Ezra 10 17

Ezra 10:17 kjv

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

Ezra 10:17 nkjv

By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.

Ezra 10:17 niv

and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

Ezra 10:17 esv

and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

Ezra 10:17 nlt

By March 27, the first day of the new year, they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 17 Meaning

Ezra 10:17 signifies the successful and definitive completion of the strenuous process initiated by Ezra and the leaders of Israel to cleanse the post-exilic community of the spiritual danger posed by intermarriage with foreign women. This verse marks the resolution of the matter, indicating that a significant purification was accomplished, reflecting the people's repentance and their commitment to renew their covenant fidelity with Yahweh.

Ezra 10 17 Context

Ezra 10:17 concludes a challenging period of national spiritual renewal following the discovery of widespread intermarriage between the returned exiles and the pagan peoples of the land. Chapter 9 describes Ezra's profound anguish and prayer upon learning of this transgression, which mirrored the sins that led to the exile. In Ezra 10, the people are deeply moved by Ezra's lament and their own understanding of the severity of their sin. They confess, weep, and agree to make a covenant to divorce their foreign wives and send away the children born to them. This decision, though drastic and painful for individuals, was deemed essential for the spiritual integrity and distinct identity of the fragile, nascent community in the restored land. Verses 14-16 detail the practical implementation: a special judicial commission was appointed in the ninth month to oversee this separation process. Verse 17 then announces the successful culmination of this extensive and difficult task, indicating its completion by the first day of the first month, effectively marking the conclusion of the immediate crisis regarding intermarriage.

Ezra 10 17 Word analysis

• So (וַיְכַלּוּ, vaykallu - part of the verb phrase, implies "and they completed"): Connects this verse as a direct outcome of the previous actions, signifying the conclusion of the stated work.
• by the first day (עַד יוֹם אֶחָד, ʻad yom eḥād): "By" or "up to" this specific date. This precisely timed deadline highlights the commitment and efficiency in addressing the matter.
• of the first month (לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, laḥōdesh hâri’shôn): Referring to the month of Nisan, the beginning of the religious year, often associated with new beginnings and the Passover. This timing emphasizes a full purification cycle completed for the new year.
• they finished (וַיְכַלּוּ, vaykallu, root כלה kalah): From the verb "to finish," "to complete," or "to bring to an end." It implies a definitive and total completion of the process, indicating that the commission diligently fulfilled its mandate without delay or incompletion.
• dealing with (No direct single Hebrew word, implied by the action of 'finishing'): The verb kalah ("finished") here carries the weight of the entire process of examining cases, rendering judgments, and implementing the separations.
• all the men (כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁים, kol hâ’anashīm): "All" (כֹּל, kol) emphasizes the universality of the action; no one involved in such marriages was overlooked. "The men" (הָאֲנָשִׁים, hâ’anashīm) specifically refers to the Israelite men.
• who had married (אֲשֶׁר נָשְׂאוּ, ’asher nāś’û): Lit. "who had taken (as wives)." Refers to the act of marriage itself.
• foreign women (נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת, nâshīm nokhriyyôt): "Women" (נָשִׁים, nāshīm). "Foreign" (נָכְרִיּוֹת, nokhriyyôt, from נָכָר nakar - "to be strange, foreign"). This term signifies non-Israelite women who often carried with them idolatrous practices and beliefs, posing a direct threat to the monotheistic purity and covenant identity of Israel. The concern was spiritual defilement, not mere ethnicity.

Ezra 10 17 Bonus section

The completion date by the "first day of the first month" carries symbolic weight beyond mere timing. The first month (Nisan) marked the start of the Jewish religious calendar, commemorating the Exodus and the Passover—events that signify Israel's identity and redemption by God. Concluding the purification on this day suggests a new beginning for the community, clean and renewed, ready to properly observe the Passover and other festivals. It underscores the severity of the intermarriage issue; the nation essentially reset itself and cleansed the "leaven" of sin from its midst, paralleling the removal of physical leaven before Passover. The entire process, lasting a little over three months (from the 20th of the 9th month, Ezra 10:9), showcases remarkable organizational discipline and fervent dedication by the appointed commission under the gravity of their collective confession and oath. This efficiency speaks volumes about the sense of urgency and communal conviction that permeated the leadership and the people concerning their fidelity to God.

Ezra 10 17 Commentary

Ezra 10:17 is a succinct yet profoundly significant statement marking the culmination of a painful but essential act of purification for the post-exilic community. This verse signifies the success of a divinely mandated initiative to eradicate the pervasive sin of intermarriage with foreign women, a practice repeatedly forbidden due to its historical tendency to lead Israel into idolatry and assimilation. The specific timeframe—from the ninth month (Ezra 10:9) to the first day of the first month—highlights the efficiency and earnestness with which this comprehensive, painful, and often traumatic task was executed. The use of "finished" underscores the thoroughness of the work, implying that every known case was addressed. This action, though harsh by modern standards, was viewed as a radical but necessary surgical incision to prevent spiritual leprosy from consuming the remnant community. It affirmed the people's renewed commitment to their covenant with Yahweh, prioritizing national and spiritual identity over individual affections. This act solidified the community's foundation upon obedience to God's law, crucial for their survival and mission as His chosen people in the land.