Ezra 10:44

Those Guilty of Intermarriage · Ezra 10:18–44
Read Ezra 10

Translations

Modern
All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Traditional
All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
Literal
All these had taken foreign wives, and were from them women, and they bore sons.
Latin
Omnes hi acceperant uxores alienigenas, et fuerunt ex eis mulieres, quæ pepererant filios.

Original

Hebrew
English
All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.

Notes

some of them had children by these wives: The couples likely married before Ezra returned to Jerusalem. They were not exempt from the decree.

Ezra addressed the issue of marrying idol-worshipping foreigners. The Jewish leaders had permitted this practice, even though the early settlers had promised to stay away from pagan influences (Ezra 4:1–5). Ezra prayed for the nation and assisted those who felt guilty about their sins to correct their actions.

Theme notes and profiles

Ezra Intermarriage and Divorce

Glossary

Book of Ezra Elephantine Papyri First Book of Esdras Genealogy

Topics

Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God: Sin of, to be Confessed, Deeply Repented of, and Forsaken Ammonites: Jews Intermarry With Amorites: Intermarry with Jews Church: Rules of Discipline In, Mosaic and Christian Decision: Israelites Jebusites: Not Exterminated, but They Intermarry with the Israelites