Ezra 10:7

Ezr 10:7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

Ver. 7. And they made proclamation] Heb. They caused a voice to pass, viz. by a herald or crier.

That they should gather themselves together] And so the guilty might be brought to their answer, in that general assembly.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The resolution carried into execution. - Ezr 10:7, Ezr 10:8. A proclamation was sent forth throughout Judah and Jerusalem (קול העביר, comp. Ezr 1:1) to all the children of the captivity to assemble at Jerusalem under pain of the punishment, that whoever should not come within three days, all his substance should be forfeited and himself excluded from the congregation, according to the decision of the princes and elders, who, as the heads of the community, had taken the matter in hand, and made this announcement. The forfeiture of substance is not its destruction, as prescribed Deu 13:13-17 in the case of a city fallen into idolatry, but its appropriation to the benefit of the temple, after the analogy of Lev 27:28.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Hebrew, the sons of the captivity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(7-17) Conference of the people and commission to try individual cases.

(8) Forfeited.—This, as also what precedes and what follows, again recalls the express commission of Ezra 7. But “according to the counsel” removes all appearance of arbitrariness on the part of Ezra.

(9) Within three days.—From the time of hearing the summons. No town was more than forty miles distant; and of course only those would come that were able, and who came within the scope of the proclamation, the precise terms of which are not given. They were not more than could assemble “in the street,” or open court of the Temple. The minute specifications of date, and the two reasons for the trembling of the people, and the whole strain of the narrative, bear witness to the veracity of an eye-witness.

It was the ninth month.—Chisleu, our December, the rainy month in Palestine.

(10) Ezra the priest.—He stood up, not as the commissioner of Artaxerxes, not at this moment as the scribe, but as the representative of God.

(11) Do his pleasure.—This procedure, humanly severe, is connected with the Divine will.

From the people of the land, and from the strange wives.—The marriages were but a subordinate branch, though a very important one, of the wider sin: that of confederacy with idolators.

(13) We are many.—Better, we have greatly offended in this thing. The greatness of the offence of course implied the number of the offenders.

(14) Stand.—As a representative body in session.

Until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.—A difficult verse, owing to a slight peculiarity in the original. The meaning seems to be: until the fierce wrath of our God—fierce while this matter lasts—be turned away from us.

(15) Were employed about.—Rather, stood against. Nothing is said as to the reason for opposition on the part of these and the two who abetted them. But the reason is obvious enough. Some modern expositors are of their mind, and regard the act of Ezra as remedying one sin by another still greater. They bring Malachi (Ezr_2:15) to their support; but nothing in his prediction about “the wife of thy youth,” rightly understood, tends to condemn the conduct here described.

(16) By their names.—As in Ezr_8:20, the names were before the writer, but are not given.

And sat down.—That is, held a session. This was ten days after the general assembly.

(17) And they made an end.—Though the number of transgressors was only one hundred and thirteen, two months were occupied, which shows the care taken to do justice, especially to the claims of the women put away.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. And they made proclamation &c.] The phrase for making a proclamation is peculiar; it occurs also in chap. Ezr_1:1, where see note.

The authors of this proclamation are not mentioned. But we are evidently intended to understand the princes and the chiefs of the people (Ezr_10:5) who had taken the oath administered by Ezra. That some little interval of time elapsed between the events just narrated and the issue of this proclamation is a natural supposition. The policy advocated by Shecaniah (Ezr_10:2-3) had been approved. But time and deliberation were needed to determine upon the best method of putting it into execution (see note on Ezr_9:1).

throughout Judah and Jerusalem] That is to say, in every district in southern Palestine and in every quarter of the capital. Cf. ‘Jerusalem and Judah’ (Ezr_2:1), ‘Judah and Jerusalem’ (Ezr_4:6, Ezr_5:1, Ezr_9:9).

unto all the children of the captivity] Cf. notes on this phrase Ezr_2:1, Ezr_4:1, Ezr_6:16; Ezr_6:19, Ezr_8:35.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they made proclamation,.... By the voice of an herald:

throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children of the captivity; who were returned from it:

that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; within a time after mentioned.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

7. They made proclamation — Namely, the princes and elders. See next verse. Literally, They made a voice pass in Judah, etc. See note on Ezr_1:1.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

PROCLAMATION MADE, SUMMONING ALL THE JEWS TO JERUSALEM (vers. 7- 9). After due deliberation between Ezra, the princes, and the elders (ver. 8), it was resolved, as a first step, to summon all Jews or, rather, all those who had returned from the captivity, whether they were Jews or Israelites to Jerusalem, in order that the decision come to with respect to the mixed marriages might be communicated to them. The limit of three days was fixed as the latest date at which any one might make his appearance, and absentees were threatened with the heavy penalties of excommunication and forfeiture of all their possessions. Proclamation having been made to this effect "throughout Judah" (ver. 7), there was a gathering of all the males of full age to Jerusalem within the prescribed time. The place of meeting was the great court of the temple (ver. 9). According to Hecataeus of Abdera (Fr. 14), this was "a stone-walled enclosure, about 500 feet long and 150 feet wide," which might perhaps afford sitting room for 20, 000 men. Deducting the aged and infirm, the sick, and those between twelve and twenty years of age, the country Jews would scarcely have reached this number.

They made proclamation. Literally, "they made to pass a voice" (parhneg kan fwnhn LXX). They sent criers to make the matter known. To all the children of the captivity. i.e. to all those who, having returned from the captivity, were now in the land. The expression is a favourite one with Ezra. (see Ezr_2:1 Ezr_4:1 Ezr_6:16, 19 8:35, etc.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Anyone who did not come ... forfeited all of his possessions and would be excluded

"The officials would take all the possessions away from anyone who did not come ... and would excuse them" or "The people of Judah and Jerusalem would take all the possessions away from anyone who did not come ... and would exclude them"

three days

3 days (See: Numbers)

translationWords

Judah

Jerusalem

people group

exile

elder

possess

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

a proclamation Heb. קוֹל, lit. a voice, an announcement.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.