May 6, 2025, Ezra 10:18-44
May 6, 2025, Ezra 10:18-44
18 Now
there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women:
Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son
of Jozadak and his brothers. 19 They pledged
themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of
the flock for their guilt. 20 Of the sons of Immer:
Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 Of the sons of Harim:
Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 Of
the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and
Elasah.
23 Of the
Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and
Eliezer. 24 Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the
gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And of
Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar,
Hashabiah, and Benaiah. 26 Of the sons of
Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 Of
the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and
Aziza. 28 Of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 Of the sons of
Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 Of
the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel,
Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 Of the sons of Harim:
Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin,
Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum:
Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of
the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah,
Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth,
Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu. 38 Of
the sons of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah,
Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai,
Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum,
Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel,
Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All
these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne
children.
These verses share a
disheartening list of people who married pagan/foreign women and now promise to
divorce them causing the women and their children to be removed from the
community.
What a sad situation from
the book of Ezra. Virtually, these children were left orphans.
Although this demonstrates obedience to God's law it’s difficult to
understand. It leaves me pondering what sacrifices I make to follow God’s
will, abide in Him and demonstrate total surrender.
Robin Adams
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