Ezra 10:22 kjv
And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Ezra 10:22 nkjv
of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Ezra 10:22 niv
From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
Ezra 10:22 esv
Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Ezra 10:22 nlt
From the family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Ezra 10 22 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Deut 7:3-4 | "Do not intermarry with them... for they will turn your sons away..." | Explicit prohibition against intermarriage due to spiritual danger. |
Exod 34:15-16 | "...you might prostitute yourselves with their gods..." | Warning about spiritual idolatry through alliances. |
Neh 13:23-27 | "In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod..." | Nehemiah's similar enforcement against foreign wives. |
1 Kgs 11:1-8 | "Solomon loved many foreign women... and his wives turned his heart after other gods..." | Example of intermarriage leading to apostasy. |
Gen 6:1-2 | "The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive..." | Early instance of inappropriate mingling, leading to corruption. |
Lev 20:26 | "You are to be holy to me because I am holy..." | Call to separation and holiness as God's people. |
Josh 23:12-13 | "if you ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations..." | Warning against alliances with pagan nations. |
Ezra 9:1-2 | "The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves..." | Immediate context; Ezra's distress over the sin. |
2 Cor 6:14-18 | "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers..." | New Testament parallel to separation from worldly alliances. |
1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | Christian call to distinctive, holy living. |
1 Jn 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive..." | Principle of confession and forgiveness applicable here. |
Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." | Principle of repentance and mercy applied. |
Isa 55:7 | "let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him..." | Call to repent and return to God. |
Jer 3:20-22 | "Return, faithless Israel... See, we have come to You, for You are the LORD our God." | Israel's need for repentance and turning back to God. |
Hos 4:10-11 | "They will eat, but not have enough... because they have abandoned the LORD." | Spiritual consequences of spiritual prostitution/apostasy. |
1 Cor 5:6-7 | "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" | Warning against allowing sin to corrupt the community. |
Deut 28:1-14 | Blessings for obedience, showing the importance of covenant fidelity. | Covenant implications of their obedience. |
Ezra 7:10 | "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law..." | Highlights Ezra's commitment to the Law which led to these reforms. |
Eph 5:11 | "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." | Believers called to shun practices of darkness. |
Phil 2:14-15 | "Do all things without grumbling... so that you may be blameless..." | Encouragement for blamelessness in a crooked generation. |
Heb 12:1 | "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." | Encouragement to remove hindrances to faith. |
Ezra 10 verses
Ezra 10 22 Meaning
Ezra 10:22 lists several men from the family of Pashhur who had taken foreign wives during the post-exilic period in Judah. This verse, like the surrounding ones, records a group of individuals confessing and separating from these marriages in response to the covenant renewal movement initiated by Ezra. It signifies a radical commitment to purifying the community and re-establishing Israel's distinct identity according to God's law, a crucial act of corporate repentance and obedience after returning from exile.
Ezra 10 22 Context
Ezra chapter 10 records the implementation of the community's decision to confess the sin of intermarriage with foreign women and to separate from them. This verse specifically lists several individuals from the priestly family of Pashhur. This decision was a direct result of Ezra's profound grief and intercession described in chapter 9, sparked by the discovery that the exiles, including priests and Levites, had defiled themselves with the practices of the surrounding nations through marriage. The entire chapter outlines the names of those implicated, demonstrating the scope of the problem and the solemn, communal effort to restore purity and adherence to God's law after their return from Babylonian exile, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the apostasy that led to the exile itself.
Ezra 10 22 Word analysis
And: Connects this list to the preceding lists of those who also committed this sin, indicating it's part of a broader group and a consistent issue.
of the sons of: Denotes descent and family lineage. In Israelite society, tribal and family identity was paramount. Their inclusion indicates that no family, not even prominent ones like Pashhur, was immune to this transgression.
Pashhur: (Hebrew: פַשְׁחוּר֙ - Pashchur) This was a significant priestly family name, suggesting leadership or influence. Its inclusion highlights that even those entrusted with spiritual responsibility had strayed from the law, emphasizing the pervasiveness of the sin.
Elioenai: (Hebrew: אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי - 'Elyo'enai) Meaning "my eyes are toward the Lord" or "unto Yahweh are my eyes." This name, full of pious hope and devotion, presents a striking contrast to the sinful act, underscoring the gap between a person's proclaimed identity and their actual conduct. It signifies the ideal posture of repentance, looking back to God.
Maaseiah: (Hebrew: מַעֲשֵׂיָה - Ma`aseyâh) Meaning "work of Yahweh" or "deed of Yah." Like Elioenai, this name's meaning points to God, subtly highlighting that true "work of Yahweh" involves obedience to His commands.
Ishmael: (Hebrew: יִשְׁמָעֵאל - Yishmâ`ê'l) Meaning "God hears" or "may God hear." A well-known biblical name (Abraham's son), its presence here reminds the reader that even those named with reverence for God still sinned and needed to hear and obey God's commands themselves.
Nethaneel: (Hebrew: נְתַנְאֵל - Netan'el) Meaning "given of God" or "God has given." This name emphasizes God's generous giving, yet the men bearing such names had taken what God forbade.
Jozabad: (Hebrew: יוֹזָבָ֤ד - Yôzâbâd) Meaning "Yahweh has bestowed" or "Yahweh is judge." The latter meaning is particularly pertinent here, as the actions of these men would face the judgment of God's law.
Elasah: (Hebrew: אֶלְעָשָׂא - 'El`âsâ') Meaning "God has made" or "God has done." This name points to God's creative and redemptive work, ironically found in men who acted contrary to God's law, reinforcing the need for their own remaking or restoration.
"sons of Pashhur": This phrase underlines the genealogical and social significance of the family. The reform was not just for the common people but touched even the notable priestly lines. This implies that no one was above the law or exempted from the required repentance, demonstrating the thoroughness and impartiality of the cleansing process. The family of Pashhur, sometimes associated with challenging figures in Jeremiah's time, adds a subtle layer of historical significance to their listing here. Their participation in the sin, and subsequent repentance, served as a potent example for the whole community.
Ezra 10 22 Bonus section
The repeated emphasis on naming the individuals throughout Ezra 10 is significant. It serves several purposes:
- Accountability: Each person was publicly identified as having committed the sin and as participating in the act of repentance and separation. This highlights individual responsibility within the collective.
- Historical Record: The list acted as an official record of the cleansing process, a stark reminder for future generations about the perils of compromising faith.
- Solemnity of the Oath: Listing the names affirmed the seriousness of the oath taken by the people to put away the foreign wives.
- Moral Example: While today it might seem harsh, for the returning exiles, this radical act demonstrated a decisive break from the past patterns of idolatry and compromise that had led to the Babylonian exile. It was a communal demonstration of setting boundaries for their new life in the land, aiming to ensure purity and distinctiveness as a "holy seed." This strict adherence was understood as protecting their unique role as a light to the nations and preparing the lineage for the Messiah.
Ezra 10 22 Commentary
Ezra 10:22, a concise listing of names, stands as a solemn testament to the consequences of neglecting God's law and the rigorous nature of repentance. It underscores that the sin of intermarriage with foreign women, forbidden in the Torah, was widespread even among leading families like Pashhur, whose names paradoxically often conveyed deep piety. This specific instance illustrates that a return to the promised land was meaningless without a concurrent return to covenant faithfulness. The public naming of individuals signifies accountability and the community's earnest commitment to internal purification. This act was not mere social reform but a vital step in maintaining Israel's distinct identity as God's chosen people, crucial for their future spiritual integrity and for demonstrating exclusive devotion to Yahweh against the pervasive idolatry of the surrounding cultures. It teaches that true spiritual restoration necessitates radical separation from sin and complete obedience to God's revealed will, regardless of personal cost or social pressure.