Ezra 10 14

Ezra 10:14 kjv

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.

Ezra 10:14 nkjv

Please, let the leaders of our entire assembly stand; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter."

Ezra 10:14 niv

Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us."

Ezra 10:14 esv

Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us."

Ezra 10:14 nlt

Let our leaders act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us."

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 14 Meaning

Ezra 10:14 details a proposal put forth by Shecaniah, and accepted by the assembled people, to establish a systematic and orderly process for addressing the issue of Israelites who had married foreign women. This involved the delegation of authority to a council of leaders, assisted by elders and judges from each city, to investigate and resolve these cases at appointed times. The ultimate goal of this careful and communal action was to turn away the fierce wrath of God, which was perceived as threatening the community due to this widespread covenant transgression.

Ezra 10 14 Context

Ezra 10:14 is found within the crucial final chapter of the book of Ezra, which records the post-exilic community's radical reform concerning intermarriage. Following Ezra's intense prayer of confession and humiliation in chapter 9, Shecaniah, speaking for the assembly, proposes a covenant with God to put away the foreign wives and their children. Verse 14 outlines the practical, structured, and orderly plan suggested by the people themselves to implement this difficult reform. The historical backdrop is the early return from Babylonian exile, where the identity and purity of the fragile Israelite remnant were seen as severely threatened by assimilation with pagan peoples. This issue was not merely social but spiritual, violating direct commands against intermarriage and risking a return to the idolatry that had led to the initial exile. The concern was that continued divine "fierce wrath" might lead to further judgment or even the complete annihilation of the re-established community.

Ezra 10 14 Word analysis

• Let our leaders represent (יַעֲמְדוּ שָׂרֵינוּ - ya'amdu sareinu):

  • Sareinu (leaders/princes): Refers to the civil and potentially religious heads, a group with authority and influence beyond just the spiritual elders. The plural indicates a broad representation, not just a single individual.
  • Ya'amdu (let them stand/represent): Implies deputizing or commissioning them to stand in the stead of the whole assembly, acting on their behalf with legal authority and accountability. It denotes taking a position of responsibility and service.

• the whole assembly (כָּל הַקָּהָל - kol haqqahal):

  • Kol haqqahal (all the assembly/congregation): This highlights the collective agreement and commitment of the entire community, indicating corporate ownership and responsibility for the proposed action. It signifies unity and widespread consensus for the difficult measure. This 'assembly' acts as a national representative body, a covenantal gathering of God's people.

• all those in our cities who have married foreign women (כָּל־אֲשֶׁר הוֹשִׁיבוּ נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת בְּעָרֵינוּ - kol-asher hoshivu nashim nokhriyot b'areinu):

  • Hoshivu nashim nokhriyot (settled/married foreign women): This phrase is significant. It implies a settled, permanent union, not just a temporary liaison.
  • Nokhriyot (foreign/alien women): This term primarily denotes someone who is not an Israelite, thus typically implying non-worshippers of Yahweh. The concern was spiritual pollution and apostasy rather than mere ethnicity.
  • B'areinu (in our cities): This indicates the problem was widespread throughout the various Jewish settlements, not confined to Jerusalem, necessitating a national, organized response.

• come at appointed times (לְעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנוֹת - le'ittim mezumanot):

  • Le'ittim mezumanot (at appointed/fixed times): This phrase emphasizes an orderly, scheduled, and legal process rather than a chaotic mob action. It speaks of due process, careful deliberation, and a measured approach to a highly sensitive and painful issue. It indicates foresight and planning.

• together with the elders and judges of each city (וְעִם זִקְנֵי וְשׁוֹפְטֵי עִיר וָעִיר - v'im ziknei v'shoftei ir va'ir):

  • Ziknei (elders): These were respected leaders, typically older men with wisdom and experience, serving in a leadership or advisory capacity.
  • Shoftei (judges): These were officials responsible for adjudicating legal matters.
  • Ir va'ir (city and city/each city): This reiterates the localized and systematic approach, showing the decentralized implementation involving local leadership and legal authority in every community where the problem existed.

• until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us (עַד לִשׁוּב חֲרוֹן אַף־אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִמֶּנּוּ - ad lishuv charon af-eloheinu mimmennu):

  • Charon af (fierce/burning anger/wrath): This strong expression denotes intense divine displeasure, often leading to severe judgment and devastation. It reflects the Israelites' deep theological understanding of God's righteous response to covenant breaking, especially after the recent experience of exile.
  • Lishuv (to turn away/return): The aim of the action is to cause God's wrath to recede, emphasizing the seriousness of their offense and the desperate need for propitiation through obedience and repentance. This phrase highlights the ultimate spiritual motivation behind their difficult decision.

• concerning this matter (עַל דָּבָר זֶה - al davar zeh):

  • Al davar zeh (concerning this thing/matter): Specifies that the action and the associated wrath are directly linked to the intermarriage issue.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Let our leaders represent the whole assembly": This signifies an agreement to delegate authority to specific chosen individuals who would act on behalf of the entire community. It highlights the communal commitment to solving the problem and the necessity of orderly, accountable leadership for a task of national significance.
• "all those in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city": This phrase details the method of implementation. It emphasizes that the issue was widespread, requiring local resolution overseen by established civic and judicial authorities, at designated, structured intervals. This points to a legal, due-process approach to a painful situation, designed to ensure fairness and consistency across the land.
• "until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us concerning this matter": This specifies the profound theological motivation behind this difficult reform. The assembly recognized that their corporate sin of intermarriage had incurred divine displeasure (potentially leading to another judgment), and their immediate, decisive action was a collective act of repentance aimed at averting further calamity and restoring God's favor.

Ezra 10 14 Bonus section

The term charon af ("fierce wrath") indicates that the people understood God's anger not as an irrational outburst but as a righteous, holy response to sin, particularly covenant breaking. The recent experience of the exile was a vivid reminder of the consequences of their fathers' disobedience. The "turning away" of this wrath implies that God's judgment is not immutable if there is genuine corporate repentance and rectification of sin. The initiative for this systematic solution, arising from Shecaniah's suggestion and the assembly's agreement (rather than Ezra solely dictating), underscores the communal buy-in and ownership of the painful yet necessary reform. This shows an early instance of a self-governing community taking significant religious and social action.

Ezra 10 14 Commentary

Ezra 10:14 captures a pivotal moment of self-correction in post-exilic Israel. It reflects a collective recognition that the sin of intermarriage was a fundamental violation of God's covenant, risking a return to the idolatry that had led to the Babylonian exile. The verse describes the community's resolve to address this deep spiritual issue with urgency and methodical execution. It proposes a national, structured plan where delegated leaders, supported by local elders and judges, would manage the difficult cases of intermarriage through a fair and ordered legal process. The driving force behind this severe measure was not societal pressure, but a profound theological conviction: the perceived need to turn away God's "fierce wrath" and thus ensure the continued existence and purity of the fragile returned remnant. This highlights a clear understanding of corporate responsibility for sin and the direct link between obedience, divine favor, and national well-being. The action shows both humility in repentance and wisdom in organization, providing an example of how a community confronts a grievous sin threatening its very identity as God's people.