Ezra 10:12

“Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, etc.] That they might be heard, and to show that they were willing and ready to comply with what was proposed: as thou host said, so must we do; being convinced of their sin, they saw it was a duty incumbent on them to put away their strange wives, and that there was a necessity of it, to avert the wrath of God from them.”

“As thou hast said: They all resolved to do what Ezra had commanded; and they did put away their wives, even those by whom they had children ( Ezr 10:44), each of whom doubtless received a portion according to the circumstances of her husband, and was not turned away desolate. Humanity must have dictated this, and no law of God is contrary to humanity. so must we do: Ezr 10:3, Ezr 10:4; Neh 13:23; Psa 78:37, Psa 78:57 Ezra 10:13”

“The whole assembly replied with a loud voice, and therefore with firm resolve: According to thy word it is our duty to do. עלינוּ must not be drawn to what precedes, as in the Vulgate, juxta verbum tuum ad nos, sic fiat, but to what follows, as in Ezr 10:4, Neh 13:13; Sa2 18:11. But - they further remark, Ezr 10:13 \- the people are many, - i.e., the assemblage is very large to be able to deal immediately with the several cases; and it is (now) the time of the heavy rains, and there is no power to stand without, - i.e., at the present season we are not able to remain in the open air until the business is discharged; neither is this the work of one day, or of two, for we have transgressed…”