This verse highlights that even within the priestly line, directly responsible for upholding God's law, the sin of marrying foreign women had taken root. Notably, it mentions the sons of the high priest Jeshua himself, underscoring how widespread and high-up this transgression was, proving no one was above accountability.
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. They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezra has just called the people to account for marrying foreign women, and a great assembly has agreed to confess their sin and put away their wives. This verse begins listing the offenders, starting with the priests themselves, including some from the family of the high priest Jeshua, showing that even those in leadership roles were implicated in this widespread problem. The inclusion of these prominent names emphasizes the depth of the transgression and the serious work of reform Ezra is undertaking.
When the leaders of God's people fall, it sends ripples of devastation. This verse reveals just how deeply sin had penetrated the highest ranks.
The people of Israel had returned from exile with a mandate to rebuild and recommit to God's Law. Yet, Ezra discovers that even the priests, those meant to uphold and teach the Law, had intermarried with foreign women.
Why list specific names in this moment of confession and reform? What does it tell us about God's heart and the gravity of this sin?
Ezra 10:18 doesn't just state a problem; it names names. This act of public identification carries immense weight:
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Understand the original words
ben · Hebrew Noun
Individuals who are descendants of the tribe of Levi, specifically the house of Aaron, dedicated to leading the people in worship and maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary.
yādâ · Hebrew Verb
To commit oneself by oath or vow; it represents a binding decision to align one's actions with God's law, often involving the public declaration of intent to repent or reform.
ʾāšām · Hebrew Noun
A legal or ceremonial procedure to acknowledge and satisfy the demands of divine justice; it signifies the removal of the burden of sin through specific sacrificial atonement.
ʾāšām · Hebrew Noun
An offense against God that requires compensation or restitution; it implies a state of being morally liable or indebted to God due to a transgression of His law.
This verse highlights that even among the priestly families, who should have been guardians of the Law, the sin of marrying foreign women had taken root. This reveals the depth of the spiritual and social compromise the community had fallen into after their return from exile.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Following Cyrus the Great's decree, a significant number of Judeans, including priests and Levites, return from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem and Judah. This marks the beginning of the Second Temple period and the rebuilding of the community.
c. 515 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Second Temple is completed and dedicated in Jerusalem. This event symbolizes the restoration of worship and national identity for the returning exiles, but the community still faces challenges.
c. 458 BC— this verse
Ezra's Return and Reforms
Ezra the scribe, a priest and expert in the Law of Moses, leads another group of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. He discovers widespread religious and social corruption, particularly concerning intermarriage with foreign women.
c. 457 BC
Ezra's Great Assembly
Ezra convenes a large assembly in Jerusalem. The people confess their sins, and an agreement is made to separate from foreign wives, a process that begins immediately.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah's Arrival and Wall Rebuilding
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king, arrives in Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. He also confronts the same issue of intermarriage and enforces the Law, showing the long-term struggle to maintain purity.
This passage highlights the same issue of intermarriage among the returned exiles, specifically calling out priests and even the high priest's family for similar transgressions, showing this wasn't an isolated incident but a recurring problem.
Deuteronomy 7:1-4This Old Testament law explicitly forbids Israelites from intermarrying with the surrounding nations, providing the foundational principle that Ezra and Nehemiah were enforcing to maintain the covenant people's distinct identity.
Zechariah 3:1-5This vision of Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord, clad in filthy garments, can be seen as a symbolic representation of the sin and impurity within the priesthood, including the issue of foreign wives, at this time.
1 Corinthians 7:39The Apostle Paul's teaching in the New Testament emphasizes that believers should marry 'only in the Lord,' echoing the principle found in Ezra and Nehemiah concerning the importance of spiritual alignment in marriage.
pulpitEzra 10:18: "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 brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah."
Verse 18. - Joshua the son of Jozadak is, undoubtedly, the high priest of chs. 3. and 5. Four members of his family had committed the sin (compare Nehemiah 13:28).
pooleEzra 10:18: "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 brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah."
No text from Poole on this verse.
This verse highlights that even within the priestly line, directly responsible for upholding God's law, the sin of marrying foreign women had taken root. Notably, it mentions the sons of the high priest Jeshua himself, underscoring how widespread and high-up this transgression was, proving no one was above accountability.
Ezra has just called the people to account for marrying foreign women, and a great assembly has agreed to confess their sin and put away their wives. This verse begins listing the offenders, starting with the priests themselves, including some from the family of the high priest Jeshua, showing that even those in leadership roles were implicated in this widespread problem. The inclusion of these prominent names emphasizes the depth of the transgression and the serious work of reform Ezra is undertaking.
Ezra has just called the people to account for marrying foreign women, and a great assembly has agreed to confess their sin and put away their wives. This verse begins listing the offenders, starting with the priests themselves, including some from the family of the high priest Jeshua, showing that even those in leadership roles were implicated in this widespread problem. The inclusion of these prominent names emphasizes the depth of the transgression and the serious work of reform Ezra is undertaking.
"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. They pledged themselves to put away their wives, an…" — This verse highlights that even within the priestly line, directly responsible for upholding God's law, the sin of marrying foreign women had taken root. Notably, it mentions the sons of the high pri…
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Last reviewed October 2026
