Ezra 10 18

Ezra 10:18 kjv

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Ezra 10:18 nkjv

And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Ezra 10:18 niv

Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women: From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah.

Ezra 10:18 esv

Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers.

Ezra 10:18 nlt

These are the priests who had married pagan wives: From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 18 Meaning

Ezra 10:18 records the beginning of a specific list of individuals among the returned exiles who had committed the serious sin of marrying foreign women, contrary to God's law. Significantly, the first group identified were from the priestly line, particularly "the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak," the prominent high priest who had returned with Zerubbabel. This immediate naming of high-ranking spiritual leaders underscores the gravity and widespread nature of the spiritual defilement among the community and highlights the immediate need for drastic repentance and reform, beginning with those entrusted with holy duties.

Ezra 10 18 Context

Ezra 10:18 is found in the latter part of the book of Ezra, specifically during a crucial period of spiritual reformation. After returning from Babylonian exile, the Jewish community in Jerusalem began the task of rebuilding the temple and re-establishing their life under God's law. Ezra, a skilled scribe and priest, arrives from Babylon in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes to discover a grave spiritual breach: widespread intermarriage with people of the land, which was strictly forbidden by Mosaic Law. This sin, involving even priests and Levites, was not merely a social issue but a direct threat to the distinct identity, spiritual purity, and covenant faithfulness of the Israelites, potentially leading to syncretism and idolatry as seen in their pre-exilic history. Ezra's profound grief and public prayer of confession in chapter 9 stir the people to deep repentance. Chapter 10 describes the assembly gathered to address this sin. The people, moved by conviction, resolve to put away their foreign wives and the children born of these unions, an exceedingly difficult and painful but necessary step for their corporate spiritual survival. Verse 18 marks the beginning of the formal listing of the individuals involved, commencing with the most prominent spiritual leaders, indicating the thoroughness of the inquiry and the emphasis on accountability from the top down.

Ezra 10 18 Word analysis

• And among: (Hebrew: וּמִבְּנֵי - ūmibbĕnê - lit. "and from the sons of") This conjunction signifies a continuation or an addition, indicating that the following details are part of the broader issue of intermarriage discussed previously in the chapter. It initiates the specific list.
• the sons of the priests: (הַכֹּהֲנִים - hakkōhănîm) Refers to the descendants of Aaron who served in the holy office of priesthood. This group held a crucial role in leading Israel's worship, teaching the Law, and maintaining spiritual purity. Their involvement in intermarriage was a particularly grave offense, as they were meant to be examples of holiness. It highlights a crisis of spiritual leadership.
• there were found: (נִמְצְא֕וּ - nimtsĕʾû) Indicates the outcome of an investigation or revelation, suggesting that these cases were formally identified and perhaps confessed. It implies a discovery of those who had engaged in this practice.
• who had taken: (לָקְחוּ - lāqḥû) Literally "they took" or "they married." This verb signifies a deliberate act of choosing and entering into marriage, not an accidental occurrence. It underscores personal responsibility for the forbidden union.
• foreign wives: (נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת - nâšîm nâkriyyôt) Našîm is wives, nākriyôt (from nākar) means foreign or alien. This refers to women who were not from Israel, especially those from the surrounding pagan nations. The concern was not ethnic purity, but the spiritual and religious impurity these unions would introduce, threatening the covenant relationship with the Lord by leading to idolatry.
• of the sons of Jeshua: (מִבְּנֵ֣י יֵשׁ֔וּעַ - mibbĕnê Yēšûaʿ) Jeshua (Yehoshua or Joshua) was the high priest (Ezra 2:2; Zech 3:1) who returned with Zerubbabel. His position as a key spiritual leader and his family's involvement in this sin signify the pervasive nature of the problem, affecting even the highest echelons of religious authority. It underscores the severity of the spiritual decline.
• the son of Jozadak: (בֶּן־ יֽוֹצָדָ֔ק - ben-Yôtsâdâq) Identifies Jeshua's priestly lineage, linking him to a distinguished high priestly family, emphasizing the significance of his descendants' sin.
• and his brethren: (וְאֶחָ֔יו - wĕʾehây) This phrase extends the responsibility beyond Jeshua's direct sons to his broader family, possibly brothers, cousins, or close kinsmen also within the priestly line. This shows the widespread impact within this influential family.
• Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jashib, and Gedaliah: These are specific names of individuals, highlighting the detailed nature of the reform and the direct accountability for the sin. It signifies that this was not a generalized accusation but a documented investigation and confession. The individual naming makes the repentance concrete and personal.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And among the sons of the priests there were found who had taken foreign wives": This phrase pinpoints the specific sin within a sacred group. It reveals a deeply disturbing moral failure among those called to uphold God's law. Their example of disobedience endangered the spiritual integrity of the entire community, directly violating priestly standards and the divine prohibition against intermarriage that protected Israel's unique relationship with the Lord. This reflects a major spiritual compromise at the very heart of the revived Israelite community.
• "of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren": This phrase dramatically escalates the impact of the discovery. Jeshua, the high priest and a central figure in the return from exile, was a symbol of renewed hope and spiritual leadership. That members of his direct family, including his own "sons" and "brethren," were found guilty of this transgression, illustrated the depth of spiritual defilement. It demonstrated that even the most venerable and significant lineages were not immune to this sin, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and uncompromising repentance. This revealed a leadership failure that required immediate and resolute action.

Ezra 10 18 Bonus section

The revelation of priestly involvement in foreign marriages profoundly challenged the idea of Israel's "holy seed" (Ezra 9:2). The very priests meant to be a bulwark against impurity had become a conduit for it. This emphasizes a crucial spiritual principle: leadership failure often precedes or reflects national spiritual decline. The explicit naming of individuals, from the high priest's family downwards, points to a process of meticulous investigation and public confession. This was not a passive observation but an active purging for the sake of covenant renewal. The reform under Ezra was a necessary, though extreme, surgery to preserve the nation from spiritual demise, preventing a return to the conditions that led to their first exile. It serves as a stark reminder that compromise in key areas of faith, even when seemingly for practical or social reasons, can lead to severe spiritual consequences for individuals and the community as a whole.

Ezra 10 18 Commentary

Ezra 10:18 introduces a profound and painful moment in the post-exilic history of Israel. It explicitly states that among those identified as having married foreign wives were individuals from the high priestly line of Jeshua, a cornerstone of the restored community. This revelation was critical; if spiritual leadership itself was compromised, the entire nation's covenant standing with God was jeopardized. The law against intermarriage (Deut 7:3-4) was not about racial purity but religious and spiritual integrity, aiming to prevent the infiltration of idolatry and preserve the distinct holiness of God's people. The presence of these unions, particularly among the priests whose very function was to mediate God's holiness to the people, highlighted the spiritual blindness and widespread spiritual erosion that had set in even after the harsh lesson of exile. The rigorous and public listing of names, starting with such prominent families, signified the seriousness of the reform and the communal commitment to purging the sin, however personally agonizing it might be. This radical separation, though difficult, was seen as essential for preserving the identity and future faithfulness of Israel, drawing a clear line against spiritual syncretism.