cf._...

CHILDREN. sons. Not. the same word as in Ezra 10:1. CAPTIVITY. exile. As in verses: Ezra 10:6; Ezra 10:8; Ezra 10:16; Ezra 1:11; Ezra 2:1; Ezra 4:1; Ezra 6:19; Ezra 6:20; Ezra 6:21;...

_And they made proclamation_&c. The phrase for making a proclamation is peculiar; it occurs also in chap. Ezra 1:1, where see note. The authors of this proclamation are not mentioned. But we are evidently intended to understand the princes and the chiefs of the people (Ezra 10:5) who had taken the oath administered by Ezra. That some little interval of time elapsed between the events just narrated and the issue of this proclamation is a natural supposition. The policy advocated by Shecaniah (Ezra 10:2-3) had been approved. But time and deliberation were needed to determine upon the best method of putting it into execution (see note on Ezra 9:1). th

2. The decision is shared by the leaders, and an assembly is ordered. TEXT, EZRA 10:5-8 5 Then Ezra rose and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this proposal; so they took the oath. 6 Then Ezra rose from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread, nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. 7 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles. COMMENT His next step was to invi

THE FOREIGN WIVES ARE DIVORCED 3. According to the law] see Deuteronomy 24:1, which required a bill of divorcement....