Ezra 10:6 - Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of their trespass of the captivity.

Generated Verse: Ezra 10:6

What does "Ezra 10:6" mean?


Ezra 10:6 describes Ezra's profound grief and mourning over the Israelites' sin of marrying foreign women, a violation of God's law that threatened the religious purity and spiritual survival of the nation after their return from exile. Let's break down the verse:

"Then Ezra rose up from before God's house..." This indicates Ezra had been at the Temple, likely praying, lamenting, or engaging in some form of seeking God's intervention. His rising suggests a change in action or a response to something that has happened.
"...and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib." Ezra sought a private place for his mourning. Jehohanan's room suggests a connection to the priesthood, as Eliashib was the high priest. The location provided Ezra with a secluded space, perhaps within the Temple complex, to process his emotions and seek God.
"When he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water..." This is a clear sign of mourning and fasting. Abstaining from food and water was a common practice to express deep sorrow, repentance, and dependence on God. It symbolized a focus on spiritual matters above physical needs.
"...for he mourned because of their trespass of the captivity." This explains the reason for Ezra's distress. The "trespass" refers to the Israelites' sin of intermarrying with foreign women (as detailed earlier in Ezra 9). This act was seen as a betrayal of God's covenant and a repeat of the sins that led to the Babylonian captivity. "Of the captivity" likely means those who had returned from exile were committing this sin again, demonstrating a lack of learning from past mistakes and jeopardizing the future of the restored community.

In summary, Ezra 10:6 portrays Ezra's deep sorrow and mourning over the Israelites' sin of intermarriage. He sought a private place to express his grief through fasting, indicating his profound concern for the spiritual health and future of the nation. He recognized the severity of their actions and the potential consequences for their relationship with God and their survival as a distinct people. His mourning served as a powerful expression of his commitment to God's law and his desire for the people's repentance.

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