15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 a And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the 17 children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,' and #1 KL &; 10 offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, 18 according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.2 19 1 Chr. 241 41 Chr. 6 Ex. 12 6, etc. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day 20 of the first month. For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all | of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, 21 and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the eh... 22 LORD God of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy for the LORD had made them joyful, and 'turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of 6; c 1 1: 3 God, the God of Israel. 7 9 * Ex. 12. 15-; 11 6; 2 Clar. 20:15 17. Ich. 7. 27: Pra, IL L Ki. 39; 3 Chr. 33 11 1 Chr. 6 IL Anders 9, 28; ch. 6. 78 Ezra's journey to Jerusalem, with a commission from the king and a large company of Jews. NOW after these things, in the reign of " Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the 21 2 son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the 3 son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son 4 of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of 5 Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief 6 priest: this Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was P a ready scribes in the law 11, 12, Să of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him 7 all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the 8 seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth 9 month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, "according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and 2 Chr. 12, 14; B 3. to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 11 12 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. a b 22, 31: Ne. 26, B Pro 3 6 ch. & L. 'see ch. 8. 15, ate. ch. 2 13, &2 Artaxerxes, king of kings,10 unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the F. S. 7; Dan. 2 13 God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm which 14 are minded of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his cerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the 15 hand; and to carry the silver and gold, which 1 Some suppose that Psalms exlvi.-cxlviii. were composed on this occasion, as in the Septuagint they are called the psalms of Haggai. 2 Moses had given laws respecting the ministry of the priests and Levites, and the celebration of God's worship at the place which he should choose; but the courses of the priests and Levites were appointed by David. 3 Proselytes from heathenism. 4 That is, the king of Persia, as Assyria now formed part of his dominions; the Persian empire having overthrown and absorbed those of Assyria and Babylon. 5 This was Artaxerxes Longimanus, the son and successor of Xerxes I. The history now passes on to a period about sixty years after the temple had been finished, as related in ch. vi. During the interval, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Haggai, and Zechariah, had in all probability died; and although the temple was built and the worship restored, the civil and ecclesiastical state of the Jews was still very unsettled, until Ezra came with a new body of settlers, and a commission to restore the ancient national institutions. It is probable that the events related in the book of Esther occurred during the interval. If this were seven counsellors, to inquire con- Est. L. 14 so, Ezra's commission, and Nehemiah's position and influence at court, may perhaps be traced in part to Esther, who is supposed to have been mother of Artaxerxes. See preface to the book of Esther. 6 Seraiah was high priest when Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans. See 2 Kings xxv. 18. Ezra probably was his great grandson, belonging to a younger branch of the family. 7 In this genealogy between Azariah and Meraioth, six generations are omitted, which may be found in 1 Chron. vi. 7. Enough is given here to prove the descent of Ezra from the line of Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son. 8 That is, learned in the law of Moses, and well quali fied to instruct others. 9 This was the second great company that returned from Babylon. They went in circumstances much more encouraging than the former; for now the temple had been rebuilt, and the worship of God restored. 10 Perhaps this means, 'having many tributary kings' But the form of the title preserved by the Greek historians ('the Great King') intimates that it is only a superlative, like the heaven of heavens.' Chr. 6. 2; PL 76 42 2: 135. 21. ch. 8. 25-28 Chr. 29. 6, 9. Num. 15. 4-13 A Deu. 12. 5, 11. 2 Chr. 32. 19. ch. 6. 4, 8. ch. 6. 6. 16 freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house1 17 of their God which is in Jerusalem: that thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest 19 of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou 20 before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of 21 the king's treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done 22 speedily, unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and " salt with23 out prescribing how much. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for " why should there 24 be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, 25 upon them. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and Pteach ye them that know ver. 10: 2 Chr. 17. 7: 26 them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27 Le. 2. 13 " ch. 6. 10. Ex. 18. 21-25; Dea. 16. 18. Mal. 2. 7: Mt. 23. 2,3 9 ch. 6. 11. ch. 9. 9. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as thisChr. 29. 10. in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: 28 and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as "the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. 8 "see vers. 6.9; ch. 5. 5; ch. 8. 18. * eh. 2. 3. These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them ch. 7. 7, 13. 2 that went3 up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king. Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of 3 David; Hattush. Of the sons of Shechauiah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: Chr and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two 5 hundred males. Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him 6 three hundred males. Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and 7 with him fifty males. And of the sons of Elam;4 Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, 8 and with him seventy males. And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son 9 of Michael, and with him fourscore males. Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son 10 of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males. 11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and 12 eight males. And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with 13 him an hundred and ten males. And of the last 5 sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and a Zabbud, and with them seventy males. 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and 16 found there none of the sons of Levi.6 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, 1 By exonerating from taxation all who officiated or assisted in the temple-worship, the Persian monarch showed the favour with which he regarded the Jews. In their present circumstances, this exemption was a seasonable and important encouragement. 2 The king authorized Ezra, as governor of the Jews who lived west of the Euphrates, to appoint subordinate officers, and to provide for the instruction of the people in the law of God; and even permitted him to proselyte the Gentiles. The number of male adults (for such those here a or, Zaccur, as some read. b see ch. 7. 7, 24 numbered appear to have been) amounts only to 1754 persons; but the whole body who accompanied Ezra, including women and children, would, according to the usual proportions, consist of nearly seven thousand. 4 Many from the families mentioned here had previously gone up with Zerubbabel. See ch. ii. 5 These are probably called 'last,' because part of the family had returned before, and all who remained now followed. 6 That is, none who were simply Levites; for there were several priests. 1 Chr. 12 22 deh. 243 • ch. 7. 28. 17 men of understanding. And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring 18 unto us ministers for the house of our God. And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son Ne 8.7: 9 4, 5 of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, 19 eighteen; and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his 20 brethren and their sons, twenty; also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name. 21 223 8 see ver. 17; 24 A Judg. 20. 26; 1 Sam. 7.6: 2 Chr. 3; Joel 1. 14 5. Is. 5. h Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little 16 29,31; 129: 22 ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way:2 because we had spoken unto the king, saying, "The hand of our God is upon all them for ch. 7. 6, 2, 28 "good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that 23 forsake him. So we fasted3 and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us. 24 T Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 25 ten of their brethren with them, and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, 26 and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver 27 vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; also twenty basins of 28 gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. And said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of 30 the house of the LORD. So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. 3 31 2 "P. 33. 19, 19; SL 15. ver. 22. ch 7. 6,9,2 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. Now on the fourth Ne 2 11 33 day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and 34 Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites; by number and by weight of every one: aud all the weight was written at that time. 35 * vers. 26, 30; 1 Chr. 28.14-13 4 ch. 6. 17. Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a 36 sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD. And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this ch. 7. 21. side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. Intermarriages of the Jews with heathens; Ezra's distress and prayer; repentance and 9 reformation of the people. с ech. 6. 21, 19; EL R 16. Ne. 2 NOW when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the 2 Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their Ex 19 6; 23: daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed5 have & Deu, 12, 3, 31 Dea 7. 6; 142: 3 With humble confessions of their own unworthiness, solemnly putting the whole company under the gracious protection of God. 4 This expression commonly signifies in Scripture the worship of idols; but here it signifies intermarriage with foreigners, which had always led to idolatry. This is given as the reason for the prohibition in almost every place where it is repeated. See Deut. vii. 3, 4, etc. 5 So the Israelites were called, because of God's corenant with them, by which they were separated from all other nations, specially set apart to himself, and entrusted with peculiar religious privileges. mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes 3 and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of 4 my beard, and sat down astonied. Then were assembled unto me every one that 'trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the " evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness [or, affliction]; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and " spread out 6 my hands unto the LORD my God, and said, 5 a k 5 Ge. 6. 2; 2 Cor. 6. 14. A see refs. Num. 14. 6 í Ne. 13. 25; Jer. 7. 29; 48. 37, 38; Eze. 7. 18. k Ne. 1. 4; Ps. 143. 4; Eze. 3. 15. ch. 10. 3; Is. 66. 2. "Ex. 29. 39; Dan. 9. 21. "Ex. 9. 29, 33. Jer. 3. 25; Dan. 9. 7.8 P Ps. 38. 4: Is. 59. 12. 92 Chr. 28, 9; Rev. 18. 5 Num. 32. 14; 2 Chr. 29. 6: Ps. 106. 6; Dan. 9. 5-8 Le. 26. 14, etc.; Deu. 28. 36, 61; Ne. 9. 30. t Dan. 9. 7, 8. Ne. 9. 31. ver. 14; Is. 1.9; Eze. 6. 8; 14. 22. Yor, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode so is. 22. 23. Rev. 3 12. @ Ps. 13. 3; 34. 5. b P. 85 6; 138. 7; Is. 57. 15. Ne. 9. 3 d Ps. 136. 23, 24. eh. 1. 1-4; & 1-12; 7. 6, 11-28. fel. 6. 14, 15. * 18. 5. 2. AL. 18. 24-30. ich. 6. 21. * Ex. 23. 32: 34. 16; Deu. 7. 3. 1 Deu. 23. 6 Is. 1. 19. O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass [or, guiltiness] is 7 grown up unto the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities 'have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, 8 to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. And now for a little space "grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us *a remnant3 to escape, and to give us a nail * in his holy place, that our God 9 may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give 10 us a wall5 in Judah and in Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we 11 say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their 12 uncleanness: now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, 'nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever that ye may be strong, "and eat the good of the land, and "leave it for an 13 inheritance to your children for ever. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst con15 sumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are 'before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this. 10 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 Da, 9, 20. a very great congregation of men and women and children for the people 2 wept very sore. 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 hopes in Israel 3 concerning this thing. 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 ch.34. 4 let it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5 Then Pro. 13. 22; 20. 7. Ps. 103. 10; Lam. 3. 22, 30. P John 5. 14; Ro. 6. 1; 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21. 9 ver. 2; Ne. 13. 23, 27. Deu. 9. 8. No. 9. 33; Dan. 9. 7, 14. Ro. 3. 19. Eze. 33. 10; 1 Cor. 15. 17. Ps. 130. 3; 143. 2 #2 Chr. 20, 9. Ex. 34. 12; Ne. 13. 27. b Jer. 3. 12, 13. 2 Chr. 34. 29-33; Ne. 9. 38. ⚫ Deu. 7. 2, 3 Jos. 1 16-18 1 Chr. 28 10. A Ne. 5. 12; 10. 29. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to 6 swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 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,10 he did eat no bread, nor drink Deu. 9. 18. water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried 1 These were the customary tokens of deep grief and displeasure. 2 Ezra was not personally guilty in this matter; but he spoke and acted as the representative of the whole people. 3 The returned exiles were but a remnant of the whole nation, the bulk of the people still remaining in their dispersions; and those who returned were in an impoverished and abject state, compared with their ancestors. 4 This may refer either to the nails or pins by which the Oriental tents were fastened to the ground, or to the nails fixed in the walls of houses at the time of their erection, which were used for the purpose of suspending vessels or clothes, and which were as permanent as the house itself. See Isa. xxii. 23, 24. 5 The term here translated wall,' signifies the fence of a sheep-fold; and here figuratively represents their establishment again in their own land. 6 The next words may be rendered, though we remain;' but probably Ezra means to acknowledge that God had fulfilled his part of the covevnant, and that the people's guilt was hereby shown to be the more heinous. 7 Shechaniah appears not to have been implicated himself; but his father and others of his near relations were. See ver. 26. 8 Encouragement may be fitly given to the greatest sinners when their sin is seen and lamented, and decisive steps are taken towards a reformation. 9 This is nowhere commanded by the law, but seems to have been enforced by Ezra as a proof of sincerity. 10 Or, until he came thither.' 7 away. And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem untò all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto 8 Jerusalem; and that whosoever would not come within three days, according to eh. 7.26: Judg. 1. 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, and the twentieth day Feb. 26 of the month; and 'all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling 1 Sam. 12 N 10 because of this matter, and for the great rain. And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives," to increase 11 the trespass of Israel. Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of Jan 7. 19; PraSE your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. * ver. 3; ch à L ? Deu. 7. 3, 4 Deu. 17. 9 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast 13 said, so must we do. But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, 7 vers. 19-4 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 [or, we have greatly offended 14 in this thing]. 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 15 wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us. Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and 16 Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. And the children of the captivity did so. t 'Deu. 13. 17; 2 Chr. 30. 8. 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 17 first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first 18 month. 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 19 brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave 2 Ki. 10. 15. their hands that they would put away their wives; and being "guilty, they 20 offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, 21 and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, 22 and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, 23 Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and 24 Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Of "Le. 5. 16; 645 the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. 25 Moreover of Israel: 5 of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, 26 and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. And of the sons of Elam; 27 Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and 28 Aziza. Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. And 29 of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and 30 Ramoth. And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, 31 Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. And of the sons of Harim; 32 Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shema33 riah. Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, 34 Manasseh, and Shimei. Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, 37 Bedeiah, Chelluh, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, 39 and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Mach-or, Mababai, ne42 nadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, 43 and Joseph. Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and 44 Joel, Benaiah. All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children. 1 That is, some time in December, which in Palestine is the coldest and most rainy season of the year. 2 That is, let them act as a court of inquiry; summoning before them the parties concerned, together with the judges and elders of their cities. The investigation seems to have occupied a quarter of a year. 3 Although the law had particularly provided for the preservation of their honour in their marriages (see Lev. xxi. 7); and they were bound, above all others, as teachers of the law, to set a good example. 4 A most expressive mode of solemn agreement. 5 That is, those who were neither priests nor Levites. 3 cording to sOME COpies. | tended, owing probably in part to the small proportion of women who had returned from Babylon. The decree of separation, although apparently a severe measure, espe cially as affecting the children, was evidently necessary to prevent the influx of idolatry. These cases differ greatly from those for which a milder rule was laid down by the apostle Paul (1 Cor. vii. 12, 13); for the Jew who married a heathen wife did so in direct violation of his own law; whereas the parties referred to in the New Testament had married as heathens, but one of them had subsequently been converted to Christianity. Although the evil among the Jews seemed now to be thoroughly corrected, we find it again in Neh. xiii. 22; Mal. ii. 11. |