Ezra 10:23 kjv
Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:23 nkjv
Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:23 niv
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:23 esv
Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:23 nlt
These are the Levites who were guilty: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:3-4 | You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me... | God's command against intermarriage |
| Ex 34:15-16 | Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they prostitute themselves... and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters prostitute themselves after their gods... | Early prohibition for spiritual purity |
| Ezra 9:1-2 | After these things had been finished, the officials came to me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands... " | The initial discovery of the sin |
| Ezra 10:1-3 | While Ezra prayed... a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him from Israel, for the people wept bitterly... Let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives... | People's repentance and commitment |
| Ezra 10:18 | Of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women were found... | Lists the priests who sinned |
| Neh 13:23-27 | In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab... I contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. | Nehemiah's later similar struggle |
| Num 3:6-9 | You shall bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. | Levites' role in serving God |
| Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. | Call to holiness and separation |
| 1 Kgs 11:1-8 | Now King Solomon loved many foreign women... and his wives turned away his heart after other gods. | Historical consequence of intermarriage |
| 2 Cor 6:14-17 | Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers... Come out from among them, and be separate from them, says the Lord... | New Covenant principle of separation |
| Hag 2:10-14 | On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet... Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law... "If someone is unclean by contact with a corpse and then touches any of these, does it become unclean?"... "So is this people, and so is this nation before me... " | Spiritual defilement among the people |
| Mal 2:11-12 | Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord... and married the daughter of a foreign god. | Malachi's condemnation of intermarriage |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... | Transformational separation |
| Titus 2:14 | Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. | Redemption for purity and zeal |
| Eph 5:26-27 | That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless. | Christ's work to sanctify His people |
| Ezra 7:10 | For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. | Ezra's commitment to the Law |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." | Call to New Covenant holiness |
| Josh 23:12-13 | For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them... then you may be sure that the Lord your God will not drive out these nations... they shall be a snare... | Warning against future compromise |
| Neh 8:7-8 | Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law... | Levites (including Kelita) teaching the Law |
| Ezek 22:26 | Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean... | Priests' failure to uphold distinction |
| Ps 106:34-40 | They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did... They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons... | Historical result of compromise |
Ezra 10 verses
Ezra 10 23 Meaning
Ezra 10:23 lists six Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer, who were found among those who had taken foreign wives and were obligated to put them away according to the assembly's covenant with God. This verse underscores the pervasive nature of this sin, reaching even into the Levitical priesthood responsible for teaching and maintaining God's law. The inclusion of these names indicates the detailed and deliberate effort to purify the returned community and restore their commitment to God's covenant.
Ezra 10 23 Context
Ezra chapter 10 documents a pivotal moment for the post-exilic community. After Ezra's deep anguish and public confession regarding the widespread sin of intermarriage with foreign women (Ezra 9), the people, led by Shecaniah, are moved to repentance. They propose making a covenant to separate from these foreign wives and children, aligning themselves with the Mosaic Law's prohibition against intermarriage, primarily due to the risk of spiritual assimilation and idolatry. Ezra takes an oath from the leaders, priests, and Levites to carry this out. A decree is issued for all who returned from exile to assemble in Jerusalem within three days; failure to comply would result in confiscation of property and excommunication. Despite initial opposition due to the gravity and personal nature of the matter, a four-month investigation and purging process begins. Ezra 10:23 specifically names some of the Levites who were found guilty of this sin, highlighting that even those consecrated to religious service had succumbed to the compromise, necessitating strict adherence to the covenant to purify the returned remnant.
Ezra 10 23 Word analysis
Of the Levites (מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֑ם - min-hal-ləwiyyim): The prefix 'min' means 'from' or 'of'. 'Ha-levi' refers to the Levites, the priestly tribe dedicated to service in the tabernacle/temple, subordinate to the priests (Aaronites). Their inclusion underscores that the sin of intermarriage was not confined to the general populace but affected those closest to sacred service, emphasizing the depth of spiritual compromise within the community.
Jozabad (יוֹזָבָ֥ד - Yôzāvāḏ): Meaning "Yahweh has bestowed" or "Yahweh has given." This name appears multiple times in Ezra and Nehemiah, often for Levites (e.g., Ezra 8:33, Neh 8:7, Neh 11:16). The presence of such a common name reinforces the specific listing of individuals affected by this crisis.
Shimei (שִׁמְעִ֖י - Šim‘î): Meaning "My hearing" or "Heard by Yahweh." Another common Hebrew name, further demonstrating the personal scale of the problem addressed by Ezra's reforms.
Kelaiah (קְלָיָ֥ה - Qelāyāh): Meaning "Yahweh has called" or "Yahweh has lightened." This individual is then clarified.
(that is, Kelita) (הֽוּא־קְלִיטָ֑א - hū’ Qeliṭā’): 'Hū' means "he/it is." 'Qeliṭā' (Kelita) means "dwarf" or "shrunken." This parenthetical clarification indicates that Kelaiah was also known as Kelita, possibly a nickname or a variant spelling. Kelita is notable as one of the Levites who helped interpret the Law for the people during Ezra’s public reading (Neh 8:7), suggesting a significant figure whose involvement highlights the severity of the sin impacting even learned teachers of the Law.
Pethahiah (פְּתַֽחְיָה֙ - Pəṯaḥyāh): Meaning "Yahweh opens" or "Yahweh sets free." Another common Levitical name (Neh 9:5, Neh 11:24).
Judah (יְהוּדָ֔ה - Yəhûḏāh): Meaning "praised" or "given praise." A common Israelite name, also referring to the tribe from which King David and ultimately the Messiah descended. Its appearance here signifies the involvement of members from the leading tribe.
and Eliezer (וְאֶלְעָזַֽר׃ - wə’El‘āzār): The conjunction 'wə' means "and." 'El‘āzār' means "God has helped" or "My God is helper." A well-known name from Israel's history (e.g., Aaron's son).
"Of the Levites... and Eliezer": This phrase-group indicates a direct, specific enumeration of individuals belonging to the tribe set apart for sacred service. The act of listing names emphasizes the concrete nature of the reform. It shows transparency and accountability in the purge, signaling that no one, regardless of their religious office, was exempt from the requirements of the covenant. The detailing of individuals confirms that the community-wide repentance translated into specific, difficult actions. The mention of "Kelita" (Qelita), who later helps teach the Law in Nehemiah, reveals the journey of repentance and restoration that individuals underwent within this difficult period of reformation.
Ezra 10 23 Bonus section
The act of recording the names of those involved in this difficult separation served multiple purposes: it documented the extent of the problem, solidified the covenant made before God, and likely provided a record for future accountability. The detailed listing underscores the methodical and thorough nature of the cleansing process, signifying the seriousness with which the community took its renewed commitment to the Mosaic Law. The very public and documented nature of this event, including names, provided a tangible witness to their repentance and the severity of their departure from God's commands. It serves as a stark reminder of the spiritual danger of compromise and the painful, yet necessary, measures sometimes required to restore a community to fidelity to God's word.
Ezra 10 23 Commentary
Ezra 10:23 provides a succinct but powerful insight into the widespread spiritual malaise that afflicted the post-exilic community in Jerusalem. By explicitly listing specific Levites who had taken foreign wives, the verse highlights that the sin was pervasive, infiltrating even those set apart for sacred service and teaching God's Law. This was not a minor deviation by a few isolated individuals, but a systemic problem impacting the spiritual fabric of the entire nation, including its religious leaders. The inclusion of Levites, traditionally responsible for upholding and teaching the covenant, underscores the deep necessity of the drastic measure undertaken to dissolve these marriages. The reformation spearheaded by Ezra was not merely a ceremonial act, but a demanding and painful purification designed to restore the covenant community to spiritual integrity. It demonstrated a resolute commitment to divine holiness and the purity of God's people, viewing intermarriage as a grave spiritual threat that led to idolatry and national apostasy, thereby endangering their distinct identity as the people of the Lord. The focus was not on ethnicity for its own sake, but on maintaining spiritual separation and preventing assimilation into pagan religious practices. This uncompromising act served as a foundational re-commitment to God's commandments for a generation still rebuilding its identity in the Promised Land.