Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezra 10:18-44

"And among the sons of the priests there were found that had married foreign women: [namely], of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their guilt. And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. And of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah. And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth. And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. And [of] the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah. Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu, and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah. All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children." — Ezra 10:18-44 (ASV)

List of the transgressors. (19) They gave their hands (Ezra 10:19)—The four members of the high priest’s family were specially dealt with. They gave their distinct pledge, and each offered a special trespass offering. This is one among many similar signs of authenticity in the history; an inventor would have provided some reason for this unique treatment.

Pashur.—Comparing Ezra 2:36-39, we find that all the priestly families that returned with Zerubbabel were implicated in the national offense.

Of Israel.—Of the laity, eighty-six are mentioned, belonging to ten clans that returned with Zerubbabel.

Bani.—Probably this should be some other name, as Bani occurs before. The unusually large number of the representatives of his clan suggests that there is some confusion in the present text.

All these had taken strange wives (Ezra 10:44).—Though the numbers are not summed up and distributed, it is evident that this closing sentence is emphatic. Ezra ends his history with a list of the offenders—strong testimony to the importance he attached to the reformation. The last words—literally, and there were of them wives who had brought forth children (Ezra 10:44)—tend in the same direction. Not even this pathetic fact restrained the thoroughness of the removal. But the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13:23 and following) shows that it was thorough only for a time.