Ezra 10 27

Ezra 10:27 kjv

And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

Ezra 10:27 nkjv

of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;

Ezra 10:27 niv

From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.

Ezra 10:27 esv

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

Ezra 10:27 nlt

From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 27 Meaning

Ezra 10:27 lists specific individuals from the clan of Zattu who were found to have married foreign women. This verse is part of a detailed registry documenting those who had committed this transgression, confirming the assembly's commitment to purification following their return from Babylonian exile and their confession of sin. It highlights the pervasive nature of the sin and the systematic effort to rectify it in accordance with the renewed covenant.

Ezra 10 27 Context

Ezra chapter 10 marks the culmination of the crisis detailed in chapter 9. Ezra had learned that the returned exiles, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with foreign women from the surrounding pagan nations. This was a direct violation of God's covenantal commands, seen as a repetition of the sins that led to their seventy-year exile. Ezra's intense grief and public prayer led to widespread repentance among the people. The assembly formally agreed to make a covenant with God to separate themselves from these foreign wives and their children. A committee was established to investigate each case. Ezra 10:27, along with the preceding and following verses, is part of the comprehensive list resulting from this investigation, detailing the specific men from various clans who had committed this sin and, by implication, were putting away their foreign wives. This action was viewed as a drastic but necessary step to re-establish the purity and integrity of the post-exilic community of Israel and ensure their survival as God's chosen people, preserving the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come.

Ezra 10 27 Word analysis

• Of the sons of: Denotes tribal or familial affiliation. Here, it identifies members belonging to a specific lineage, highlighting the organized and systematic identification of the offenders by their family groups.
• Zattu: (Hebrew: זַתּוּ - Zattû) A family head among those who returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:8). Their inclusion demonstrates the pervasiveness of the sin across various prominent clans and families.
• Elioenai: (Hebrew: אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי - ’Elyô‘ênay) Meaning "My eyes are toward the LORD" or "Toward Him are my eyes." It's an ironic or poignant name given the context of turning away from God's commands. It might symbolize the hope of a return to looking unto God after spiritual aberration.
• Eliashib: (Hebrew: אֶלְיָשִׁיב - ’Elyashîb) Meaning "God restores" or "God brings back." This name resonates strongly with the larger theme of the exiles' return and the need for spiritual restoration within the community. The presence of this name among those needing correction underscores the constant need for divine restoration despite human failure.
• Mattaniah: (Hebrew: מַתַּנְיָה - Mattanyâ) Meaning "Gift of the LORD." Like other divine names, it serves as a reminder of God's grace and provision, yet also highlights the contrast between God's generous character and human unfaithfulness.
• Jeremoth: (Hebrew: יְרֵמוֹת - Yĕrêmôth) Meaning "Heights" or "Exaltations." A common name, less overtly thematic in its meaning but still signifying an individual within the community.
• Zabad: (Hebrew: זָבָד - Zabād) Meaning "He has given" or "Endowment." A name emphasizing God as the provider or giver.
• Aziza: (Hebrew: עֲזִיזָא - ‘Ăzîzâ’) Meaning "Strong" or "Mighty." This unique name adds another identifiable person to the list.
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "Of the sons of Zattu:" This phrase establishes the family unit as the basis of identification for these transgressors. In Israelite society, family and clan identity were paramount. The sin affected the whole lineage and community, necessitating communal action. It shows that accountability was tracked through established tribal and family lines.
  • "Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza": This list of proper names is not merely a dry record. It personalizes the widespread sin, demonstrating the meticulousness with which the community confronted their failure. Each name represents a specific life and family affected by the call for purity. The divine components within names like Elioenai, Eliashib, and Mattaniah contrast starkly with the spiritual transgression, implicitly highlighting the contradiction between the identity the names declared and the actions of the individuals.

Ezra 10 27 Bonus section

The seemingly harsh action of separating from foreign wives and their children, exemplified by this verse, must be understood within its specific historical and theological context. The post-exilic community was small and vulnerable, struggling to rebuild their identity. Intermarriage with pagan nations threatened to fully assimilate them and erase their distinct identity as God's covenant people, potentially leading to a relapse into idolatry, which was the primary cause of the exile itself. This was not merely an issue of race or nationality but of religious allegiance and the preservation of a monotheistic faith surrounded by polytheism.

The Law's prohibition (e.g., Deut 7:3-4) was against marriage to those who would draw Israel into idolatry. It's distinct from instances where foreign individuals like Ruth and Rahab were integrated into Israel because they fully embraced the LORD and His covenant, demonstrating a true conversion of heart. The problem in Ezra's time was not foreignness per se, but the continuation of foreign pagan religious practices within Israelite households, posing an existential threat to their covenant identity. The listing of names in Ezra 10 is concrete evidence of the community's desperate but determined commitment to spiritual purity, a foundational requirement for them to fulfill their role in God's redemptive plan for humanity.

Ezra 10 27 Commentary

Ezra 10:27 is a granular piece of a larger narrative of communal repentance and purification. Far from being a mere dry list, it represents the tangible and painful outcome of a profound spiritual crisis among the returned exiles. The enumeration of specific individuals, like those from the Zattu clan, underscores the pervasiveness of the sin of marrying foreign women across all levels of society. It signifies the seriousness of their commitment to the renewed covenant; the sin was addressed at a personal, familial, and tribal level. The inclusion of these names verifies the painstaking and systematic effort made to identify every household involved, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the judgment process set up by Ezra. This verse, therefore, testifies to a painful yet essential act of communal self-preservation, ensuring the unique identity of God's covenant people. Their spiritual survival as a distinct nation was paramount to safeguarding the future divine plan, including the lineage of the Messiah. This radical purification, though difficult, cemented the covenant renewal and served as a crucial lesson about obedience and the dangers of compromising God's commands for the purity of the community.