If the actions of Ezra and his assistants had amounted to organizing a mass divorce, we would hardly consider them...
If the actions of Ezra and his assistants had amounted to organizing a mass divorce, we would hardly consider them worthy of imitation. But for Ezra, divorce and the family tragedies associated with it were not an end in themselves. The mass divorce becomes part of a renewed covenant with the Lord, by which the people once again undertake to remain united with Him and faithfully follow His commandments.
Let us note that no one forbids husbands who do not wish to part with their pagan wives from accompanying them into exile. Nor do we hear a single voice protesting against Ezra. Such a response gives rise to doubts about how strong those severed family bonds had been in the first place. Moreover, for some reason no mention is made of whether any of the foreign women had accepted faith in the God of Israel. Could it be that their husbands had not taken care to unite them with their own people and reveal to them the meaning of that people’s hope in the Lord?
But in any event, the breaking of close relationships, especially on such a massive scale, brought pain and the reality of human tragedies. Whatever arguments may be used to justify what happened, there is no escaping this...
10 The people mourn, Ezr 10:1.
Shechaniah encourages Ezra to put away the strange wives, Ezr 10:2-4.
All Israel swear to do it, Ezr 10:5.
Ezra, mourning assembles the people, Ezr 10:6-9.
They all, on his exhortation, agree to the reformation, Ezr 10:10-14.
They perform it, Ezr 10:15-17.
The names of them that had married strange wives, Ezr 10:18-44.
10:1 There assembled - The account of his grief, and publick expressions thereof in the court before the temple, being in an instant dispersed over all the city, brought a great company together. See what an happy influence the example of great ones may have upon their inferiors!
10:2 We - He saith, we, in the name of the people, and their several families, and his own amongst the rest. For this man's name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father, Jehiel, and his father's brethren, five other sons of his grandfather, Elam, ver. Ezr 10:26. It was therefore an evidence of his great courage, and good conscience, that he durst so freely discharge his duty, whereby he shewed, that he honoured God more than his nearest and dearest relations.Hope - In case of our repentance, and reformation.
10:3 Such as are born - These children were only cast out of the common - wealth of Israel, but were not utterly forsaken; probably care was taken by authority, that they should have provision made for them.
10:6 Went - That with the princes and elders, he might consult about the execution of their resolution. Thither - 'Till he saw something done.
10:9 Of Judah - Not only of these two tribes, as appears from the following catalogue, where there are priests and Levites; but all the Israelites, ver. Ezr 10:25, who are thus described, because the greatest part of them were of these tribes, though others were mixed with them: and because they all now dwelt in that land, which formerly was appropriated to those tribes. The street - In that street of the city, which was next the temple, and within the view of it, that so they might be as in God's presence, whereby they might be awed to a more faithful and vigorous prosecution of their work. And this place they might chuse rather than the court of the people, because they thought it might be polluted by the delinquents, who were all to come thither. Great rain - Which they took for a token of God's displeasure against them.
10:14 Our rulers - Let the great council, called the Sanhedrim, be settled, and meet to determine of all particular causes. Judges - Who are best able to inform the great council of the quality of the persons, and all matters of fact and circumstances. Until - Until the thing be done, and God's wrath thereby removed.
10:15 Employed - To take care that the business should be executed in the manner proposed, that the officers and delinquents of every city should come successively in convenient time and order, as these should appoint, to keep an exact account of the whole transaction, and of the names of the cities and persons whose causes were dispatched, to give notice to others to come in their turns, and to prepare the business for the hearing of the judges. These two were priests, as their helpers were Levites; that so they might inform the persons concerned, in any matter of doubt.