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NASB | Ezra 10:3 "So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ezra 10:3 "Therefore let us now make a covenant with our God to send away all the [foreign] wives and their children, in accordance with the advice of my lord and of those who tremble [in reverent obedience] at the commandment of our God; and let it be done in accordance with the Law. |
Bible Question:
I am a little stunned by the end of Ezra -- it is so concerned with racial purity. I wonder what happened to all of the wives and children? ... and I think of the grief that divorce causes children: to turn to divorce as a societial solution would have such devistating effects for the next generation... Are we to see holiness in this covenant? JRM |
Bible Answer: Hi, JRM! I think that the problem lies not in the "cleansing" but in what is the "cleansing." God did not command the people of Israel to exclude other nationality or people of different ethnicity... the call was to purify themselves from the pagan people around them. There are many statements in the Old Testament made by God in reference to the "foreigners:" they are to be respected, considered one of Israel's children, allowed to live in peace among Israel, allowed to partake of the covenants... the one requirement on the "foreigners" was that they too had to be as Israel: One God, obey His commandments, be as the people of Israel were commanded to live! Heard the story of Ruth? She did not marry one of Israel's king... but she was selected by God to protect His people in among the non-Jews! God Bless! Angel |