Ezra 10 11

Ezra 10:11 kjv

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.

Ezra 10:11 nkjv

Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives."

Ezra 10:11 niv

Now honor the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives."

Ezra 10:11 esv

Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives."

Ezra 10:11 nlt

So now confess your sin to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women."

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 11 Meaning

Ezra 10:11 is a crucial command given to the returned exiles, directing them towards repentance and action in response to the widespread sin of intermarriage with foreign women. It calls for a dual response: inward confession to the covenant God of their ancestors, acknowledging their disobedience, and outward separation from the pagan influences of the surrounding peoples and their foreign wives. This directive aims to purify the community, restore covenant faithfulness, and safeguard the distinct identity and spiritual integrity of Israel.

Ezra 10 11 Context

Ezra 10:11 falls within the historical period following the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and later, Ezra. The surrounding context (Ezra chapters 9 and 10) details a grave crisis: the people, including leaders, had intermarried with the surrounding pagan inhabitants of the land, violating specific Mosaic laws (Deut 7:3-4, Ex 34:15-16). This intermarriage was not merely a social issue but a severe spiritual transgression, leading to syncretism and threatening the distinct covenant identity of Israel.

Ezra 9 describes Ezra’s profound grief and public prayer of confession upon discovering this sin. Ezra 10 then records the assembly’s resolve to address this sin decisively. Verse 11, specifically, outlines the dual actions required of the people: humble confession to the LORD God of their fathers, and then, crucially, an active separation from the non-Israelite peoples and the foreign wives, reflecting a complete break from this destructive practice. This was a radical but necessary step to re-establish the purity of the post-exilic community, preventing them from falling into the same idolatrous patterns that had led to the previous exile.

Ezra 10 11 Word analysis

• Now therefore (וְעַתָּה - ve'attah): This powerful Hebrew conjunction indicates a call to action based on what has just been presented. It serves as a hinge, moving from recognition of sin to the imperative for change. It signals a critical moment for decision and implementation.
• make confession (תְּנוּ תוֹדָה - t'nu todah): "Make confession" literally means "give todah." Todah signifies a sacrifice of praise or thanksgiving, often accompanied by acknowledgment of wrongdoing or deliverance. Here, it refers to acknowledging guilt, but implicitly in a spirit of praise to God's justice and mercy. It is an outward expression of an inward spiritual posture.
• to the LORD (לַיהוָה - laYHWH): Emphasizes the personal, covenantal Name of God. The confession is made not to Ezra or the community, but directly to God, highlighting His authority and their covenant relationship.
• God of your fathers (אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם - Elohei avoteichem): Connects the current generation's disobedience to the historical covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It implies accountability to the same God who faithfully preserved and disciplined their ancestors, reminding them of their spiritual heritage and obligations.
• and do (וַעֲשׂוּ - va'asu): An imperative, calling for active obedience. Confession is not enough; action must follow.
• His pleasure (רְצוֹנוֹ - retzono): Refers to God's will, desire, or purpose. This is more than merely ceasing a bad practice; it is actively aligning their lives with God’s explicit commands and divine intention for His people. It stresses complete surrender and conformity to His divine standard.
• and separate yourselves (וְהִבָּדְלוּ - vehibad'lu): This verb is in the Nifal stem, implying a reflexive or passive action, meaning they are to cause themselves to be separated or distinct. It is an intentional, deliberate act of pulling away from spiritual contamination. This separation is key to preserving their unique identity as God’s holy people.
• from the peoples of the land (מֵעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ - me'ammei ha'aretz): Refers to the non-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan, who engaged in idolatrous and corrupt practices. The command requires social and spiritual distance from their ways, preventing cultural and religious assimilation.
• and from the foreign wives (וּמִן הַנָּשִׁים הַנָּכְרִיּוֹת - u'min hanna'shim hannokriyot): These were women from the surrounding pagan nations with whom Israelites had unlawfully intermarried. This explicit mention indicates the primary source of spiritual contamination that necessitated the drastic separation, as these marriages threatened the very spiritual foundation of the Israelite community by introducing foreign gods and practices into homes.

Words-group analysis:

• "make confession to the LORD God of your fathers": This phrase combines acknowledgement of guilt (confession) with a recognition of the covenant relationship (LORD God of your fathers). It emphasizes that their sin was not merely social but an offense against their covenant God, calling for humble acknowledgment of His authority and their failure.
• "do His pleasure": This goes beyond merely ceasing the wrong; it's a positive command to actively pursue and align with God's will. It shifts the focus from simply stopping sin to proactively living in obedience and righteousness.
• "separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives": This is the practical, physical manifestation of their confession and commitment to God's will. It’s a radical act of purification, removing the specific sources of spiritual compromise to ensure the survival and distinctiveness of the holy seed.

Ezra 10 11 Bonus section

The "peoples of the land" (עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, ‘ammei ha’aretz) is a phrase that changes meaning slightly throughout the Old Testament. In this post-exilic context, it specifically refers to the non-Israelite inhabitants who practiced pagan worship and had become a source of spiritual corruption for the returned exiles. It contrasts sharply with earlier uses where it could refer to the general population of Israel (e.g., in Leviticus for legal contexts). Here, it distinctly denotes outsiders who threaten the covenant community's purity.

The act of "sending away" or separating from the foreign wives and their children, while seemingly harsh to modern sensibilities, was understood as a "spiritual surgery" to preserve the "holy seed" of Israel. It was considered less damaging than the spiritual annihilation of the entire community through idolatry, which had been Israel's recurring sin leading to the Babylonian exile. The very survival of the lineage through which the Messiah would come depended on the community’s adherence to covenant holiness. This specific command must be understood within its unique, desperate historical and theological context, distinguishing it from general instructions regarding marriage in the Bible. The severity of the divine intervention reflects the gravity of the spiritual threat posed by syncretism to God's covenant people.

Ezra 10 11 Commentary

Ezra 10:11 encapsulates the essence of biblical repentance: a profound shift involving both internal disposition and external action. The command to "make confession to the LORD God of your fathers" underscores that true repentance is directed toward God, acknowledging personal culpability against His covenant and character. This confession is not passive; it calls for a return to covenant loyalty and relationship with the God who has always been faithful to His people, even in their ancestral history.

The subsequent directive, "do His pleasure," transitions from acknowledging sin to active obedience. It is insufficient to merely confess; one must actively align with God's revealed will. In this specific historical context, God’s pleasure mandated radical separation. "Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives" highlights the dire necessity of this physical and social distancing. This was not ethnic discrimination, but a crucial measure to preserve the unique spiritual identity of Israel and prevent the pagan corruption that historically led to their downfall. The foreign wives were the immediate conduit through which idolatry and syncretism had entered the community, compromising the "holy seed" and threatening the nation’s covenant with God. The measure was drastic—disrupting established households—but deemed essential to safeguard the spiritual purity and future of the remnant community as the channel for God’s redemptive plan.

For Christians today, while we are not commanded to physically divorce non-believing spouses (1 Cor 7:12-16), the spiritual principles remain potent: believers are called to confess their sins, to live in active obedience to God's will, and to maintain a spiritual separation from worldly values and ungodly influences (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 6:14-17). The radical steps taken in Ezra's time illustrate the seriousness of spiritual compromise and God's demand for holiness and unwavering devotion within His covenant community.