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英文原文
In this chapter we have that grievance redressed which was complained of and lamented in the foregoing chapter. Observe, I. How the people's hearts were prepared for the redress of it by their deep humiliation for the sin, Ezr 10:1. II. How it was proposed to Ezra by Shechaniah, Ezr 10:2-4. III. How the proposal was put in execution. 1. The great men were sworn to stand to it, Ezr 10:5. 2. Ezra appeared first in it, Ezr 10:6. 3. A general assembly was called, Ezr 10:7-9. 4. They all, in compliance with Ezra's exhortation, agreed to the reformation, Ezr 10:10-14. 5. Commissioners were appointed to sit "de die in diem"—day after day, to enquire who had married strange wives and to oblige them to put them away, which was done accordingly (Ezr 10:15-17), and a list of the names of those that were found guilty given in, Ezr 10:18-44.
1-44
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
以斯拉的改革（公元前456年）
¹ 以斯拉祷告、认罪、哭泣，俯伏在神殿前的时候，有以色列中的男女和孩童聚集到他那里，成了大会；百姓痛痛地哭号。 ² 以拦的子孙耶歇的儿子示迦尼对以斯拉说：我们得罪了我们的神，娶了那地之民的外邦女子为妻；然而现在以色列人在此事上还有指望。 ³ 现在当与我们的神立约，照我主和那因我们神命令而战惧之人的议定，休这一切的妻和她们所生的；当照律法而行。 ⁴ 你起来，这是你当办的事；我们必帮助你；你当奋勇而行。 ⁵ 以斯拉便起来，使众祭司长、利未人和以色列众人都起誓，必照这话去行。他们就都起了誓。
我们在此被告知：
I. 以斯拉的自卑和认罪在百姓心中留下了何等好的印象。城中一传出消息，说他们所喜乐的新省长竟为他们和他们的罪如此忧伤——而且忧到极处——立刻就有极大的会众聚集到他那里，要看个究竟，并与他一同流泪（拉十1）。我们为别人的罪流泪，或许能叫那些原本麻木无悔的人也为此罪流泪。请看善人的好榜样对下属有何等好的影响。以斯拉——一位文士、一位学者、一位在王权之下有地位的人——既然如此深切地为公众的败坏哀痛，他们就断定这些败坏实在极其严重，否则他不会如此忧伤；这就使众人的眼目都流下泪来：男女和孩童痛痛地哭号。
II. 示迦尼在此场合所提的善议。这地方就是波金——哭者之地；但据我们所见，其中似乎一片深沉的静默，如同约伯的朋友们一样——因见他的忧愁极大，便不以一言回答他——直到示迦尼（从巴比伦与以斯拉同来者之一，拉八3、5）站起来，向以斯拉发言。其中：
1. 他承认全民的罪愆，将以斯拉的认罪一言以蔽之，并盖印承认其为真：我们得罪了我们的神，并娶了外邦女子为妻（拉十2）。这事太明显，无法否认；太恶劣，无法开脱。看不出示迦尼本人在这事上有罪（若他自己眼中有梁木，便不能如此清楚地挑出弟兄眼中的刺）；但他父亲有罪，他父家好几个人也有罪（如拉十26所示），所以他将自己也算在犯罪者之中；他也不因自己亲属中有犯罪的便为罪开脱或减轻，反而在神的事上对父亲说：我不认识他——如利未之所行（申三十三9）。也许他父亲所娶的外邦妻曾对他这位继子苛待不仁，在家中生事，他便设想别人所行也是如此，这使他更踊跃地出面反对这腐败；若是如此，这并非私有怨恨唯一一次被神的护理所掌管以服事公益。
2. 他勉励自己和他人盼望：虽然事情已坏，却仍可改正。然而现在以色列人在此事上还有指望（除了以色列，还能在何处有指望呢？与那共同体无分的外人，经上说他们没有指望——弗二12），就是在这事上也有指望。这案虽悲，却未绝望；这病虽险，却非不治。尚有指望：百姓可被改革，罪人可被挽回，传染可被止住；如此罪所当得的审判便可被防止，一切便都好了。如今有了指望；如今病既被发现，便已半愈。如今警报既发，百姓开始察觉祸患而为之哀痛，悔改的灵似乎倾注在他们身上，他们都如此在神前自卑——如今有了指望：神必赦免、必施怜悯。亚割谷（即患难谷）是指望之门（何二15）；因真正困扰我们的罪必不至于毁灭我们。如今以色列有以斯拉这样贤明、敬虔、热心的省长来处理此事，便有了指望。请注意：（1）在忧愁之时，我们既要看见不利于己的，也要看见有利于己的。（2）即使在神前深感罪愆之时，靠着恩典仍可有美好的盼望。（3）罪既被看见并为之哀痛，又采取良好步骤走向改革，连罪人也当受鼓励。（4）即使大圣徒也当欣然领受来自远逊于己者的合时劝勉与安慰，正如以斯拉受教于示迦尼。
3. 他建议：当采取迅速有效的步骤去休掉外邦妻子。案情明朗；凡误犯的，当尽量还原；少于如此，便非真悔改。让我们休去这一切的妻和她们所生的（拉十3）。以斯拉虽知此乃纠正弊端之唯一途径，却或以为不可行，对能否使百姓照此而行感到绝望，这就使他陷入前章我们所留下他时的混乱之中；但与百姓交往较多的示迦尼向他保证：只要智慧行事，此事可行。就我们今日而言，罪必须被除掉，必须给它一纸休书，决意与它再无瓜葛——即便它如怀中之妻，甚至如右眼或右手，否则便无赦免、无平安。凡不义所得的，不能义而持守，必须归还；但论到与不信之人同负一轭之事，示迦尼当时所深信的，今日已不能成立：这样的婚姻确属有罪，本不当结，却并非无效。Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet——所不当行的，既已行，便当存留。 我们在福音之下的规则是：若有弟兄的妻子是不信的，她若情愿与他同住，他就不要离弃她（林前七12、13）。
4. 他为他们设定了一个实行这改革的好方法，不仅告诉他们必须作，且告诉他们当如何作。（1）"让以斯拉和一切在此聚会中的人都同意决议此事当行（立即通过这样的决议：如今必Nemine contradicente——全场一致通过），使这事可说是照我主的议定而行——即照大会主席的议定，并得到一切因我们神的命令而战惧之人的一致赞同——这些人正是拉九4所记聚集到他那里之人的特征。要宣布这是我们当中一切清醒敬虔之人的共同心意，这在以色列人当中必大有影响。"（2）"让以斯拉在他祷告中所引述的神关于此事的命令摆在百姓面前，让他们看见这是照律法而作；我们有律法为凭，且律法更命令我们如此行；这不是我们对神律法的增添，乃是律法的必要执行。"（3）"我们既在好的心志中，就当以庄严的誓愿和立约约束自己必定去行，免得当前的印象一旦消退，事情便搁置。让我们立约：不仅我们若自己有外邦妻，必休之；即或没有，也当在自己的位置上尽力使别人也休去其外邦妻。"（4）"让以斯拉亲自主持此事——他既奉王命授权，查究犹大和耶路撒冷是否按神的律法而行（拉七14）——让我们众人都决意在此事上支持他（拉十4）：起来，当奋勇而行。 在这事上，流泪是好的，改革更好。" 参看神在类似场合对约书亚所说的话（书七10、11）。
III. 他们因这善议所下的善决（拉十5）。他们不仅同意此事当行，更以誓言约束自己必照这话而行。紧紧地系住，必紧紧地得着。
⁶ 以斯拉就从神殿前起来，进入以利亚实的儿子约哈难的屋子；到了那里，他不吃饭，也不喝水；他为被掳归回之人的罪愆心里悲伤。 ⁷ 他们通告犹大和耶路撒冷一切被掳归回的人，叫他们在耶路撒冷聚集。 ⁸ 凡不照首领和长老所议定、三日之内不到的，他一切所有的必被没收，他自己也必从被掳归回之人的会中分别出来。 ⁹ 于是犹大和便雅悯众人，三日之内都聚集在耶路撒冷。那是九月二十日；众人都坐在神殿的宽阔处，因这事和因大雨而战抖。 ¹⁰ 祭司以斯拉站起来，对他们说：你们犯罪了；娶了外邦女子为妻，加增以色列人的罪愆。 ¹¹ 现在当向耶和华你们列祖的神认罪，遵行他的旨意，从那地的民和外邦女子中分别出来。 ¹² 会众都大声回答说：你怎样说，我们必怎样行。 ¹³ 只是百姓众多，又逢大雨，不能站在外头；这也不是一两天能办完的事，因为我们在这事上犯罪的人甚多。 ¹⁴ 不如让会众的众首领都在此；凡在我们城里娶了外邦妻子的，到了所定的时候，与他本城的长老和士师同来，直到我们神的烈怒因这事转离我们。
我们在此有关于近时所立之志于外邦妻子一事之执行的记载；他们未失时机，趁热打铁，很快便使改革的轮子转动起来。1. 以斯拉到议事厅去——大概那是祭司惯于商议公务之地；他直到那里（帕特里克主教认为应如此读）——直到他看见有所行动、且更有行动之望，以纠正此弊——既不吃饭，也不喝水，仍继续哀痛。为罪的忧愁当是持久的忧愁；务要让它持续，直到罪被除掉。2. 他下令给一切被掳归回之子民，三日之内到耶路撒冷来聚集（拉十7、8）；他既奉王命有权以刑罚执行其命（拉七26），便威吓：凡不听召唤者，必没收其产业，并被放逐。那不愿赴此宗教场合之人的判决是：他的产业此后要永远代替他归为宗教之用，他本人因藐视此后也要永远被排除于宗教的尊荣和特权之外——他要被逐出会。3. 在所定的期限之内，绝大多数人都聚集到耶路撒冷，在神殿的宽阔处显现（拉十9）。那些对所召之工毫无热心、甚至自己就是罪人、对之厌恶的人，也因对以斯拉权柄的敬重，并对刑罚的畏惧，不敢不来。4. 神以当时的大雨给他们一个不悦的记号（拉十9、13），这或许阻挡了某些人前来，对那些在空旷处聚集的人也极难受。他们哭的时候，天也在哭；这表明神虽为他们的罪发怒，却喜悦他们的悔改——（如士十16所言）他的心为以色列的苦难担忧；这又是他们悔改善果的预兆，因雨水使地结果。5. 以斯拉在这大审讯中吩咐众人。他告诉他们此时召他们来是为甚么——因他发现他们自被掳归回以来，竟借着娶外邦女子为妻而加增了以色列的罪愆，在旧罪之上添了新过犯；这必是再次引入偶像崇拜的途径——那正是他们曾为之受苦、并在被掳中希望已被治愈的罪。他召他们来，使他们能向神认罪，并既认之后，宣告自己乐意遵行他的旨意——这旨意将向他们显明（凡真心悔改其得罪神之行的，都必如此行），特别是要他们从一切拜偶像之人——尤其是拜偶像的妻子——中分别出来（拉十10、11）。在这些事上，我们可以设想他详细论述，也许又作了如拉九5-15那样的认罪，并要他们一同说阿们。6. 百姓不仅服从以斯拉一般的管辖，也服从他在此事上的查问与裁决：你怎样说，我们必怎样行（拉十12）。我们在与外邦人混杂上犯了罪，因此不仅因我们软弱，有被他们败坏的危险，更因我们人少，有在他们中消失的危险；所以我们深信：我们必须再与他们分别，这是绝对必要的。当百姓不仅被说服：放弃罪恶是好的，且被说服：这是绝对不可少的——非如此便要灭亡——就有指望可言。7. 大家同意：这事不可在群众大会中进行，也不可指望一蹴而就；而当设立委员庭来受理控告，并加以审理裁决。此时此刻不能办成，因尚未纳入正轨，百姓也因雨不能在外久站。罪人为数众多，发现并审讯他们需时；案情复杂，不经辩论和审议便无法判决（拉十13）。"所以让众人散去，让首领站着受理信息；让他们逐城进行，让犯罪者在他们本城的士师和长老面前被定罪；并托他们监督命令的执行。如此从容而行，反倒更快成就；若仓促而行，必半途而废（拉十14）。若按此法彻底改革，神的烈怒就必转离我们——我们深知这怒气正因这罪过而欲向我们发作。" 以斯拉乐见他自己的热心受百姓谨慎的引导，便将此事纳入此法；他并不耻于承认这建议是出于他们，正如他不耻于顺从之。
¹⁵ 惟有亚撒黑的儿子约拿单、特瓦的儿子雅哈谢为此事效力；又有利未人米书兰、沙拜帮助他们。 ¹⁶ 被掳归回的人就这样行了。祭司以斯拉和按宗族的首领，连同按他们的名字一一列出的人，在十月初一日都分别出来，坐堂查办这事。 ¹⁷ 到正月初一日，他们才查办完所有娶外邦女子为妻之人的事。
办法既已议定，会众也已散去，各人可以到自己的位置上去获取和传达消息，便利此事，我们在此被告知：1. 谁承当办理此事、将案件正式带到委员庭前——约拿单和雅哈谢，两位活跃的人；是祭司还是百姓，并未说明；大概他们就是提出那建议（拉十13、14）的人，所以最适合监督执行；有两位忠信的利未人与他们同工，帮助他们（拉十15）。莱特福特博士另有相反的解释：惟有（或然而）约拿单和雅哈谢反对此事（原文也可如此读），而这两位利未人在反对上帮助他们——或反对事情本身，或反对其办理之法。若此种善工能推行而不遇反对，那才奇怪。2. 谁是坐堂处理此事的委员。以斯拉为主席，与他同坐的有几位族长——其智慧和热心在众人之上，正适合此役（拉十16）。他们有以斯拉这样的人为首领，实为幸事；若没有他的指导，他们难以办好；但他却不肯没有他们的协助而独行。3. 他们花了多少时间。十月初一日他们开始查办这事（拉十16），距办法提出之日（拉十9）不过十日；三个月完毕（拉十17）。他们坐堂紧密、专心办事，否则断不能在如此短的时间内处理如此多的案件；因我们可以设想，凡被控者都被公正地问到有何理由不可与之分离；若按其他案件判断，妻子若已归顺犹太教，便不必休去——查明这一点需要大费心机。4. 被定有罪的是谁。他们的名字在此被记下，作他们永远的羞辱；其中有许多祭司——甚至大祭司耶书亚的家族中也有有罪的（拉十18），虽然律法特别为保护他们在婚姻上的尊荣而规定：他们既自己是圣的，就不可娶不圣洁的女子为妻（利二十一7）。那些本当教导别人律法的人，自己反倒违犯，并以自己的榜样壮人之胆，使别人也照样行。但他们既在此事上失了清白，便当悔改，并留下悔改的榜样；因他们亲手（有人以为他们举手起誓）应许休去外邦妻；又走了得赦的正当途径——献上律法所定的赎愆祭公羊（利六6），如此承认己罪和所应得的，谦卑地恳求赦免。此处所记娶外邦妻的，共约113人，其中有人说（拉十44）已生有儿女——这暗示多数人并未如此；神并未以繁衍之福加在他们这些婚姻之上。儿女是否随母亲一同被逐，如示迦尼所提议，经上并未说明；看来并非如此；然而被休之妻大概是按其身份得到妥善供给的。人或以为这弊端如今已彻底纠正，然而我们后来又遇见它（尼十三23；玛二11）——这类腐败容易不知不觉地引入，却难以再次清除。最好的改革者不过尽其力而行；但当救赎主自己来到锡安时，他必有效地除掉雅各一切不敬虔之事。
英文原文
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
¹ Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
² And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
³ Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
⁴ Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
⁵ Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
We are here told,
I. What good impressions were made upon the people by Ezra's humiliation and confession of sin. No sooner was it noised in the city that their new governor, in whom they rejoiced, was himself in grief, and to so great a degree, for them and their sin, than presently there assembled to him a very great congregation, to see what the matter was and to mingle their tears with his, Ezr 10:1. Our weeping for other people's sins may perhaps set those a weeping for them themselves who otherwise would continue senseless and remorseless. See what a happy influence the good examples of great ones may have upon their inferiors. When Ezra, a scribe, a scholar, a man in authority under the king, so deeply lamented the public corruptions, they concluded that they were indeed very grievous, else he would not thus have grieved for them; and this drew tears from every eye: men, women, and children, wept very sore, when he wept thus.
II. What a good motion Shechaniah made upon this occasion. The place was Bochim—a place of weepers; but, for aught that appears, there was a profound silence among them, as among Job's friends, who spoke not a word to him, because they saw that his grief was very great, till Shechaniah (one of Ezra's companions from Babylon, Ezr 8:3,5) stood up, and made a speech addressed to Ezra, in which,
1. He owns the national guilt, sums up all Ezra's confession in one word, and sets to his seal that it is true: "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, Ezr 10:2. The matter is too plain to be denied and too bad to be excused." It does not appear that Shechaniah was himself culpable in this matter (if he had had the beam in his own eye, he could not have seen so clearly to pluck it out of his brother's eye), but his father was guilty, and several of his father's house (as appears Ezr 10:26), and therefore he reckons himself among the trespassers; nor does he seek to excuse or palliate the sin, though some of his own relations were guilty of it, but, in the cause of God, says to his father, I have not known him, as Levi, De 33:9. Perhaps the strange wife that his father had married had been an unjust unkind step-mother to him, and had made mischief in the family, and he supposed that others had done the like, which made him the more forward to appear against this corruption; if so, this was not the only time that private resentments have been over ruled by the providence of God to serve the public good.
2. He encourages himself and others to hope that though the matter was bad it might be amended: Yet now there is hope in Israel (where else should there be hope but in Israel? those that are strangers to that commonwealth are said to have no hope, Eph 2:12) even concerning this thing. The case is sad, but it is not desperate; the disease is threatening, but not incurable. There is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion; and so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented and all will be well. Now there is hope; now that the disease is discovered it is half-cured. Now that the alarm is taken the people begin to be sensible of the mischief, and to lament it, a spirit of repentance seems to be poured out upon them, and they are all thus humbling themselves before God for it, now there is hope that God will forgive, and have mercy. The valley of Achor (that is, of trouble) is the door of hope (Ho 2:15); for the sin that truly troubles us shall not ruin us. There is hope now that Israel has such a prudent, pious, zealous governor as Ezra to manage this affair. Note, (1.) In melancholy times we must see and observe what makes for us, as well as what makes against us. (2.) There may be good hopes through grace, even when there is the sense of great guilt before God. (3.) Where sin is seen and lamented, and good steps are taken towards a reformation, even sinners ought to be encouraged. (4.) Even great saints must thankfully receive seasonable counsel and comfort from those that are much their inferiors, as Ezra from Shechaniah.
3. He advises that a speedy and effectual course should be taken for the divorcing of the strange wives. The case is plain; what has been done amiss must be undone again as far as possible; nothing less than this is true repentance. Let us put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, Ezr 10:3. Ezra, though he knew this was the only way of redressing the grievance, yet perhaps did not think it feasible, and despaired of ever bringing the people to it, which put him into that confusion in which we left him in the foregoing chapter; but Shechaniah, who conversed more with the people than he did, assured him the thing was practicable if they went wisely to work. As to us now, it is certain that sin must be put away, a bill of divorce must be given it, with a resolution never to have any thing more to do with it, though it be dear as the wife of thy bosom, nay, as a right eye or a right hand, otherwise there is no pardon, no peace. What has been unjustly got cannot be justly kept, but must be restored; but, as to the case of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now; such marriages, it is certain, are sinful, and ought not to be made, but they are not null. Quod fierinon debuit, factum valet—That which ought not to have been done must, when done, abide. Our rule, under the gospel, is, If a brother has a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, 1Co 7:12,13.
4. He puts them in a good method for the effecting of this reformation, and shows them not only that it must be done, but how. (1.) "Let Ezra, and all those that are present in this assembly, agree in a resolution that this must be done (pass a vote immediately to this effect: it will now pass nemine contradicente—unanimously), that it may be said to be done according to the counsel of my lord, the president of the assembly, with the unanimous concurrence of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, which is the description of those that were gathered to him, Ezr 9:4. Declare it to be the sense of all the sober serious people among us, which cannot but have a great sway among Israelites." (2.) "Let the command of God in this matter, which Ezra recited in his prayer, be laid before the people, and let them see that it is done according to the law; we have that to warrant us, nay, that binds us to what we do; it is not an addition of our own to the divine law, but the necessary execution of it." (3.) "While we are in a good mind, let us bind ourselves by a solemn vow and covenant that we will do it, lest, when the present impressions are worn off, the thing be left undone. Let us covenant, not only that, if we have strange wives ourselves, we will put them away, but that, if we have not, we will do what we can in our places to oblige others to put away theirs." (4.) "Let Ezra himself preside in this matter, who is authorized by the king's commission to enquire whether the law of God be duly observed in Judah and Jerusalem (Ezr 7:14), and let us all resolve to stand by him in it (Ezr 10:4): Arise, be of good courage. Weeping, in this case, is good, but reforming is better." See what God said to Joshua in a like case, Jos 7:10,11.
III. What a good resolution they came to upon this good motion, Ezr 10:5. They not only agreed that it should be done, but bound themselves with an oath that they would do according to this word. Fast bind, fast find.
⁶ Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
⁷ And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
⁸ And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
⁹ Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
¹⁰ And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
¹¹ Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
¹² Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
¹³ But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
¹⁴ Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
We have here an account of the proceedings upon the resolutions lately taken up concerning the strange wives; no time was lost; they struck when the iron was hot, and soon set the wheels of reformation a-going. 1. Ezra went to the council-chamber where, it is probable, the priests used to meet upon public business; and till he came thither (so bishop Patrick thinks it should be read), till he saw something done, and more likely to be done, for the redress of this grievance, he did neither eat nor drink, but continued mourning. Sorrow for sin should be abiding sorrow; be sure to let it continue till the sin be put away. 2. He sent orders to all the children of the captivity to attend him at Jerusalem within three days (Ezr 10:7,8); and, being authorized by the king to enforce his orders with penalties annexed (Ezr 7:26), he threatened that whosoever refused to obey the summons should forfeit his estate and be outlawed. The doom of him that would not attend on this religious occasion should be that his substance should, in his stead, be for ever after appropriated to the service of their religion, and he himself, for his contempt, should for ever after be excluded from the honours and privileges of their religion; he should be excommunicated. 3. Within the time limited the generality of the people met at Jerusalem and made their appearance in the street of the house of God, Ezr 10:9. Those that had no zeal for the work they were called to, nay, perhaps had a dislike to it, being themselves delinquents, yet paid such a deference to Ezra's authority, and were so awed by the penalty, that they durst not stay away. 4. God gave them a token of his displeasure in the great rain that happened at that time (Ezr 10:9,13), which perhaps kept some away, and was very grievous to those that met in the open street. When they wept the heavens wept too, signifying that, though God was angry with them for their sin, yet he was well pleased with their repentance, and (as it is said, Jdg 10:16) his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel; it was also an indication of the good fruits of their repentance, for the rain makes the earth fruitful. 5. Ezra gave the charge at this great assize. He told them upon what account he called them together now, that it was because he found that since their return out of captivity they had increased the trespass of Israel by marrying strange wives, had added to their former sins this new transgression, which would certainly be a means of again introducing idolatry, the very sin they had smarted for and which he hoped they had been cured of in their captivity; and he called them together that they might confess their sin to God, and, having done that, might declare themselves ready and willing to do his pleasure, as it should be made known to them (which all those will do that truly repent of what they have done to incur his displeasure), and particularly that they might separate themselves from all idolaters, especially idolatrous wives, Ezr 10:10,11. On these heads, we may suppose, he enlarged, and probably made such another confession of the sin now as he made Ezr 9:5-15, to which he required them to say Amen. 6. The people submitted not only to Ezra's jurisdiction in general, but to his inquisition and determination in this matter: "As thou hast said, so must we do, Ezr 10:12. We have sinned in mingling with the heathen, and have thereby been in danger, not only of being corrupted by them, for we are frail, but of being lost among them, for we are few; we are therefore convinced that there is an absolute necessity of our separating from them again." There is hope concerning people when they are convinced, not only that it is good to part with their sins, but that it is indispensably necessary: we must do it, or we are undone. 7. It was agreed that this affair should be carried on, not in a popular assembly, nor that they should think to go through with it all on a sudden, but that a court of delegates should be appointed to receive complaints and to hear and determine upon them. It could not be done at this time, for it was not put into a method, nor could the people stand out because of the rain. The delinquents were many, and it would require time to discover and examine them. Nice cases would arise, which could not be adjudged without debate and deliberation, Ezr 10:13. "And therefore let the crowd be dismissed, and the rulers stand to receive informations; let them proceed city by city, and let the offenders be convicted before them in the presence of the judges and elders of their own city; and let them be entrusted to see the orders executed. Thus take time and we shall have done the sooner; whereas, if we do it in a hurry, we shall do it by halves, Ezr 10:14. If, in this method, a thorough reformation be made, the fierce wrath of God will be turned from us, which, we are sensible, is ready to break forth against us for this transgression." Ezra was willing that his zeal should be guided by the people's prudence, and put the matter into this method; he was not ashamed to own that the advice came from them, any more than he was to comply with it.
¹⁵ Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
¹⁶ And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
¹⁷ And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
¹⁸ And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
¹⁹ And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.
²⁰ And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
²¹ And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
²² And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
²³ Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
²⁴ Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
²⁵ Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
²⁶ And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
²⁷ And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
²⁸ Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
²⁹ And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
³⁰ And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
³¹ And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
³² Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
³³ Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
³⁴ Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
³⁵ Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
³⁶ Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
³⁷ Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
³⁸ And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
³⁹ And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
⁴⁰ Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
⁴¹ Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
⁴² Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
⁴³ Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
⁴⁴ All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
The method of proceeding in this matter being concluded on, and the congregation dismissed, that each in his respective place might gain and give intelligence to facilitate the matter, we are here told, 1. Who were the persons that undertook to manage the matter and bring the causes regularly before the commissioners—Jonathan and Jahaziah, two active men, whether of the priests or of the people does not appear; probably they were the men that made that proposal (Ezr 10:13,14) and were therefore the fittest to see it pursued; two honest Levites were joined with them, and helped them, Ezr 10:15. Dr. Lightfoot gives a contrary sense of this: only (or nevertheless) Jonathan and Jahaziah stood against this matter (which reading the original will very well bear), and these two Levites helped them in opposing it, either the thing itself or this method of proceeding. It was strange if a work of this kind was carried on and met with no opposition. 2. Who were the commissioners that sat upon this matter. Ezra was president, and with him certain chief men of the fathers who were qualified with wisdom and zeal above others for this service, Ezr 10:16. It was happy for them that they had such a man as Ezra to head them; they could not have done it well without his direction, yet he would not do it without their concurrence. 3. How long they were about it. They began the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter (Ezr 10:16), which was but ten days after this method was proposed (Ezr 10:9), and they finished in three months, Ezr 10:17. They sat closely and minded their business, otherwise they could not have despatched so many causes as they had before them in so little time; for we may suppose that all who were impeached were fairly asked what cause they could show why they should not be parted, and, if we may judge by other cases, provided the wife were proselyted to the Jewish religion she was not to be put away, the trial of which would require great care. 4. Who the persons were that were found guilty of this crime. Their names are here recorded to their perpetual reproach; many of the priests, nay, of the family of Jeshua, the high priest, were found guilty (Ezr 10:18), though the law had particularly provided, for the preserving of their honour in their marriages, that being holy themselves they should not marry such as were profane, Le 21:7. Those that should have taught others the law broke it themselves and by their example emboldened others to do likewise. But, having lost their innocency in this matter, they did well to recant and give an example of repentance; for they promised under their hand to put away their strange wives (some think that they made oath to do so with their hands lifted up), and they took the appointed way of obtaining pardon, bringing the ram which was appointed by the law for a trespass offering (Le 6:6), so owning their guilt and the desert of it, and humbly suing for forgiveness. About 113 in all are here named who had married strange wives, and some of them, it is said (Ezr 10:44), had children by them, which implies that not many of them had, God not crowning those marriages with the blessing of increase. Whether the children were turned off with the mothers, as Shechaniah proposed, does not appear; it should seem not: however it is probable that the wives which were put away were well provided for, according to their rank. One would think this grievance was now thoroughly redressed, yet we meet with it again (Ne 13:23, Mal 2:11), for such corruptions are easily and insensibly brought in, but not without great difficulty purged out again. The best reformers can but do their endeavour, but, when the Redeemer himself shall come to Sion, he shall effectually turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
本章记载前章所控诉并哀叹的那桩弊端得蒙纠正的过程。请留意：I. 众民如何因对罪的深切自卑而预备好接受纠正（拉十1）。II. 示迦尼如何向以斯拉提出建议（拉十2-4）。III. 这建议如何付诸实行。1. 众首领起誓坚守此事（拉十5）。2. 以斯拉率先行事（拉十6）。3. 召开全体大会（拉十7-9）。4. 众人在以斯拉劝勉之下，全都同意进行改革（拉十10-14）。5. 设立委员，"日复一日"地开庭，查究谁曾娶了异族女子，并责令其休弃，事就这样成了（拉十15-17），并附上被判有罪者的姓名清单（拉十18-44）。