Ezra 10:4 — Meaning and Application

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 hope in Israel 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 let it be done according to the law. {to put...: Heb. to bring forth}

Arise; for {this} matter {belongeth} unto thee: we also {will be} with thee: be of good courage, and do {it}.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

Then 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, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.