Ezra 10 33

Ezra 10:33 kjv

Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Ezra 10:33 nkjv

of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;

Ezra 10:33 niv

From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.

Ezra 10:33 esv

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Ezra 10:33 nlt

From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Ezra 10 verses

Ezra 10 33 Meaning

Ezra 10:33 is a segment within a larger list documenting individuals from various Israelite families who had taken foreign wives during the post-exilic period and committed to put them away according to the communal oath. Specifically, this verse names six men from the clan of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. Their inclusion signifies their participation in the widespread sin of intermarriage with women from surrounding peoples and, critically, their subsequent agreement to publicly repent and sever these marital ties as an act of obedience to God's covenant law, aimed at purifying the returned community and preventing further assimilation.

Ezra 10 33 Context

Ezra 10:33 is part of the final chapter of the book of Ezra, which concludes the account of the post-exilic return and the rebuilding of the community in Judah. The preceding chapters chronicle the first two returns under Zerubbabel and later Ezra, focusing on the rebuilding of the Temple and the re-establishment of the Law.

Chapter 10 specifically addresses a grave spiritual crisis: widespread intermarriage between the returned exiles and women from the pagan peoples of the land, violating direct covenant commands given to Israel since the time of Moses. This sin represented a significant threat to the purity and distinctiveness of the covenant community, risking a relapse into the idolatry and assimilation that had led to the Babylonian exile in the first place.

Ezra, deeply distressed by this news, performed a powerful act of mourning and prayer (Ezra 9). His heartfelt confession of national sin spurred the people to profound repentance. They resolved to make a covenant to send away their foreign wives and the children born to them. This decision, though drastic and painful, was viewed as a necessary act of national spiritual surgery to restore covenant fidelity and avert God's further wrath. Verse 33, along with other verses in chapter 10, provides a formal record, by clan, of the men who committed to this covenant action, ensuring accountability and documenting the extent of the compliance within the community.

Ezra 10 33 Word analysis

• Benei (בְּנֵי - Hebrew): "Sons of" or "descendants of." This term indicates a genealogical or family grouping, specifically identifying the men in this verse as members of the clan led by a man named Bani. It underscores the communal nature of both the sin and the repentance, showing that the issue was widespread across Israelite families.
• Bani (בָּנִי - Hebrew): This is a proper name, identifying the head or progenitor of a particular family or clan. In this context, it simply marks the lineage of the individuals listed immediately after, emphasizing their identity within the community's social structure. Its primary significance is in clearly categorizing the listed individuals.
• Meshullam (מְשֻׁלָּם - Hebrew): A common Hebrew name meaning "repaid" or "complete/perfected." Its specific etymological meaning is not directly significant for the theological message of this verse, but its inclusion, like the other names, serves as a record of individual accountability and participation in the communal repentance.
• Malluch (מַלּוּךְ - Hebrew): Another Hebrew proper name, possibly meaning "reigning" or "counselor." Similar to Meshullam, its specific meaning is secondary to its function as a unique identifier for an individual involved.
• Adaiah (וַעֲדָיָה - Hebrew): "And Adaiah." This name means "Jehovah has adorned" or "Jehovah has passed over/decorated." The Hebrew 'וַ' (va-) means "and," connecting the names. Again, the primary function is identification, rather than any symbolic meaning tied to the name itself in this context.
• Yashuv (יָשׁוּב - Hebrew): A proper name meaning "he will return" or "returning." While this name's meaning "return" could be thematically linked to the "return" from exile and spiritual "return" to God, there's no strong indication within Ezra that this specific name carries deliberate symbolic weight here. It more likely functions purely as an identifier.
• Sheal (וּשְׁאָל - Hebrew): "And Sheal." A proper name. Its precise meaning is uncertain but possibly related to "to ask" or "request." Its presence, alongside others, reinforces the comprehensive listing of those involved in the covenant act.
• Jeremot (וְיֵרֵמוֹת - Hebrew): "And Jeremoth." A proper name meaning "heights" or "elevations." Like the others, it lists a specific individual taking part in the communal commitment to put away foreign wives.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Of the sons of Bani": This phrase categorizes the subsequent names under a specific family lineage. It indicates the organized and systematic manner in which Ezra and the leaders recorded compliance. It also illustrates that the sin of intermarriage permeated various family groups, not just a few isolated individuals. The listing by family unit underscores the collective responsibility and action of the Israelite community as a whole.
• "Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth": This list of six specific names is the concrete embodiment of the resolution made in Ezra 10:3. These men represent those who publicly acknowledged their sin and agreed to take the prescribed drastic action. Their names being recorded suggests public accountability, a commitment binding upon them, and serves as a historical record of the compliance during this pivotal moment of national repentance and purification. The presence of these specific names emphasizes the reality and tangibility of the community's dedication to covenant fidelity.

Ezra 10 33 Bonus section

• Ethical Complexity and Specificity: The act of sending away wives and children, while seemingly harsh by modern standards, must be understood within its specific historical-theological context. It was not a blanket command for all marriages between Israelites and non-Israelites throughout history, nor a universal directive for mixed-faith marriages today. Instead, it was an extreme, emergency measure taken during a post-exilic national crisis when the very spiritual and physical survival of the nascent Jewish community, tasked with preserving the covenant line and sacred Scriptures, was perceived to be at stake due to deep-seated syncretism. This action aimed at preventing further spiritual erosion and avoiding another catastrophic exile. The focus was on national identity, purity of worship, and guarding against idolatry linked to the surrounding pagan nations, not on ethnicity per se.
• Documentation and Accountability: The meticulous listing of names throughout Ezra 10 (and elsewhere in Ezra-Nehemiah, e.g., Nehemiah 10) served crucial administrative and spiritual functions. It provided an official record of those who had violated the covenant, those who confessed, and those who agreed to comply with the difficult purification. This acted as a form of public accountability, demonstrating the sincerity of their repentance and creating a legal and religious precedent for the community's future conduct. It reinforced the gravity of the communal oath and ensured that individuals took personal responsibility for collective sin.
• Contrast with New Testament: The New Testament, while affirming the sanctity of marriage and warning against unequal yoking (2 Cor 6:14), provides different guidance for existing marriages where one spouse converts to faith (1 Cor 7:12-16), not commanding divorce but rather encouraging believers to stay if possible. This illustrates a theological shift from ethnic purity of a nation-state to spiritual purity of a universal, spiritual kingdom (the Church), where marital fidelity is rooted in commitment to Christ and love for one another, and physical lineage is no longer the primary determinant of covenant membership.

Ezra 10 33 Commentary

Ezra 10:33, like the other verses listing names in this chapter, provides specific details of the compliance with the solemn oath taken by the returned exiles to rectify the sin of intermarriage. These names are not merely an ancient roster but signify profound public commitment and painful obedience. Each name represents an individual who, despite the personal cost, participated in the radical corporate decision to purify the covenant community. The list serves as evidence of the scope and reality of this challenging spiritual reform. It highlights that true repentance involved concrete, often agonizing, actions to restore the nation's unique identity as God's separated people, dedicated solely to Him, distinct from the surrounding pagan cultures whose influence had led to previous national apostasies and judgment. This commitment, while challenging, aimed to secure the spiritual future and identity of Israel as the bearer of God's redemptive plan.