Ezra 10:3

“Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God, etc.] Renew our covenant with him, and lay ourselves under fresh obligation by promise and oath, and unanimously agree to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them; he means all the strange wives, such marriages being unlawful; and such wives might the more easily be put away, since bills of divorce were in frequent use with the Jews, and the children of such also being illegitimate; and the rather they were to be put away, lest they should corrupt other children, or get into the affections of their fathers, which might lead on to receive their mothers again, and especially this was to be done as a punishment of their sin: though…”

“Let it be done according to the law - i. e., let a formal “bill of divorcement” be given to each foreign wife, whereby she will be restored to the condition of an unmarried woman, and be free to marry another husband (see Deuteronomy 24:1-2). The facility of divorce among the Jews is well-known. According to many of the rabbis, a bill of divorcement might he given by the husband for the most trivial cause. Thus, no legal difficulty stood in the way of Shechaniah’s proposition; and Ezra regarded it as necessary for the moral and religious welfare of the people. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Such as are born - These children were only cast out of the common - wealth of Israel, but were not utterly forsaken; probably care was taken by authority, that they should have provision made for them. Ezra 10:6”

“10:3 A covenant is a binding agreement, in this case specifically to divorce . . . pagan wives that the people of Israel had inappropriately married. By taking this action, they would renew their commitment to the Sinai covenant. • Women were generally given custody of their children when a marriage failed (cp. Hagar and Ishmael, Gen 21:14).”

“let us make: Nichrath berith, "let us cut a covenant:" Deu 29:12; Jos 9:6; Kg2 11:17; Ch2 29:10, Ch2 34:31, Ch2 34:32; Neh 9:38; Neh 10:29-39 put away: Heb. bring forth according to the counsel: Ch2 30:12 of those that: Ezr 9:4; Ch2 34:21, Ch2 34:27; Psa 119:59, Psa 119:120; Isa 66:2; Eze 9:4 at the commandment: Deu 7:2, Deu 7:3; Jos 23:12, Jos 23:13 let it: Neh 8:14, Neh 13:1-3; Isa 8:20; Shechaniah's counsel, which he was then so clear in, will not hold now. such marriages, it is certain, are contrary to the will of God, and ought not to be made; but they are not null. Our rule under the gospel is Quod fieri non debuit, factum valet, "That which ought not to have been done must, when done,…”